When approached correctly, arguments can move ideas forward, improve concepts and improve relationships, according the the Entrepreneur.com article “The Art of Having a Productive Argument.” Arguments in the workplace are inevitable and, looked at one way, a good indication. If you never encounter arguments about business decisions, it’s a sure sign that your workers aren’t very passionate about their jobs and the company. Use these tips to make sure these encounters are productive, not destructive:

1. Make it timely. Don’t let a problem fester and compound – hash it out ASAP, resolve the issue, and move on. If you let multiple issues build up before confronting them, it becomes more difficult to resolve any of them.
2. Let the argument be like a tennis match. In tennis, both players don’t try to hit the ball at the same time. The least arguments occur when neither side will stop talking long enough to listen to the other. State your case, then “lob” your argument to the other individual, be quiet, and listen intently to their response.
3. Seek an understanding. When your sole purpose of an argument is to win, nothing good will come of it. If you approach it with the goal of a resolution that’s best for the business, everybody wins. So, make sure you’re truly trying to understand the value of the opposing argument rather than just picking out ways to shoot it down.
4. Don’t make it personal. Comments should always be directly related to the subject at hand. If you’re too focused on winning, you also might resort to dirty tactics like personal jabs…then you’ve got a real problem on your hands.
5. Use visuals. Sometimes arguments arise from simple misunderstandings. Humans are highly visual creatures, so sometimes a quick drawing or diagram can help get you on the same page and resolve an issue before it gets far.
6. Talk about what you are seeking. Another potential issue is that you don’t like what the other person proposes, but you really don’t know exactly what it is that you want. Once both sides have explicitly described what they want to get from the argument, you can begin to make progress.
7. The other person’s victory can become yours. It’s not always about being right. Sometimes you’re going to be wrong, and your “loss” in the argument will be a win for the business, because the right decision will be made.

Click here to read the article from Entrpreneur.com.