- Either crack a joke and direct the conversation to something else, grin and bear it, or if possible calmly slip away for a few minutes. - What you say is not

- Either crack a joke and direct the conversation to something else, grin and bear it, or if possible calmly slip away for a few minutes. - What you say is not nearly as important as listening. Let their words be your guide. Sometimes just good eye contact, nodding, and "I understand" are more than enough. - Acknowledge the value in their reasoning and then pivot into a discussion about it. "Hmm... I've never thought about it like that before. I like what you say about a, b, and c. But have you considered for x, y, and z..." - About close enough to make solid eye contact (say 15 feet or so) then a second or two after. The lack of good eye contact is usually the issue. - "I have to say I really enjoy chatting with you Dave, truly, sometimes it's crazy how our minds seem to run on the same train of thought. I have to catch a meeting in 5 but let's continue this soon. How about lunch later this week?" And then just a natural progression from there... if you guys both have significant others, couples night out. - Flip the table. If someone did something you admired and you thanked them, how would you feel if they didn't express some gratitude back? If you're charmingly self-deprecating that's one thing, but if not it could seem like you're basically saying "your opinion does not matter." A warm thank you is never egotistical.