Relational Empowerment

I recently attended a terrific workshop by couples-therapist Terrence Real. Real's new book: The New Rules of Marriage, is a manual for couples and therapists and it's an excellent one.
In my own work with couples, I  frequently encounter what Real calls The Five Losing Strategies.

The first Losing strategy: Needing to Be Right. 

As Real says, you can be right or you can be married. An over-simplification perhaps but not by much. Couples claw each other bloody over what each believes is the superior, rational, objective observation about some shortcoming of the other. Getting drunk on indignation, as Real puts it.
So true. I have never once seen a couple 'Get to Yes' by this means. Couples will readily admit knowing this, yet seem powerless to stop themselves.

Real's rule: OBJECTIVE REALITY HAS NO PLACE IN CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. 

The way to stop is to stop. Right or wrong is basically irrelevant. It's about redirecting that need to be right towards rekindling respect and support for your partner, instead.
Think we instead of me.