Personally, I hate being taken by surprise. This is a terrific strategy for a number of situations.
I think the "surprise" element puts people on the defensive, warranted or not. Having time for both parties to formulate their thoughts leads to a more productive conversation for both parties.
I think the "surprise" element puts people on the defensive, warranted or not. Having time for both parties to formulate their thoughts leads to a more productive conversation for both parties.