| Giving orders can trigger resentment and defensiveness in colleagues and subordinates. |
| He observes more closely what happens in relationships, without criticism or defensiveness. |
| The question of alliances with dictators, of deals with the devil, can be approached openly, forthrightly and without any need for defensiveness. |
| It was left to the New York Times to deplore the defensiveness of much of the debate. |
| What is the best way to deliver a critical message without arousing defensiveness? |
| Changing the organization often results in a milieu characterized by defensiveness and feelings of insecurity. |
