Listen for the complaint under the complaint. “This is stupid” often means “I’m lost.”

People rarely state the actual problem, partly because complaining is easier than admitting confusion. Calling something stupid protects you in a way that saying you are lost does not, especially with other people listening. Underneath most irritation there is usually a request for help that nobody wants to make out loud.

When something gets dismissed as pointless, try asking which part is unclear instead of defending it. Ask quietly and ask it as a real question. You will be surprised how often the resistance was a tangle somewhere earlier.