Conflict is a normal part of everyday life. People respond to conflicts based on their own unique experiences, perspectives, ideas, and values. This can make life stressful depending on the situation and how you deal with it. You can’t avoid all disputes, but you can control how you react to them.
Conflicts can occur when people feel threatened in some way. The people involved may not feel heard, respected, valued or may be feeling some other personal need. Sometimes people fear conflict due to their past experiences that may not have gone well. It is important to step back and take a fresh look at the situation with an open mind and compassion. Empathy for the other person is a good first step. You can respond respectfully and be open to what the person is trying to say. When you hope for the best for another person as well as yourself, you may find yourself better able to remain calm, seek compromises and resolution.
Steps for conflict resolution:
1. Tune into what you are feeling and why you feel conflict
2. Take a deep breath and remain calm
3. Speak calmly and respectfully
4. Make respect for the other person as well as yourself the priority
5. Let go of past conflicts, start fresh
6. Let your focus be on conflict resolution not “winning” the argument
7. Really take time to listen to the other person
8. Take a helpful stance, what can you do to make the situation better?
9. Apologize when necessary for hurt feelings, misunderstandings or mistakes made that caused issues for the other person
10. Focus on your own handling of the conflict, not on the other persons. You can’t control their reactions.
11. Lighten the situation when you can, by letting the person know how much you appreciate them and why you appreciate them (be sincere)
12. Forgive and let go
Conflict is a normal part of daily life, but with patience, empathy, and respect you can resolve conflicts effectively. We hope this article has given you a few new tips which you can use to approach conflicts in the future!
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