How do you manage conflict when it arises? In my book, The Power of Emotion, I share how our conflict resolution abilities significantly affect our relationships' strength and the quality of our lives. As such, it's no surprise many of us are on the hunt for practical and effective conflict resolution and communication strategies to mitigate problematic situations as quickly as possible, regardless of who is at fault or the emotion you might be feeling.
THE POWER OF EMOTION | CHAPTER 12 | OVERVIEW
Practical and Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies
Today, I want to share with you some helpful strategies for conflict resolution and what to keep in mind when conflict does arise.
Resolve the conflict as quickly as possible
When communication breaks down, the quicker you resolve the issue in real-time, the easier it will be to repair the relationship. Preferably you never want to leave a broken or conflicted conversation.
It's far more effective to resolve a problem when you're face-to-face at the moment when all parties can see and read body language and facial expressions. Otherwise, the problem can magnify afterward if individuals are simmering over the situation.
(Don't miss these practical tips for controlling your emotions in the workplace next)
Emphasize empathy
Empathy is one of the most powerful conflict resolution strategies you have at your disposal. But unfortunately, empathy is also one of the significant challenges I observe during professional consultations.
Generally, people aren't out to hurt, provoke or aggravate their colleagues: they are more likely to lack empathy and struggle to put themselves in their "colleague's shoes."
Here, we're reminded of the importance of strengthening and developing our emotional intelligence skills to enhance communication. In doing so, empathy becomes a more natural practice.
Being empathetic to the individual(s) you conflict with can make all the difference in resolving the situation. When others witness you making an effort to understand their perspective, they appreciate it and may be more willing to compromise or see your point of view.
As such, improving your emotional intelligence and empathy are incredibly worthwhile pursuits.
(Visit this post next to more about why empathy is the foundation for emotional intelligence)
Embrace conflict resolution by getting out of your comfort zone
The third and final conflict resolution strategy we'll discuss in this post involves getting out of your comfort zone.
In most cases, we instinctively want to escape the conflict as quickly as possible rather than face these conflicts head-on, attempting to repair the situation. Often, it seems easier to walk away from the stress conflict creates.
But the truth is, it will serve you better to embrace the situation and get out of your comfort zone to mend the struggle as it occurred. While this can be challenging, you'll feel much better knowing you have faced the conflict rather than running away from it.
Being open to change and trying something out of the ordinary can often make life easier.
You'll also find that the more you practice this technique, the more skilled and confident you will become. At the same time, you will be better prepared to face conflict when it does arise.
Do you want to learn more about conflict resolution and practical strategies for doing so? In my new book, The Power of Emotion, this is a subject I cover at length. Order your copy today to learn everything you need to know about supporting and rebuilding communication during a broken conversation or conflict, even when emotions are running high.
Did you enjoy this post? Here are three more to read next:
- Strengthen Your Resiliency to Better Manage Adversity
- What Kind of a Problem Solver are You?
- How Influence Affects the Quality of Relationships
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