Conflict can arise in any personal or professional situation, but can actually be quite healthy – if approached and handled properly. Follow these easy tips to ensure you know just how to turn conflict into an exercise in healthy discussion:
- Speak civilly. As emotions rise, volume quickly follows suit. That’s why it’s important for you to remain calm, cool, and collected by speaking with a soft and personable tone while refraining from using aggressive, rude, or threatening language. Even when someone speaks with an uncivil tone, it’s important not to match it; instead, de-escalate the rising tensions.
- Consider alternate perspectives. When someone is passionate about an idea, it’s common for them to become somewhat narrow-minded. To promote mutual understanding, it’s best to listen to each other’s points of view. This exercise in active listening will help with the free exchange of thoughts and feelings, without feeling insecure or unheard.
- Take time to reflect. While in a heated debate or having been the recipient of a subjectively uncivil comment, it’s easy to let your emotions overshadow your rational side. Remember to take a breath, step away from the situation, or sleep on it before reacting to what you perceive as a personal attack. By taking time to reflect, the conflict might not appear as catastrophic. Most of the time, context gets lost due to hectic schedules and digital communication, so try to give those around you the benefit of the doubt.
- Respect one another. Everyone is different and has unique personalities, opinions, beliefs, and values. By respecting, valuing, and ultimately accepting these differences, you might realize that there is no need for conflict. Instead, you are your partner, friend, or coworker will be able to speak openly and honestly without feeling judged or dismissed.
- Promote psychological safety. When people feel like they are in a psychologically safe environment to express themselves or voice their opinions and concerns, there is a lower likelihood that they will be met with hostility. Plus, this sense of safety might spark healthy debate, which can lead to growth in any relationship – personal or professional. As long as you maintain a level of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusivity you will be better positioned to have a civil conversation rather than an argument.
By following these practical conflict resolution tips, you can focus on nurturing healthy relationships with others by choosing to react to tense or uncomfortable situations with understanding rather than hostility.
Learn more about conflict resolution by joining one of our Therapy@Home group skills-building classes: https://homewoodhealth.com/home/services/therapyathome/