Disagreements/Conflicts

• Think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective. For example, could you suggest a compromise? Could you look for a broader range of solutions to your disagreement? Could you use some of the principles of nonviolent communication or the 3 R's to better help you resolve this conflict? I recently had a disagreement with a friend of mine about religion. She is very into religion, considers herself a "Christian" and attends church. My husband and I don't believe in God or practice religion in anyway, shape, or form. We ended up having a heated discussion about this topic. Two strategies that I have learned that might help manage or solve the conflict more productively are: 1.) Change the environment: Create an environment where people can express their feelings and concerns. High emotions will just make the situation worse. 2.) Be a good listener: Be open minded and listen to all parties point of view even if you don't agree. Take in what they are saying, even if you don't agree. Reassure the other party that they have been heard. Compromising is always a good alternative to resolving conflicts but not everyone knows how to compromise or likes to do that. Every individual is different. Some people are not up for compromising because they feel that they always have to be right so they tend to argue, get loud in dicussion in order to try and get there point across. Personally, I'm all for compromise. I think it's a positive way to resolve conflict. In this situation regarding religion it just didn't work out. In order to compromise both parties need to argree and be on the same page and my friend wasn't willing to do that with me. We continue to disagree on the topic and always will.
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