Having good conflict resolution skills is absolutely essential. Conflict is a fact of life and arises in a variety of different circumstances from your personal life to your professional life. Conflict doesn't have to be a bad thing as it can help you to learn to communicate your needs, to develop creative compromises and to develop a deeper understanding of the points-of-view that others hold. Conflict can also help you to strengthen your relationships, as long as it is handled right.
Unfortunately, not everyone has good conflict resolution skills. Some people simply give in at the first sign of a disagreement, and they end up never having their needs met and always feeling just a little bit resentful. This can also undermine the respect that others have for the person who just gives in all the time, as no one is going to respect someone who doesn't respect himself enough to stand up for what he needs.
Other people, on the other hand, are too aggressive in handling conflicts. They may push their beliefs and opinions on others, be unwilling to listen and be stubborn. This can cause a problem that is difficult to ever solve if no one is willing to work together to try to come to a resolution. It can also undermine relationships and make others see the aggressor as a bully.
In reality, most people don't fall into these extremes and are somewhere in the middle. However, almost no one likes conflict and very few people really know how to handle issues or disagreements in a positive and effective way.
Learning Conflict Resolution Skills
Fortunately, if you struggle with conflict and have difficulty either resolving conflicts effectively or dealing with the emotional ramifications of a conflict, there are options for you.
Life coaching is one option, where you can get one-on-one assistance in understanding why you react the way you do to conflict and in learning how to come up with better and more effective conflict resolution techniques.
Another option, however, is to attend a seminar or workshop on conflict resolution. In many cases, this is the single best way to get to the root of why you have problems resolving conflicts and is the single best way to tackle those problems head on and to learn how to be more effective when a conflict situation arises.
When you attend a seminar or workshop to learn conflict resolution skills, you will learn not to be an aggressor, but instead to be someone who stands up for yourself in a way that is going to help you to earn- and deserve- respect. You will be given the opportunity to discuss and analyze conflict resolution behaviors, to learn where you've been going wrong in the past and to develop and practice new and effective behaviors you can use going forward into your future.
Taking the time to learn good conflict resolution skills can help you to get along better with others at work and at home. Most important, it can help you to become a better, more self-aware and more fulfilled person.
