Last week we introduced the topic for the next few months. The vital topic is working with conflict situations.
So let’s begin.
One minute and counting…
As we know, conflict is everywhere. Without conflict, the history of the world could all fit into a five page Word document. Instead, volumes are filled with wars and political dramas. All because of a lack of ability to resolve conflict.
In order to learn how to address conflict it is important for you to know how you personally deal with conflict.
The Harvard Business Review published that there are two main types of people when it comes to conflict: conflict seekers and conflict avoiders.
Conflict seekers:
– eager to engage in disagreements
– care more about directness and honesty
Conflict avoiders:
– shies away from disagreement
– cares more about harmony
Now you might not be sure which one exactly matches you, but in order for us to truly improve our approaches to conflict management we have to start at the basics.
This week’s challenge is simple: Find out how you handle conflict. Are you a seeker or avoider?
This realization may be the most important part of your week, and is fundamental in beginning your path to improved conflict management.
There are a multitude of great sources for information on conflict resolution. We have chosen to use, as a principle source for the next few weeks, the superb work by Amy Gallo, Managing Conflicts at Work, published by Harvard Business Review.
