Approaches To Resolve Conflict

Conflict happens--the better you are able to deal with it and successfully negotiate through it, the more beneficial it will be. Successful conflict resolution will not only help you to gain answers related to the current conflict, but it can also bring about personal growth and improved relationships, reports Help Guide.

Become a Better Listener

Listening can be a great skill in conflict resolution. You have to be able to hear what is being said while listening for the emotional undertones behind the words. According to the "Essentials of Negotiation," it is important to pay attention to both the nonverbal and verbal communication signals in order to improve your listening skills. Better listening will keep you more informed and more connected to others you are in conflict with, thus, enabling you to better resolve the conflict, according to Help Guide.
Your ability to listen will allow you to truly understand what the other person needs and what they would like to gain from the resolution, reports the "Essentials of Negotiation." Always allow the other person time to say what they need to get across without interjecting what you feel is important, suggests Help Guide. To listen successfully, use "I" statements, nonverbal gestures of interest, and rephrase what the other person said.

Play Fair

Avoid thinking of conflicts as situations in which you must win something. You can easily get wrapped up in the emotions and forget about the importance of the relationship. At times, you might feel the relationship is unimportant, but it is still appropriate to engage in fair resolution strategy. It will usually build trust and end up gaining you more.
Help Guide suggests showing respect to the other person and taking time to understand his viewpoint. Also, avoid bringing past incidents or problems into the conflict--you should maintain the focus on the here and now, and you need to tap into your ability to forgive and let go. It is important to remember that conflict resolution should not be used as a tool to punish the other person; avoid letting yourself get pulled into the emotional tit-for-tat that can easily occur.

Laughter and Jokes

Humor can be a tool that allows you to touch upon topics that you would normally be unable to talk about because they are uncomfortable or sensitive issues, suggest Help Guide. Although the use of humor through laughter and joking can be helpful, it can also be tricky. When you use humor, it is important that you are aware of how the other person is reacting to the humor; they should feel as though you are laughing with them, not at them, reports Help Guide.
When engaged in conflicts, try using humor to reduce the tensions and anger. Humor can help you to reframe the conflict and put everything into perspective, thus making the resolution attainable.