Conflict Resolution

I remember in nursing school a teacher talked to us on this topic. She also stated that anytime nurses are asked what they want a seminar on, they always answer “conflict resolution.” I laughed when she said that because I thought I could handle conflict fine. Once I joined the real world though, I realized many times I was avoiding conflict all together (which obviously isn’t healthy).

Conflict is going to happen. It happens every day, to every person, in every job and in every relationship (even the healthy ones) and in every situation. I mean can two people really agree on EVERYTHING? I think not. The biggest issue then is how we handle it—do we avoid it or deal with it? Also, there seems to be healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with conflict. When we avoid it or deal with it in the wrong way, relationships can end up damaged. But, I think relationships can grow, if we handle conflict in a respectful way and try to compromise.

So, how do we deal with it? I am looking for the same answer, because it seems like I am not the only person struggling with this. After reading a lot on this, here are my thoughts on the healthiest ways to deal with conflict. Both parties need to be able to control their emotion by being respectful, calm, and not getting defensive when discussing the issue. Also, both parties need to be willing to give up a little in order to meet a compromise. Lastly, both parties need to be willing to forgive and forget without resenting or holding a grudge against the other person once the conflict is resolved.

Yes, I know, that is A LOT easier said than done, so I decided to pick up the good book and see what it says: (The Message version)