It doesn’t take something like Covid 19 and self isolation to put conflict in our paths. The fact is that in life, we are surrounded by the potential for conflict every day.
Some scale around this, a disagreement doesn’t have to move to a ‘battle’ situation. We can agree to disagree. Conflict, on the other hand, is a more powerful collision or dispute of needs, values, interests and intentions between two or more individuals or communities, groups, nations and organisations.
The neuroscience of conflict is that a threat is being detected and a brain ‘fight’ response is triggered. What if you could shift this response in yourself and change it to one of opportunity?
Conflict can be a place of possibility
This 15-minute Ted Talk video touches on how, by choosing (and you make that choice), a different view of conflict you can turn it into a productive interaction. The key points this video highlighted for me are:
- Don’t hear ‘attack’ and respond with ‘attack’
- Listen deeply and develop curiosity
- Ask questions to gain understanding and insight of a position and situation
- Share back where you spot common ground so the actual area/s for the conflict can be identified
- Explore how to work with, around, change those specific area(s) and how much time and resources that may need.
The benefits
- Reduce associated stress and the impact of that on the brain and body
- Build bridges and deepen connections and relationships
- Builds momentum and opportunity to create change
If you’re interested in learning more about managing responses to stressful situations, do not hesitate to get in touch.
