Conflict Management: Strategies for Healthy Resolution Osasere Imaghodor posted on the topic

If you’ve tended toward avoidance coping most of your life or at least are in the habit of using it, it can be hard to know how to stop. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you work on shedding the habit. People who are prone to anxiety might have learned avoidance techniques early on and therefore might find it more difficult to learn proactive strategies. If you learned to adopt these behaviors when you were growing up, they can become a habit by the time you are an adult.

Many models suggest that reflection on ways to prevent or more effectively handle similar conflicts in the future at the end of the conversation is beneficial. If a plan with timelines is not designed and implemented, the behavior will typically change for a period of time but then slip back into old patterns. Whether the plan is another meeting, completion of certain tasks, or a system of monitoring, it should be defined clearly. An accommodating mode of conflict management tends to be high in cooperation but low in assertiveness.

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Realizing that we have an unhealthy or unhelpful conflict style can be humbling. We can’t change the past, but we can create better patterns for ourselves and our relationships moving forward. Whether we realize it or not, each of us has a style of engaging conflict. Digging into our personal styles can be an enlightening experience that leads to greater self-awareness. Many people dislike conflict, but in some cases, conflict avoidance can harm your relationships and health. Spinelli highly recommends therapy for people who tend to avoid conflict because it can help you understand why you avoid conflict and practice conflict-management techniques.

Glasers’ Three-Step Strategy for Conflict Resolution

When people feel understood, they are more likely to lower their defenses and explore solutions collaboratively. During this time, consider reflecting on the core issue, the other person’s perspective, and your own feelings. This approach can diminish the chances of saying something you might regret https://ecosoberhouse.com/ later. When you reconvene, you’ll likely find that your mind is clearer and your willingness to engage constructively increased. When approaching the person with whom you are in conflict, you might acknowledge the discomfort you feel before explaining why you believe it is important to talk things through.

Another effective method is the use of decision matrices, which weigh emotional, practical, and long-term outcomes. Approach-avoidance conflict manifests in various aspects of human behavior and decision-making, often emerging subtly in everyday life. These manifestations can impact individuals’ personal, professional, and psychological well-being.

What Is Avoidance Coping?

Either deliberately or passively, people have preferred ways of dealing with disagreements. Our responses reflect who we are, our experiences and our perceived values. While it can be tempting to bottle up feelings like anger and frustration by not rocking the boat, conflict-avoiding tendencies can take a toll on your mental health. Compromising demands moderate assertiveness and cooperation from all parties involved. With this type of resolution, everyone gets something they want or need. Because of time constraints, compromising isn’t always as creative as collaborating, and some parties may come away less satisfied than others.

Collaboration often leads to innovative solutions that might not have been considered initially. When both parties are accountable for finding a way forward, it fosters a sense of partnership rather than offense. This cooperative spirit can create a stronger bond, further enhancing the relationship. When emotions run high, taking a brief break can help clear your mind and allow for a more rational discussion later. Interrupting a heated conversation to collect your thoughts can be incredibly beneficial.

Reflect After the Conflict

Recognizing your feelings during a conflict is the first step toward resolution. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to let these feelings dictate your responses. However, if you take a moment to breathe and process how you’re feeling, you can approach the conversation with clarity.

An accommodating approach is used to establish reciprocal adaptations or adjustments. This could be a hopeful outcome for those who take an accommodating approach, but when the other party does not reciprocate, conflict can result. Others may view those who use the accommodating approach heavily as “that is the way how to deal with someone who avoids conflict they are” and don’t need anything in return.

Therapy and anxiety-management techniques might also help you cope during conflict. Unresolved conflicts can hinder productivity and damage team dynamics. Effective conflict resolution helps maintain a positive work environment, promotes collaboration, and ensures issues are addressed before they escalate. Though conflict is a normal and natural part of any workplace, it can lead to absenteeism, lost productivity, and mental health issues.

Avoiding

• I feel fine about how things are.” Conflict avoidance may be habitual to some people because of personality traits such as the need for affiliation.
• Humor, when used tactfully, can help to humanize the situation and break barriers.
• Conflict occurs frequently in any workplace; health care is not an exception.

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If you’d like professional support as you develop conflict resolution skills, consider ReachLink’s online therapy services. Connecting with a therapist can be a productive step toward better conflict management and improved mental and emotional wellness. Approach-avoidance conflict is a psychological tension what is alcoholism that arises when a single goal has both appealing and distressing aspects, leading to indecision and emotional stress. Rooted in motivational conflict theory, this internal struggle can significantly affect decision-making, mental health, and daily functioning. Whether it’s hesitating between accepting a promotion or entering a relationship, understanding the mechanisms behind this conflict empowers individuals to make more conscious, confident choices.

This is a formal symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), like a veteran who avoids the outdoors during a holiday firework display, or a mass shooting survivor who avoids crowded public spaces. For example, conflict can be an opportunity to share your feelings and become closer to your partner. Vulnerability can improve emotional intimacy as it can help your partner understand you better.