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Play Nice
Put any two people together in any type of relationship under any type of conditions and there is going to be conflict. It’s inevitable. There are ways to effectively manage conflict without doing serious damage to one another. No one is perfect at this, but you can aim for conflict resolution strategies proven to work.
Talk to your partner about how you respond to conflict during a time when you are not experiencing conflict.
· How was conflict handled in your family of origin?
· Do you hold your ground until there is a resolution that you find satisfactory?
· Do you follow the adage “don’t let the sun go down on your anger”?
· Are you unable to let something go until you’ve convinced the other person to share your point of view?
· Must you always feel heard?
· Do you avoid conflict and withdraw or walk away?
Recognize the places you are different. When conflict arises, remain aware of your differences, and allow your partner the dignity of being true to who he is.
Develop a set of guidelines for managing conflict before you are engaged in conflict! Here are some suggestions:
· Decide on how long you’re going to allow an argument to last.
