Using A Designated Area To Resolve Conflicts

The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships

When it comes to conflicts in the workplace, there is usually a mediation process in place, but most people do not institute this same idea in their homes. Businesses use such processes because, quite simply, they work, enabling people to resolve their conflicts in a thorough and effective manner. If you have a home life that includes plenty of conflict, you should consider borrowing a page from these companies; establish a conflict resolution process of your own. One of the most important things, when laying the ground rules for resolving conflicts is having a designated conflict resolution area.

Remember, within marriage, the bedroom should be a safe and loving place, which means that you should never designate your bedroom as the conflict resolution area. When it comes to resolving conflicts with your children, on the other hand, they will feel safer and will be better able to open up to you if you use their bedroom as a conflict resolution area.

After you have established what the conflict resolution area will be, you need to make sure that the ground rules for conflict resolution are well established. For instance, it is important, in conflict resolution, that each person have a chance to speak; this can be accomplished by using a "speaking device." For instance, if you have a certain spoon that is the "talking spoon," the person holding it will have their turn to speak, without being interrupted; if one person (or both people) in a conflict has a tendency to interrupt, this will create a safer environment for the conversation.

No one should ever be "taken by surprise" when it comes to conflict resolution; you should always approach the conflict resolution area and the conversation by consensus. And chances are pretty good that your conflict resolution area also doubles as a living room, dining room, kitchen, et cetera. Make sure, then, that each person knows that the area is being used for conflict resolution when it is being used for conflict resolution!

It is not always easy to resolve conflicts at home, but it is always important; resolving conflicts becomes much simpler once you set a designated conflict resolution area.