Important Conflict Resolution Skills

• Active listening – The first step to finding a resolution to a conflict is to improve our listening skills. It is critical that we listen and understand why others are upset without interrupting them while they are speaking. This might be hard to do when tempers are running high but it is important to establish a sense of respect by listening to the other’s party questions and concerns. 
• Staying Calm – Remember to stay calm and level headed in order to control your emotions. This can be difficult to do during a disagreement, but by doing so, you will be ready to discuss your perspective and the other party’s perspective.
• Don’t start blaming – By blaming others during a conflict, it creates a negative setting which will make it difficult to deescalate the situation. Try and see their argument from their perspective. By doing so, you will be able to reflect on the disagreement and what led to it in the first place. 
• Choose your battles – Remember to not linger on a conflict for too long. Depending on the disagreement, they can become draining and may not be worth your time and effort. 
• Learn when to forgive – A conflict won’t resolve itself if either side is not willing to forgive each other. This might be hard if both sides feel they deserve an apology, but in order to move forward you should put aside your personal annoyances and forgive each other. This is especially important if it is a professional relationship.