conflict resolution, simplified

conflict resolution, simplified

Does your conflict need more complication or less?

It's time to simplify conflict resolution because sorting things out shouldn't be more painful than allowing the problem to continue.

You can resolve interpersonal conflict effectively without memorizing dozens of steps. You can reduce chronic tension in a personal or business relationship without waiting months to see results. You can stay calm in conflict without a long recipe.

Resolve interpersonal conflict at work or home more simply, rapidly, and effectively with Tammy Lenski.

conflict resolution articles

Take what you need for conflict resolution

I created this poster as a handout for a conflict resolution workshop I'm teaching this week. I thought you might enjoy it, too. Click on the image below to get the downloadable PDF...feel free to share, print, post it on the fridge. … [Read more]

Don’t take it personally. Really?

It's so simple to advise, "Don't take it personally." And yet, too often, it's utterly useless advice to someone in conflict. There's something else they have to do first, before they can hope to stop taking it personally: They have to take it … [Read more]

The reward of our work is who we become

"The reward of our work is not what we get, but what we become," says Brazilian author Paolo Coehlo. He may have intended those words to speak to the writer, but they also speak to other work...to my work and probably to your work. The reward of … [Read more]

Shining a light on our conflict stories

We are natural storytellers, so it’s no surprise that we would tell stories about our conflicts, too. Story-making and story-telling about our conflict is natural and not, on its own, a problem. The problem comes with our attachment to those … [Read more]

Control anger during conflict like a fly on the wall

Trying to control anger by focusing on angry thoughts and hurt feelings is like fanning the flames. It's far more effective to pretend you're a fly on the wall of a situation, new research confirms. In situations that trigger anger, you probably … [Read more]

Your conflict resolution magic wand

Knowing your conflict hooks and how to handle them is like having a conflict resolution magic wand: You have portable power to turn the little conflicts into nothing and the bigger conflicts into manageable ones. We had just moved from the … [Read more]

Conflict pain and the dog beneath the desk

A friend was sitting at her desk, her beloved lab at her feet. Suddenly, the dog yelped and looked up at her. This happened several more times, the dog's gaze becoming increasingly more accusatory. Finally, he got up and left the room. Later, she … [Read more]

5 effective ways to focus on what’s important in relationship conflict

How do you decide how much of a relationship conflict's flotsam is worth pursuing? How do you focus on the important matters in a relationship conflict and not get sidetracked by trivial ones? Janet, a reader, contacted me about my recent post, … [Read more]

Parental conflict linked to infant brain function

Being exposed to arguments between parents is associated with the way babies' brains process emotional tone of voice, according to a new study to be published in Psychological Science. "The researchers found that infants from high conflict homes … [Read more]

Starting a difficult conversation

Starting a difficult conversation (or negotiation or mediation) can feel like opening Fibber McGee's closet -- chaotic, overwhelming, and hope-sucking. But don't run. A colleague shared the closet metaphor with me years ago and I've passed it … [Read more]

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