EQ Factor

Being heard and understood is the psychological equivalence of getting air. Think about it. If you can’t get air, you will do whatever it takes to get it. Then, once you get it, you can relax a bit and move on to the next thing.  

Resolve to get what you want, while at the same time considering what the other person wants, and sincerely wanting them to get it.

Conflict resolution is one of the most important skills in any environment. Whenever two or more people work on a task, differing opinions will emerge. How those differences get resolved will make or break a team. 

If you’re on a team, you can ask people for assistance but it helps to know the strengths and blind spots of each person on the team.

Considering that communication is a two-way street, it’s vital that the people with whom we’re communicating feel heard. In recent months I’ve written about the importance of seeking the other person’s perspective on things before offering your own, but how we do that makes a huge impact on communication success. 

One of the most practical conflict resolution tools available is found in Stephen Covey’s best-selling book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” That tool is Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then be Understood.