In Handy Tips, we find ways that can improve your life and make it easier and explain why these tips work. Today, we will tell you about the rule of five questions, which allows you to resolve any disagreement. Your ideas will inevitably contradict others' opinions at some point. We offer you to use this conflict resolution strategy to deal with arguments effectively.
More than half of white-collar workers in the United States face conflicts at work every month. Among the reasons for conflicts, 49% of respondents named ineffective communications within the company. But praise God and common sense, everything can be solved! The easiest way to quickly deal with any dispute is to answer five simple questions:
1. What lies at the heart of the conflict: intention or action?
Imagine that your work colleague did not inform you that the meeting with the customer was postponed an hour earlier. Of course, you were late and did not learn the important information needed for work. When you feel hurt, you will try to understand his intentions and look for malicious intent, although it would be more reasonable to eliminate the consequences together simply.
2. What are the goals of the conflict’s parties?
It is important that both parties of the conflict understand the issue and generally know that it exists. For this, you need to frankly and immediately voice the complaint and offer the desired resolution of the argument.
3. What are the priorities of each party?
There’s a “triple constraint” principle, which says that nothing can be done quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively at the same time. Eliminating the imbalance in priorities can be a solution to the conflict.
4. How do parties define success?
Here, the emphasis is on detailing – recalling what the team was created for will help eliminate the conflict.
5. What would another person do, being in other’s shoes?
This rule helps in any life situation, but it is especially useful in conflicts.
The Internet Protocol
All the conflicts that we face in one way or another carry not only destruction but also lead to catharsis, after which we learn the right lessons and move towards the goal. Conflict can be a source of inspiration, change, fear, and competition. And only you (and not your opponent) choose what this conflict will give you and when it ends.
