Wings of Change – Change Your Life Articles

Dealing with conflict is hardly ever easy, but there are healthy and productive ways of getting through it. Conflict resolution goes to the heart of your communication skills. This means that it’s something that might come naturally to some people, while others will struggle.

The good news is that you can strengthen your skills in this area. With some effort on your part, you can make your life easier as well as communicate on a deeper level with those around you.

Here are a few strategies you can use to better deal with conflict:

1. Recognize differing opinions. Conflict generally arises when people fail to recognize or understand a differing opinion in another person.
   • If you’re mediating a conflict between two people, tell them to put themselves in the other person’s shoes.
   • If you’re in the middle of a conflict, take the time to truly listen to what the other person is saying and try to see where they’re coming from in the situation.
2. Work on communication. How many times have you found yourself dealing with conflict because of a miscommunication issue? Communicating effectively in the first place prevents many conflicts from ever developing.
   • Remember that communication is a two way street, so practice both your verbal and listening skills.
3. Allow everyone to speak. It’s vital that everyone involved in the conflict has a chance to speak. There will be no true resolution if everyone’s needs are not heard and met. It would turn out to be a band-aid solution and only a matter of time before the conflict reared its ugly head once again.
4. Stay calm. This is one of the most important keys to expressing yourself in a healthy fashion. When conflicts arise, things can get quickly heated if you don’t make a conscious effort to stay calm. Emotions start flying and you may say something you later regret.
   • If telling yourself to stay calm isn’t effective, take a break and let emotions cool down before you return to any conflict resolution.
5. Talk about mistakes. Everyone knows that people make mistakes because it’s human nature. However, it also seems to be human nature to fight acceptance of those mistakes. Conflicts often arise from mistakes, so it’s best to be upfront about them.
   • Identify the mistake that led to the conflict.
   • What was the intention behind the mistake? In many cases, the person causing the mistake didn’t intend for it to happen.
   • Work on forgiveness and setting things right again.
6. Discuss resolution. Every conflict needs a solution. The best resolutions involve a win-win scenario for everyone. However, remember that everyone may not be completely happy with the solution. In this case, ensure that everyone at least accepts the compromise and is at peace with it.
7. Learn from it. Resolving conflicts can result in some valuable life lessons. Discuss what each of you has learned from this conflict, and then leave it behind to move forward to better things.

Once a conflict has been resolved in a healthy manner, it’s good to identify the steps you took in order to achieve a resolution. Your successful process may help you in the future when you need to manage conflict again.

Effective communication is one of the keys to success, and when you’re good at it, people notice.

Most people think that strengthening communication skills involves developing persuasive speech and conversational skills, but what you may not realize is just how important effective listening can be.

Without an effective listener, none of your conversational skills would matter. This is because your points – no matter how clear – still wouldn’t be heard or understood.

Remember that listening is a full 50% of the communication effort so it’s worth your time to develop this precious skill, too.

Here are some techniques you can use to build your listening skills:

1. Fight the urge to speak. Sometimes when you’re engaged in a heated conversation, you start to concentrate on what you’re going to say next. You may even be tempted to open your mouth before the other person is finished. Make the extra effort to keep your lips sealed until they’re through talking.
   • While they’re speaking, don’t worry about what you’re going to say or how you’re going to say it. Instead, focus on the words and body language of the other person.
     
2. Look interested. Your nonverbal communication skills are important while you’re listening. If you’re looking disinterested and uncaring, the person trying to communicate with you will likely pick up on these subtle hints. They may be flustered or less likely to share their thoughts. Makes sense, right?
   • Engage with the person talking. Make eye contact and nod your head or smile. Let your conversation partner know that their points are coming across to you.
3. Repeat the highlights. One way to literally tell your conversation partner that they’re effectively communicating is to simply restate their points. You can repeat key phrases in an affirming tone. You can even give them a quick summary of what they just said in your own words.
   • Avoid sharing your opinions when repeating their concepts or ideas. At this point, you simply want to communicate that you’ve completely understood their meaning.
4. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask your conversation partner to elaborate on what they’re saying. If you need further information, then ask for it. The important thing is that you understand what they’re trying to get across.
5. Be patient. It’s also important to maintain patience, especially when working with people who may be shy or may not have the ability to communicate very well. If you’re not patient, you may end the conversation prematurely or scare off your conversation partner.
6. Follow your partner’s lead. Being an effective listener doesn’t mean that your only job is to listen. You can certainly add to the conversation, too. At the same time, you don’t want to overpower the conversation. Add your input when they ask for it or when they’ve finished their point.

Remember that practice makes perfect. After you’ve had an important conversation, ask yourself what you remember from the conversation. Write down the details if necessary. Did you allow the other person to do most of the talking?

When you fight the urge to dominate conversations, you’ll be able to truly hear what people have to say!

You’ve heard the expression that a little can go a long way, and there’s no exception when it comes to showing your appreciation. Learning how to express your gratitude will enable you to enjoy improved communication and more fulfilling relationships.

While a grand gesture is always nice and has a time and place, simple gestures are habits that you can add to your everyday routine. It’s important not to keep all of your love and appreciation stuck inside your head. Instead, let it out and you’ll give meaning, purpose, and joy to everyone around you!

Try the following simple gestures to express your gratitude:

1. Talk more. Make your thoughts known. Your simple gestures of appreciation can be at the office, at home, with your kids, with your partner, and more. When you verbalize how you feel in a positive manner, it can make all the difference in a person’s day.
   • If you think of a compliment, give the compliment. It’s simple and it works.
2. Give a card out of the blue. Give friends, family, colleagues, or your partner a sincere card or note. There’s something extra special about getting a message when you aren’t expecting one. Plus they make nice keepsakes.
3. Go out of your way. Take a moment to think of something you can do each day or every once in awhile that’s above and beyond. Taking even a small burden off your loved one’s shoulders shows that you care.
   • For example, if your spouse is usually the one who handles the laundry, surprise them and take care of it.
4. Develop your listening skills. Practice being truly aware of what you’re told when people are speaking to you. You’ll likely commit certain bits of information to long-term memory. You’ll be surprised at how happy you can make someone simply because you remembered something they told you.
5. Show affection. When it comes to affection for your loved ones, some simple affection can go a long way. Bring more hugs and kisses into the relationship. Chances are everyone could use more “I love you’s” in their lives.
6. Consider a handmade gift. When it comes time for gift giving, consider a handmade gift. It doesn’t have to be something expensive or complex as long as it’s coming from the heart. These gifts are often the most cherished of all.
7. Cook something. If you’re showing appreciation to your family, plan a special meal one day. Maybe try something you haven’t tried before, or go for an old family favorite. If you’re showing appreciation for another group of people, consider bringing them some baked goods. A cupcake or a brownie just might brighten someone’s day!
8. Always say “Thank You.” You’ve learned to say please and thank you to strangers and the people in your life shouldn’t be an exception. It’s easy to fall into a pattern where we take others for granted. Make it a habit to always thank people for anything they’ve done for you, even for simple things like holding the door.

Live a Life of Gratitude

If you continue to live your life in the presence of gratitude, it won’t be difficult to maintain simple gestures of appreciation. When you concentrate on the needs of the people you love and fight the urge to fall into predictable patterns, you’ll set yourself up for a happy life. Those around you will always remember your positive gestures!

Communication is the key when it comes to anything that involves collaboration. Since humans are a social species, communication is involved in nearly everything you do.

Some people are born with the natural ability to communicate well, while others may struggle with it. No matter what category you fall into, it’s likely that you can benefit from paying attention to improving your communication skills.

Why Better Communication Helps You

Did you know that most businesses consider your communication skills to be the most important characteristic about you? This means that you could have top-notch knowledge and job skills but still fail to land a job if you’re lacking in the communication department.

Communication is certainly not only important when it comes to your work life, but it’s also vital in having a successful home life as well. Couples and family members that are good communicators lead happier lives overall.

Proper communication will prevent misunderstandings and save you time so you won’t have to go back and explain yourself again and again. You know you’ve gained good communication skills when you can communicate your thoughts effectively with as few words as necessary!

How To Improve Communication With Others

Communication is a two way street. This means that you could have excellent skills, but if the recipient is lacking, then you may not be understood. This is why it’s important not only to develop our speaking skills, but our listening skills, too.

Since you can’t affect the skill level of others, the only thing you can do is strengthen your own communication skills. Besides, when you’re an excellent communicator, more people will understand you, everything around you will run more efficiently, and you’ll more often get what you want!

Try these strategies to improve your communication skills:

1. Avoid arguing. If you run into a snag in a conversation and it starts to morph into an argument, step back and realize what’s going on. It’s easy to get swept up into the blame game, but ultimately it’s not important who’s at fault. What’s important is the mutual understanding of the issue at hand and a desire for a solution that benefits everyone.
2. Don’t be afraid to compromise. You may be tempted to try and “win” but that’s not the best way to reach a mutual agreement. You may be happier with getting your way, but it may come at the expense of the other person, which can cause further issues. Find a good compromise that you both can willingly accept.
3. Work on listening. Your listening skills are even more important than your speaking skills. After all, how will you know what you should say – and when – if you haven’t effectively listened? Listen more than you speak and you’ll gain a profound wisdom of others, too!
4. Keep your focus. Communication will get overly complicated if you worry about too many issues at once. Avoid bringing up the past or other issues and, instead, focus on the one topic at hand.
5. Stay calm and take responsibility. Adopt a calm and cool manner of handling situations. When things remain low key, it’s easier to communicate and get your point across. This also means that you need to take responsibility for what you say. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes when you’re wrong.

Becoming a better communicator doesn’t happen overnight. But if you keep practicing and tweaking your skills, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.