Conflict - the unexpected gift : making the most of disputes in life and work

Conflict—The Unexpected Gift Conflict between people can be defined as a difference that causes disagreements. Authors Jack Hamilton and Elisabeth Seaman go to the root of what causes conflict and how to rebuild relationships. Interpersonal conflicts permeate our lives. Sometimes we believe that another person treated us unfairly, and that assumption causes us to become angry at the person. Such conflicts in relationships often are intensified because of old patterns of thinking and behavior that have gotten out of hand. Becoming aware of someone’s true intentions, and the many factors that caused them to behave the way they did, as well as awareness of our own reactions, starts us on the path to mutual understanding and reconciliation. Conflict—The Unexpected Gift: Making the Most of Disputes in Life and Work suggests practical ways to honestly address, talk through and benefit from resolving conflicts. Every chapter has real-life accounts of people’s unresolved issues and the creative ways they resolved them. The book stresses the importance of knowing yourself, clarifying and letting go of unfounded assumptions, apologizing to heal old hurts and moving forward by not only repairing relationships, but also often improving them. Hamilton and Seaman wrote this book to give you the tools to talk through and mend unresolved issues that may have surfaced in your personal relationships. At some point in your life you have engaged in conflict with another person. Conflict is a natural dimension of human interactions, but these standoffs don't need to create a lifetime of hurt and anger. Conflict?The Unexpected Gift will help you develop conflict-resolution skills. Each chapter offers concrete steps and real-life vignettes that teach new ways of communicating. Learn how to resolve conflict and build more viable relationships with family members, friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and other people with whom you interact. Conflict is an unexpected gift?an opportunity for change. A pearl starts as an irritation in an oyster. Similarly, a new openness in your relationships can be an outcome of conflict. In the course of working through your conflict, you learn to let go of unfounded assumptions and pave new chapters in your relationships. When reconciled, a conflict can be the gift of a second chance.