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Conflict Resilience
by Robert Bordone
Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up Or Giving in
If you’ll do almost anything to avoid conflict with people in your life, or those who hold vastly different viewpoints from your own, you aren’t alone. But the costs of this avoidance are everywhere — from families estranged across political divides, to workplaces full of festering resentment, and career opportunities left unpursued. At the national and international level, political and religious divides are increasingly polarizing communities, countries — sometimes entire regions, like in the case of Brexit. From the personal to the political, more and more people are opting out of the difficult work of finding common ground, and the consequences are mounting. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This Blink introduces a science-backed framework for engaging with conflicts, even the big ones, and making space for common ground. This doesn’t mean giving up on your own values or morals, either, but instead choosing to engage and make room for different viewpoints with curiosity and openness. The ripple effects of this mindset shift are powerful. It fosters more inclusive families, workplaces, and communities — and by every measure, greater diversity leads to more resilient, stable, and equitable societies. Changing your attitude won’t happen overnight, but it is incredibly worthwhile. Learning to navigate disagreement with intention can strengthen your relationships, expand your opportunities, and even help mend the divides that so often keep us speaking past one another —…
