Manage Conflict In Six Seconds

Joshua Freedman has done some amazing work along the lines of six second consulting.  You can visit his website at http://www.6seconds.org.

You may be a people helper who is being drained by conflict in interpersonal relationships.  This conflict drainage is keeping you from being all you were meant to be to the people you are called to serve.

Here are some ideas for when you are faced with a difficult situation, email message or person.  The idea behind the list of suggestions is to give you time to respond more appropriately so the conflict is managed quicker and more effectively.  The suggestions are adapted from Freedman's work:

• Count to six in a foreign language you are learning
• Remember six of the Seven Dwarfs in alphabetical order
• Think of six foreign capitals
• Visualize six details of a beautiful place
• Define six latin verbs
• Feel six breaths of air filling your lungs and imagine what it looks like
• Name six emotions you are feeling
• Find six beautiful qualities of the person with whom you are talking/fighting

Take these suggestions and create a buffer zone.  It will help you to reduce the amount of reactive, knee-jerk responses which have proven to add fuel to the fire.  Being able to manage conflict is part of Serving Strong!