How does a simple, innocent situation explode into a full-blown misunderstanding, argument, or conflict?

What begins as an innocent attempt at pleasing the other person can indeed – bizarre as it may – explode into shocking, unexpected conflict, as shown in this funny commercial from AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE (no endorsement or complaint intended).

One can almost predict the next scenario: a major, major misunderstanding, if not a terrible fight.  It is not wise then, no, it is foolish and inexcusable, to allow prejudice or emotional biases to figure in any argument. Remember this tagline, especially in conflict situations: “DON’T BE TOO QUICK TO JUDGE.” When one is not armed with proper facts, he or she is bound to jump to the wrong conclusions and, well, act like a jerk or a goat, no offense to jerks and goats.

Prejudice and wrong paradigms indeed prevent couples, teams, and institutions from addressing long standing conflicts, and thereby reach their full potential.  They cannot, in fact, unite and work at common goals, unless they are united.

Make it a discipline then, if not a special power, to listen before you speak, to understand before you give opinions or make conclusions. Otherwise, you can be dead wrong, if not devastatingly offensive.

In critical complex situations, particularly in conflict, crisis, or change management situations, it is always wise to “count 1 to 10” before reacting to attacks or similar stimuli. More than this, however let us keep in mind sound advice of Stephen Covey in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and I quote,

“Seek first to understand, then be understood.”

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by Joseph N. Pangilinan, uncommonsense101.wordpress.com