Conflict is an inevitable part of all relationships; this is true for romantic as well as business relationships. At its core, conflict stems from differences. These differences may reflect disagreements over goals, values, ideas, perceptions, motivations, to name just a few. Couples who survive, and thrive through the challenges of entrepreneurial life have successfully learned the conflict resolution skill of acknowledging that conflict within their relationship exists. Sounds like common sense, right? Maybe so, but many people have sought my help for their relationships and/or businesses that are on the verge of collapse because one, or both partners, have refused to acknowledge and accept the fact that there is, indeed, a conflict within the relationship. How can you possibly work on healing a marriage, or repairing a business, if you do not accept the fact that a problem needs to be worked on and resolved? The ability to successfully resolve conflict is at the heart of every healthy marriage and business. One of the reasons many people do not know how to resolve conflict in a productive manner is because they are in denial that a problem exists. Why? Because on some level we believe it is easier to ignore or deny a problem because by acknowledging it means we have to stop what we are doing and spend time, energy and resources – all of which are in scarce quantities – to work on and resolve the problem or conflict.
Let me give you an analogy to explain what happens if you deny the fact a problem exists in your marriage or your business. What may start out as a small crack in the foundation of your house, over time, becomes bigger and bigger and bigger, eventually making the house unstable and the crack irreparable without putting in a huge amount of work. If the small crack had been acknowledged, addressed and fixed, when it was tiny, the problem would have been easier to resolve. Leaving it unacknowledged allowed the problem to grow with devastating ramifications. Whether working together in the same business, or partnering to manage the demands of family and self-employment, you need to acknowledge conflict exists to resolve it in a healthy manner. It isn’t just your marriage that is at stake, but the health and success of your business as well.
Rekindle Romance and Happiness in Your Relationship,
Dr. Patty Ann
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