Managing Conflcit Effectively

It seems that I am always dealing with conflict situations when it comes to my family. I have learned some great strategies this week that will help me to solve the conflict and make it productive. One strategy that I already use is compromise. I am usually willing to compromise to keep the peace, and because the conflict is not of great importance to me. However, when conflicts do arise that cause major problems, we tend to yell in order to make sure we are heard. I have learned that the best thing to do in these situations is to listen actively. Active listening allows everyone involved to gain control of their emotions. The listener is able to gain an understanding of the other person's feelings, which allows the speaker to feel like they are being heard. This strategy will definitely help me and my family to hear each other and stop yelling.

Conflict resolution skills have helped me to be a better communicator because it teaches strategies that allows one to express their feelings without offending others ("I" statements) and how to listen and understand the feelings of others (asking questions and summarizing their feelings). How have conflict resolution skills helped you to become a better communicator?