Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader: How You and Your Organization Can Manage Conflict Effectively, 2nd Edition

4

Slow Down and Reflect

Taking Time to Consider What Is Happening

Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.

—Lou Holtz

In Chapter Three, we looked at slowing down in conflict situations in order to gain additional time to cool down and regain emotional balance. In this chapter, our focus will be on another aspect of slowing down—namely, taking time to reflect on what is happening in order to better understand the nature of the conflict before trying to respond to it. This process includes appreciating your personal experiences as well as looking at the conflict in its larger setting. Conflict can be complex, and, like other challenges, it requires effective preparation to manage well.

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