Here's how you can use active listening to resolve conflicts with partners.

When you are in Conflict the emotions can be many and one of those could be anger. Anger could be due to a feeling of being treated unjustly or unfairly. Even before getting into steps of understanding empathy what is key is to acknowledge that the other party also has emotions. What is more important is that those emotions could be different from yours and the reasons for the emotions could be different from yours. Once this thought comes into your heart ( not mind) it is possible that perspectives can change. That is the beginning of empathy. Personally that has helped me be more collected in my interactions during a conflict situation.

Active listening with your partner offers several advantages that can strengthen your relationship and improve communication. Here are few points according to me for active listening. -Improved Understanding -Enhances Emotional Connection -Reduces Conflicts -Encourages Open Communication -Strengthens Problem & most importantly active listening Promotes Mutual Respect.

Make the difference between empathy and hypocritical empathy. If you think that "empathy is about putting yourself in your partner's shoes and trying to understand their perspective", you are just checking boxes. "I put myself in their shoes" - check. "I tried to understand" - check. But did you _feel_ their pain? No? - uncheck. Did you change your decision because you realized you were hurting them? No? - uncheck.

It wasn't just patience, it was also humility. And people can sense when it is genuine. You could have reacted in many different ways reacting to the insult, but you did not.

Active listening, grounded in patience, is key to resolving conflicts with work partners. By being fully present, you allow your partner to express their feelings without interruption, which shows respect and understanding. Acknowledge their emotions with empathetic responses, paraphrase their points for clarity, and respond thoughtfully. For example, if Alex feels overwhelmed by the workload due to Jamie’s commitments, Jamie can listen patiently, acknowledge Alex’s feelings, and then discuss solutions for redistributing tasks. This approach fosters a deeper understanding and paves the way for collaborative resolutions.

Active listening is actively engaging. When you are ‘present’ in the conversation you can: 1. Evaluate body language of the other party. 2. Pick up on the subtle changes in the other person’s vocal tone. 3. Truly understand the context of the conflict. This helps in practicing empathy in any conflict. At the same time, it shows respect for the other person.

Is it possible to listen 100% passively? When you take into account hearing, cognitive engagement, memory activation and subconscious absorption, you realize that your brain is always at work. Considering information slips into your subconscious mind regardless of your conscious actions, you might as well choose to listen actively. Exctract more useful data from a conversation, understand other people's points of view, and before even needing to "resolve" conflicts, _prevent_ them.

This is also extremely important in the context of working with different cultures. Non-verbal communication changes based on differences in culture. For e.g., maintaining eye contact might not be construed as affirmation in some regions. One of the many ways to clarify is to reiterate what you have heard, paraphrasing it in your own words. This will give others the opportunity to gauge whether you have understood what has been communicated. Also it is important to use the right kind of tone and inflection when repeating what was said so that you do not cause any unintentional offense.

There is one thing, you have to remember: when you ask to repeat what was said, and you still do not understand then step back and see for yourself why you do not understand. It is easy to blame the other person from not being clear rather than looking into one self.

Instead of rushing to counter their argument, use a framework like Acknowledge, Advocate, Align. This formulas bakes in empathy and clarity so you can connect and be heard. I love using frameworks in challenging conversations to create structure when speaking spontaneously. You can begin by acknowledging what they said. And then advocate clearly for your perspective. Finally, align to find common ground. A framework not only helps you be clear and empathetic, it also slows you down so you can be strategic and intentional.

Active listening is a powerful tool for resolving conflicts with partners, especially when you aim to maintain openness and foster understanding. Here's how you can use active listening to achieve this: 1. Give Full Attention- Focus on the speaker and avoid interruptions 2. Acknowledge Their Feelings -Validate emotions and Use reflective statements 3. Clarify and Paraphrase - Repeat back and ask clarifying questions 4. Stay Open-Minded - Suspend judgment and embrace vulnerability 5. Respond Thoughtfully - Empathetic responses and collaborative problem-solving 6. Follow Up - Check In Benefits of Active Listening in Conflict Resolution: - Builds Trust - Reduces Misunderstandings - Promotes Openness

Maintaining mental openness is crucial during conflicts. When you are accepting of the situation mentally, your body also shows the signs of acceptance and collaboration. On the other hand, if we approach a conflict from a closed mind, our body language and vocal tone would depict our stance clearly.