Understanding Conflict (II)

The inability or difficulty in both portraying one's own and understanding anothers 'truths' is one factor that contributes toward conflict, however, one must also consider communication barriers. What one says in order to convey a point may be perceived differently by the recipient. Yet again, this comes down to the differences in experiences and exposure of both individuals and in some cases, could even affect the issue in a positive manner.

Thus far, the focus of this post has been prominently based on the incompatible internal differences of two parties – however, there are also external factors that contribute to conflict in subtle ways. In 1971, Prof. Albert Mehrabian of UCLA argued that only 7% of a message was derived from words, while 38% came from intonation, with the remaining 55% from facial expression or body language. Applying that thought to today's societal norms, one can begin to see how communication had been simplified with the rise of the internet, smartphones and social networking. At best, video calling theoretically covers all three bases, but the fact is that the most used method would be through texting. Using this medium, everything apart from the statement (not to be confused with the message that the statement is attempting to accurately establish) is essentially removed from the understanding of what communication is.

Interpersonal conflict as a whole stems from not being able to understand a person's character and at the same time, not being able to portray one's own with accuracy. The actions, more times than not, will not outweigh the principles, and will function at most as a catalyst, but not as the cause of a conflict.  

In short, conflict can easily arise from ineffective communication skills. At Mediate2Resolve Online, we offer professional mediation services for a host of situations, ranging from disputes in the workplace to domestic disagreements with a partner. Additionally, we offer workshops for those looking to improve on their communication skills. Please click here to be taken to our website and explore our full range of services and workshops.