Welcome to Embracing Conflict!
Are there relationships in your life that you find genuinely confounding? A supervisor? Co-worker? Parent? Spouse? Child? Someone you continue to have challenging conversations with no matter how hard you try to be friendly, open, collaborative, and generally the best you can be?
If that sounds familiar, fear not, these relationships CAN turn around! You may have heard that it takes both parties committed to changing the dynamic before change can occur.
In the ideal world, yes, that is correct, it would be lovely if every person you had a challenging relationship with was willing to sit down with you & work to address the issues that cause continued fissures.
As we well know, that is not always possible. Sometimes people are so stuck or wounded or angry that they refuse to work together to find resolution. Or they just don't have the level of communication skills. Or self-awareness is not their strong suit. Or... many other legitimate reasons that you are left holding responsibility for this critical relationship.
Remarkable shifts in relationships can indeed occur when just one of the parties makes changes in his/her actions, behaviors & beliefs.
Clients have learned simple, easy to use techniques, and discovered how to communicate with these 'difficult people'. I love hearing, over and over again, how amazing it is that 'the other' changed as soon as a client tried a different approach.
Your 'relating muscles' strengthen with practice. As any new skill, sometimes it helps to have a coach remind you of the basics until you've integrated them fully.
Reach out & drop me an email and we will work together to improve your relationships.