I think most people can relate when I talk about having to deal with irrationally angry or overly confrontational people. Sometimes, people just need to be listened to but haven’t found the right outlets to express themselves constructively. Yelling is simply the easiest (and most immature) way for some people to secure a platform to be heard. Now, there are a few golden rules to conflict resolution and they are:
- To remain calm (but to consider leaving if the situation turns verbally abusive).
- To let the other person talk (and genuinely consider the other person’s views while validating what they say or admitting upfront if you are wrong).
- To imagine you are dealing with a different, less confrontational person. A lot of times simply having to deal with the same person over asinine issues will be enough to instigate another bout of exasperation–prolonging the conflict. A better solution would be visualize yourself dealing with your younger cousins. Someone who can occasionally be a pain but you still truly love and care about. And, on a lesser note, also someone you will likely have to interact with over the course of a lifetime so you might as well look for sources of commonality and mutual interests.
2 Comments
When someone is yelling and screaming, the best thing I’ve noticed to do is to respond to them in a half whisper.
Just as a yawn from a friend next to you is contagious, responding in a quite voice changes the dynamic in the room. It also helps give you control in the situation, because you are not responding to “the screamer” but responding in the way you see it. Try it and let me know what happens.
BTW- great seeing you at my b-day dinner :)
hi stephen! great topic you’ve started…ok, i’m inspired to reply. as you well know, i cover this topic in my book (see link), under the “imperatives of innovation” chapter. conflict resolution is one of the most fundamental of the themes i discuss, and of course this relates to both individual human psychology, to negotiations, to social culture, and to understand values…as well as creating new value. i’ll not elaborate here, but suffice it to say, the beginning of the innovation process (i.e. “thinking outside the box”) is followed quickly, in a conflict resolution context, with thinking inside the other person’s box. this should, ideally, work bidirectionally. anyway, happy to offer more detail at any point you’re interested to hear it…