This is the first in a 3 part series on working with differences and conflict recorded in April 21, 2020.

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The very natural anxieties many of us are experiencing as a result of being cooped-up at home, as well as the economic uncertainty and the Corona virus itself, can easily exacerbate tensions that are already present in our working relationships and at home. Even when we’re at our very best, most of us tend to shy away from conflict because of past negative experiences we’ve had with it. But just because we ignore it, and despite our best efforts to seek harmony, conflicts don’t just magically go away. The truth is that the longer we go without addressing conflicts, the bigger they become and the farther we move from each other – and the harder it is to get things done!

Ironically, it turns out that conflict is really the key to growth and that successful resolution opens pathways to new insights, growth and a deepening of our relationships. Working well with differences and conflict will also help us make better decisions in general.

Paul Horton is a certified practitioner of a scientifically based conflict resolution methodology that was developed in post-apartheid South Africa. The methodology allows people to come into conversation around difficult topics or divisive or stuck dynamics, and then develops your ability to generate personal insights and uncover possibilities for moving forward.