How do you handle conflict? Well, some of us are turtles and some of us are skunks. What do turtles do at the first sign of trouble or conflict? They pull back into their shell. On the other hand, skunks do just the opposite. They let everyone around them know they are standing to fight. As you know, they fight by spraying a horrendous odor all over the place and everybody is impacted by it.
Well, I don’t think we should really strive to be either a turtle or a skunk. Instead, we should probably strive to be like the wise owl. The wise owl is very good at seeing and hearing. Only after they have observed and listened do they make a decision to react or not.
So, for those of you who are sometimes skunks like me, and aren’t always very good listeners, I’ve got a little technique that may help you in your home and maybe at work as well. It’s called “The Speaker Listener Technique.” So, the next time you and your spouse have a disagreement, try this technique and let me know how it goes.
Are you a turtle or a skunk? What are some practical ways you and your spouse have been able to work through conflict?
