Compromise is the Enemy of Curiosity: The Best Way to Resolve Conflict

When two or more people find themselves at the crossroads of a fundamental decision, the advice they are often given is to compromise. 

But compromise doesn't actually lead to a solution that fulfills everyone. More often than not, it leaves both sides feeling like they got robbed, and it kills the connection necessary to come up with something better. 

Good news - even in the most seemingly impossible choice, there is an option that honors everyone. Our "either/or" society doesn't teach us to look for it, so we're constantly working with limited creative possibilities when so much more is accessible. 

When we bring curiosity into the space and lead with a willingness to resolve, that's when we access the many other options that serve everyone better.  

How do we clear the emotional debris that makes it hard to access the creative possibilities? Why are so many people okay with small talk, even if it drains their aliveness? 

In this episode, we talk about how to shift from either/or choices into conversations and solutions that truly honor and fulfill everyone.

 

Things You'll Learn In This Episode 

-Deep wounds create defensiveness 

When people have to navigate a fundamental difference, it's common to refuse to budge and come up with a better solution. Does this actually point to a deeply rooted wound that goes back to our formative years? 

-The real reason people talk about the weather

Small talk is so easy for some people, they can talk about nothing for hours. Why is it comfortable to some and irritating to others? What drives the need for small talk? 

-The great power of a genuine conversation 

Small talk doesn't nourish us in any way. How do we invite conversations that allow people to unleash their authenticity?