Avoiding Conflicts During the Holidays
The end of the calendar year brings receptions, office parties, and family gatherings, which can also bring awkward and unfortunate confrontations.
Here are some tips for dealing with such moments:
Most likely your objective is to greet friends and family and to have a pleasant time. With that intent, it’s completely fine at a gathering to simply avoid confrontations. Move on. Let it go.
But what if someone is publicly misstating things you believe to be true or expressing opinions you strongly disagree with? To be true to yourself it’s completely fine to say something like, “I disagree, but now’s not the time to get into it. Let’s move on.”
Other people may feel more comfortable with a response that acknowledges hearing the remark, but not expressing disagreement at the time. Something like, “I hear that’s really important to you.” Such a response by acknowledging the person oftentimes is enough to bring the confrontation to an end.
Overall, remember the only thing you actually control is your own reaction. You can’t stop a co-worker or relative from being confrontational. You can only mindfully control your response. Remember, it’s only for a few hours at most and you have more important things to deal with. Take a deep breath, be tolerant, and focus on things you’re grateful for.
Enjoy the holidays, the office party, and the family get togethers.