This week let's focus on successful relationships...

It is usually inevitable that disagreements will arise in most relationships, personal and professional. The difference between successful relationships and unsuccessful relationships is that successful relationships have the ability to solve disagreements peacefully, without personally attacking each other. 

When personal attacks are made, trust and respect erode. So let's commit to disagreeing without being disagreeable.

One way to help us do this is to keep focused on a solution (what each person needs to overcome the challenge) rather than the facts.

Focusing on facts means we are more concerned with being right,than we are with solving the disagreement.

By focusing on each person's needs, we demonstrate respect and often develop mutually satisfying solutions.

And just a reminder, apologies can often break the log jam of a disagreement. An apology means that we value the relationship more than we value our ego.