So often we embark on a difficult communication or react to a conflict situation by trying to discuss it before the other person is ready. At times, we may not really be ready either but, we are anxious to resolve matters sooner than later, to get past the high emotions, to make amends and so on. These and other reasons compel many of us to dive in prematurely to try to talk things out. On the other hand, sometimes we tend to wait too long before we reach out and find our efforts are perceived as ‘too little too late’, despite our good intentions.
These considerations work both ways, of course, and poor timing, whether too early or too late, has an impact on how amenable the other person or we will be to having a conversation about resolving a conflict situation. In either case, contemplating how and when and whether to discuss an incident takes some reflection. This week’s Conflict Mastery Quest(ions) blog invites you to think about one situation when you approached the other person when you realized it was too early and one when it was too late.
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