Helping our patients understand conflict at work and home around group dynamics

Every workplace has a group of diverse individuals.

Every family has a group of diverse individuals.

Diversity is a strength, and at the same time, it can also be the biggest source of conflict.

Some of us like to make decisions based on the feelings of others to create social harmony. We like to “play nice”, “be fair”, and “be nice”. Conflict and inequality are not our friend.

Some of us prefer effectiveness and efficiency above all else. It’s about the goal, outcome, and not about the “feelings”. Feelings are messy. Logic is not. Let’s leave that out of the equation. Think General or Commander, and not so much Diplomats.

Some of us are about our values and conscience. It has to feel right before we take action. It’s about being true to who we are and being “authentic”, even at the cost of effectiveness and practicalities. Being “fake” is not our thing.

Some of us are about internal rules and principles. We need to act with integrity and be consistent with our inner thinking and principles. Flexibility may not be our friend.

Which camp or camps are you in?
Which camp or camps are your patients in?

It’s an important part of emotional literacy and self awareness.

The ones who are more about the “feelings” will get annoyed with the ones who are more about the “thinking/logic”, and of course, the ones who are more about the “thinking/logic” will get annoyed with the ones who are more about the “feelings”.

The interesting thing is, one needs the other to be more effective.

If we can be begin to understand, appreciate, acknowledge, and work with each other like one unit, we can be like the “Avengers”, or an Elite Sport Team. The best team will have all 4 traits working in synergy rather than against.

If we don’t understand, we may be in a state of Civil War.