How You Should Avoid Confrontation

This is a topic I have not spoken about much. It is something that I am currently working on. It has taken me years to learn and I am still learning. The reason I haven’t mentioned it before is because I feel that many people misunderstand confrontation, especially confrontation in the workplace.

With the increase in violence, it is imperative that people are aware of the dangers of confrontations.

Many people will get caught up in the excitement of an armed or unarmed confrontation and do not take the time to think about what could happen. One of the most important things to consider is the other person’s intentions. If they are armed, the person could be looking for a fight.

We even hear about confrontations on social media. They could be fighting over a serious issue such as a person’s life, their home, or their business. This blog will provide some information on what can happen when people get caught up in armed and unarmed confrontations, and attempt to shed light on these potential hazards.

The question is, is it good to be confrontational? If a person is confrontational, what are the advantages and disadvantages? It could be seen as a benefit to have a confrontational personality, but what happens when a person starts a conversation with a person who they don’t want to be confrontational with? What if a person is being overly confrontational? There are also other problems that can arise from being confrontational.

Being confrontational is a lot different than being passive. If your business is public speaking for self-improvement, being confrontational means using the way you present yourself to your audience to motivate them. This can be a positive thing when done properly, but being confrontational the wrong way can have a negative effect on your business. It is important to take care when being confrontational.

I would like to define what I mean by confrontation skills and what skills you need, both interpersonal and technical skills, to be able to handle a confrontation.

What Does Confrontation Mean?

What does confrontation mean? Confrontation can mean when you’re talking to somebody or trying to get something from them, i.e. a conflict or a challenge. This is a part of my definition. If you define confrontation as a lack of respect, then no, you are not on the right track. It has more than just that meaning.

I think the best way to define confrontation is as a situation where one person or group has things to discuss and to express what they are feeling. The person or people who are in the discussion, want to express their ideas and the other person or group may not have the same ideas.

In this situation, a person or group wants to or needs to express the ideas they have followed by closing with the statement or statement of choice. It can often be the opening statement which sets the tone for the talk.

If you think about it, we use the word confrontation in a variety of ways. It can mean to take a stand and fight for something that is right. Sometimes we might feel we need to confront someone in order to get them to change their minds or do something differently.

There are many different things that can be described as a confrontation. The word is generally associated with a negative event, such as a fight or an argument. Confrontation can also be positive, such as when two people come together and decide to change their minds about something. Confrontation can be both verbal and non-verbal.

There are so many things in life that happen to us that we may not always be comfortable with. When it comes to life, we learn to deal with different types of confrontation that come our way. Whether it is with friends, family, or even strangers, confrontation is something that everyone deals with at some point in their lives. What does it mean? The definition of confrontation can vary depending on the person.

Let’s look at the subject of armed and unarmed confrontations. These are situations where a person could be in some type of confrontation or confrontation dispute.

Armed Confrontations

Armed confrontations refers to situations where a person has some kind of weapon. This could be a gun, knife, baseball bat or machete. It could be that you are allowed to carry a knife or gun but it can only be used for hunting. It is not a legal definition, it is simply something that is a weapon.

Unarmed Confrontations

Unarmed confrontations refer to situations where you do not have some sort of weapon. It could, for example, be a situation where you are on a night out and someone grabs your drink out of your hands. This could be classed as an effective confrontation. It is an active confrontation where both parties are facing each other.

A Confrontational Situation

This is a situation that could be in either a violent or non-violent environment. Think of a traffic situation. You are both honking your horn at each other but you are not actively pointing a gun at one another. In this example, you could both easily start looking at each other with fire in your eyes and depending on your individual experiences, it can go either way.

How Does A Confrontation Occur?

Let’s look in more detail into how an argument could escalate quickly. The calm incident could turn into a situation of you shouting at one another and shouting at each other could quickly turn into something else.

Come to think of it, I have had a few tough conversations recently and it left me wondering if maybe I wasn’t as tough as I thought I was? I know in my business life I am tough, especially when it comes to protecting my brand and my colleagues. I have been tough in my personal life too. However, recently I have had a few challenges which I really struggled with. I am sure I am not alone, I have found people saying that they too have struggled.

What I have learned is that I was able to take the punches, but I was unable to avoid the situation I had found myself in. Therefore, the question is, how can you avoid an unnecessary confrontation?

How To Avoid Confrontation

First and foremost, you need to have reassurance that your partner or colleague does not feel threatened by you. You need to have empathy for how the other person feels and you need to be aware of their behavior. You cannot assume that they know you. You can go on automatic pilot, which can lead you into trouble. You want to turn off that autopilot and be the best, most understanding person you can be.

Always Assume Good Intent

By that I mean, unless it is an argument, for example, there is a difference of opinion over what the price of something should be, then it will be much better to assume that what you think is right might be wrong. If someone is unhappy about something they have done, then assume that they were well-intentioned. If you assume that the other person has good intentions, then your chance of avoiding arguments increases. But, hey, you can always find out, right?

You Can Ask Questions!

Before doing anything, always go and ask questions to gain a better understanding. Ask your partner or colleague if everything is OK, if they have an issue or a problem. More importantly find out what their issue or problem is, ask what their solution will be, and if they feel it’s appropriate. Again, assuming you have good intentions of being a supportive person, you can do a lot by asking the right questions.

In some situations, your choices may not be that great. For example, if you have just bought a house together and your partner says “I hate this living room, I won’t be able to see the TV.” Your options are:

1) you have to get the TV higher or

2) move the TV somewhere else.

Your choice must be based on what holds value to you both.

Ask Yourself “What If”

It is important to keep asking yourself “what if”. If you have to ask this question, and it feels wrong, then it is probably wrong. Think of how the other person feels and consider all questions in the context of “what if”. Play it safe and assume the most positive outcome that you can.

Avoid General Statements

“You always…” or “You never…” “You never listen to me…” Probably the most hurtful statement you can make. Be careful not to go into these negative statements.

Be Truthful

If you are trying to make a stand and the best thing you can do is say “I feel that you are being unreasonable.” In this instance, honesty is the best policy.

Try And Work In A Solution

The best thing to do is keep working on finding a solution. Think about all that is happening in your partner’s life – at work, at home, in the kids life, etc. Work towards a solution which will keep you both happy.

A Hard Call To Make

There is no manual on how to work through a disagreement. The best thing to do is always assume good faith and try to work on a solution that both of you will feel is best for both of you. If someone has an issue with you or your way of doing business, then remember that they are human, we all have our quirks, and assume the best about them.

We know that sometimes these things happen. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things can be frustrating. However, I think that it is the way we handle the events and how they affect both our lives going forward that is important. If you feel bad, then apologize and work towards a solution. If you find yourself in a position where you are struggling, then do the research, find out how to work with others, and how to work out a compromise.

When Would A Confrontation Occur?

When would armed and unarmed confrontations occur? The importance of avoiding armed and unarmed confrontations is not only for the benefit of oneself but for others around you. If someone is armed and there is a confrontation between the weapon owner and the aggressor, and if it’s a gun then the weapon owner could shoot at the aggressor. The attacker could be seriously injured or even killed by the person. This could even mean other members of the public could be injured or killed.

It is in everybody’s interest if something is going to have an escalation to take place that the weapon be dropped. This is not always possible, another example could be a large knife.

The world we live in today is brutal. People are violent and cutting. Whether they are at work, in social situations or in family gatherings. We are all getting on each other’s nerves. Violent people are making our lives harder and more difficult. However, there is a flip side to this coin. There are people who genuinely want the best for you and are trying to do their best to help you. Some people however are not like that.

Martial Art Gym General Rules For Confrontation

No Shouting

When talking, shouting makes fighters think it is an aggressive message.

Do Not Harm Others

I have seen many fighters use confrontation skills as a way to get rid of their anger by “hurting” the other fighter. This is wrong, very wrong. Using confrontation skills to humiliate or harm another opponent ultimately harms you. Yes, the other fighter is harmed the most but in the long run you will harm yourself the most. People are hurt by words but they are also hurt by deeds, actions that speak louder than words.

Do Not Attack Others

The best way to start any argument is to calmly state your feelings. If a classmate or fighter can not accept or understand your feelings then you do not have to discuss your feelings. The only way to force them to accept your feelings is by having a regulated match to settle things, if this is acceptable. Otherwise, attacking the other fighter is first and foremost an attack on yourself.

Maintain A Calm Attitude

It is very important for a fighter to bring a controlled attitude to the gym. They need to be calm and they need to be focused on their training, respecting other classmates or fellow fighters in the same camp.

The Different Types Of Confrontations

1) The confrontation where one fighter says or does something hurtful

2) The confrontation where one fighter says or does something hurtful and the other fighter shouts or is aggressive back. This happens a lot when somebody has a grudge or when a fighter claims that the other is doing something wrong or doing something illegal, as in the case of steroids. Usually, this disagreement has the potential to turn into a big altercation. There are many examples, take your pic.

3) The confrontation where emotions take over

4) The confrontation where you or another fighter get very emotional and things spiral out of control. This often happens with personal problems, such as arguments with your children. It can also be linked to religious disrespect or verbally assaulting a family member.

5) The confrontation where one person takes everything personally. This type of confrontation happens when somebody gets offended or outraged about something said or done by the other. They take everything personally when it should be seen as a situation or an isolated incident.

How To Handle A Confrontation?

There are many ways to handle a confrontation. You can continue reading in this article. It is not sufficient though. It takes both technical (both personal and professional) and social skills.

The technical skills are to be able to put yourself in the mind of the person that is having to deal with the situation. You need to understand how they think, how they feel and how they would react. It is no good having a technical idea and then jumping straight to shouting and doing it. If you don’t understand how the person thinks and feels, you will just cause them more hurt.

You need to have these skills if you are a martial arts coach or trainer, even a partner. If not, then it is advisable to ask someone who is experienced in handling confrontation to teach you (the skills and how to deal with the situation).

Social skills are needed in order to stay calm during the whole meeting or confrontation. It is not a good idea to say “You are not listening” or “you are not giving me respect”. You need to say this calmly. Maintain yourself with a calm attitude and you will be able to handle the situation.

Ways Of Dealing With Confrontation

Say Nothing

When you come across a violent person, your first reaction may be to say something. To let them know that they are not right and to treat them differently. The problem with this is that the violent person might not want to change. They never acknowledge that they heard what you said and they just continue to treat others the same way they always have. The best thing to do is to walk away.

Yes. Just walk away from it.

Even if you walk away feeling like the other person is wrong, that no person should be able to treat you like this. Know that you are acting in your best interests. Sometimes, it is better to ignore what someone else is doing and deal with it later.

When you are in a situation that feels like you are being attacked, walk away. Don’t respond, don’t explain, defend yourself if you have to, otherwise just walk away.

Dealing with violent people is part of life, unfortunately. If you ignore the situation, then they will make the effort to go away, one way or another. If you start to explain to them why they are wrong and that they need to think about the people around them, then they will simply increase their level of aggression.

We are only human. We expect to be treated the best way we can be. When someone attacks you, it is natural to want to defend yourself. However, sometimes the best way of defending yourself is walking away before any confrontation starts.

Deal With Violent People

This is a common problem. There are a number of reasons why people are aggressive and this article can not go in depth into all of them, the reasons are almost infinite. Below I will mention a number of potential threats to your health, employees and customers as well as how to deal with situations that may lead to physical violence.

What Could Happen?

People can get violent at any time. Places where violence is more common are at schools, prisons, nursing homes, the office, and of course war zones. This could happen for a variety of reasons ranging from illness to temporary insanity. Even those that are not mentally ill can get violent if the person is under stress.

Obviously, most causes of violence are temporary and people will calm down after a short period of time, however it is always important to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Dojo, Gym, & Camp Center Environment Rules

Your place of training may be the furthest thing in your mind when it comes to violence or dealing with any form of aggression, and maybe not. Fighters are often left at risk and when a fighter becomes violent, it is usually because there is something wrong within the training environment. Starting an argument because you are stressed and overworked is very common.

Here are a few tips for coaches and trainers when dealing with these situations.

Have A Clear Set Of Rules

It is important to have a very clear list of rules, policies and expectations. This way you will have control over the training environment. Many companies have rules about behavior and one way is to perhaps make posters of rules. Make sure that all employees are warned in advance so that the employees are aware of the rules as well.

Make the rules very clear and as concise as possible. For example, No Trespassing, No Smoking, No Parking, No Littering, No Fighting, etc.

Make Rules That Apply To Everyone

Make the rules for everyone, both students and employees, so that the employees know what is expected and how they should behave.

Don’t be unfair to one student and apply it to another. For example, if someone is having a quiet drink and smoking, then don’t tell another person they are not allowed to smoke.

Make sure that everybody has equal rights and that you don’t discriminate based on sex, age, race or religion.

Proceed With Caution

It is everyone’s responsibility when armed or unarmed fighting takes place between others. Be aware of your surroundings, be vigilant of other people’s actions and be aware of the situation.

In this article, I have outlined the dangers of violent confrontation, and armed and unarmed confrontation. Simple conflict does not always need violence to resolve it and a physical exchange could lead to a higher level of conflict that could risk your safety as well as those around you. Violent altercations never lead to happiness so avoid them as best as you can for the benefit of both parties involved!

Suggested Reading: What Is Combat Fighting | Health Benefits Of Combat Sports | 6 Eye Exercises For Martial Arts