Compromise when you can, but accept that sometimes conflict is unavoidable.

Conflict is always lurking, only a well articulated opinion away. But sometimes conflict is irrational, it has nothing to do with what one thinks or does. Conflict can appear simply because of the way someone is reflects badly by contrast on what someone else is not.

If someone is for example highly creative, then this naturally comes through in everything he or she does. Same goes for other virtues such as courage, leadership, morality. Now virtues have a tendency to propagate in groups, and so, if a new comer brings along new virtues, those leaders lacking such virtues will feel threatened by default, not because of something that the person in question said or did. In such cases compromise is not an option, and conflict is not only unavoidable but total, in the either-or, cockfight sense. The best approach in those situations is not to fight the opponent directly, but rather try to isolate him or her by convincing the larger group that is it in its collective better interest to adopt new virtues. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. It is pointless to hold regrets, it is more important to keep your virtues. They are after what defines who you are. More generally speaking, collaborate with those with whom you share chemistry and similar virtues. And know then you cannot have done anything wrong in upholding your virtues and standing up for what you are.

Photo credit accessible here.