Why It’s Good To Compromise

Written By Colēgia

Social skills are critical to our success throughout life given how often we interact with others. One area of this that's good to consider is how well we can work through conflict with others. Sometimes we may not always agree with what's being presented and that's okay. A great approach to this is being able to compromise with those around us. Today we want to talk about why this is good and how to work toward this.

What Is A Compromise?

When it comes to social situations it's good to know what exactly a compromise is. This is typically defined as a sort of agreement where both sides make concessions. This is done as a means of trying to find a healthy middle ground for both sides involved. It's good to keep in mind that just because both sides are giving up some ground that it can still be on amicable terms. An example of this can be roommates where each person involved needs to be able to contribute to the upkeep of their home. It takes up time for both parties involved but it ultimately leads to a better result since their space is clean. A compromise here would be rotating who does which chores in their living space to help each other.

“When it comes to social situations it's good to know what exactly a compromise is.”

Meeting in The Middle

Being aware of our own needs is important but the same can be said for the needs of others. As people, we all have different ideas of what we think is the right way to go about doing things. Some of us may be more pragmatic with what our needs are while others may be more emotional. Both of these approaches are valid and valuable to consider when it comes to compromising. Meeting in the middle can help both sides reach an agreement where most of what we want gets met. It's good to consider that some concessions can't always be met and we have to know what we're not willing to compromise on if it means endangering our well-being or safety.

“Being aware of our own needs is important but the same can be said for the needs of others.”

Consider The Impact

Compromise along with working with others isn't always a one-off event. In many cases when we're working towards compromise it will be with people we know for a long time. Valuing the relationship itself is key to this since we want to make sure that what we agree to doesn't come at the cost of this. Sometimes there are moments when we have to stand our ground and be firm about what we need and this is okay. Likewise, there are times when we need to recognize if we're asking for too much. Compromise can be tricky to navigate since it's different depending on the people involved. Being able to understand and empathize with others can help with this since we want to make an active effort to see both sides’ content. Compromise requires us to listen and then effectively express what we need or want, and that starts with building self-awareness.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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