How do you approach conflict? Are you the kind of person who resolves conflicts peacefully or drags them out? Your attitude in conflictual situations plays a crucial role in the final outcomes. According to the Arbinger Institute—a leading consultant in conflict resolution, mindset change, and leadership training since 1979—a person who finds themselves in constant conflict embodies what they call a “combative mindset”—a conflict attitude characterized by self-focused viewpoints that lead them to worsen conflict instead of cooperating to resolve it. In this article, we’ll examine the combative mindset, how it makes conflict worse, and the biases that lead people
The Role of Attitude in Conflict Resolution










