Resolving 21st Century Disputes

New mental software will take millions of years to develop. In the
meantime, you can vastly improve your ability to prevent and resolve
disputes by learning more about Human Mind 1.0. Why is it ill-suited to
21st century disputes? How you can recognize and work around these
shortcomings before trouble starts?
This book is about universals: thought processes shared by every mentally
healthy person regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, culture, level
of education, and other characteristics. Differences do matter. Everyone
is blessed with a unique blend of talents and inclinations. But as Maya
Angelou has noted, "we are more alike my friends than we are unalike."
The traits we have in common play a far greater role in getting us into and
out of disputes than the variations that set us apart. Take this book personally. Keep asking yourself these questions:
• When has someone behaved this way toward me?
• When have I behaved this way toward someone else?
• How could I handle this type of situation differently if it happens
again?
Keep practicing the skills you want to develop until they become second
nature. No one has ever become a great golf, baseball, or tennis player
simply by reading about how to swing a club, a bat, or a racquet. Mastery
emerges from doing your best, noticing what is not working, adjusting
accordingly, and vigorously weeding out bad habits—both old and
new. Conflict resolution is no different. Education is the dawn of a lifetime
journey.