Americans treat conflict as a routine part of life rather than a disaster or disgrace. Disagreements happen in families, workplaces, and communities—this is expected, not shameful. Because conflict is normal, Americans invest in ways to handle it: organizations have procedures, schools have systems, courts exist.
If you’re in conflict with someone, this doesn’t mean anything has gone terribly wrong. The question isn’t whether conflicts occur but how they’re handled. This attitude creates permission to engage with disagreements rather than pretending they don’t exist. Acknowledging conflict is healthy; suppressing it is not. When working with Americans, don’t treat conflict as failure—treat it as a situation to be managed through appropriate means.
Comments