Family Relationships
The relationship between family members is a cordial symbol of affection. Many people need to establish boundaries with family members because interferences can harbor hatred and conflicts. Since there was no respect for each other’s property in the family, it was unsurprising when personal information was leaked to public domains. Moreover, the lack of parental support in decision-making made it impossible to hold discussions when misunderstandings arose. Honestly, the relationship I share with the family is not constructive and respectful because each individual is purpose-driven to succeed at any cost, which has left undesired effects. For instance, I was unwilling to share projects with them since there are uncertainties about information sharing. The instability existing within the family affects the ability to establish cordial understandings among members since we are driven by ego. It is a worrying thing since, through shared efforts, better results could be achieved, but the situation has not permitted the building of good family relations.
Relational Conflict
After three years of developing a plan to design carbon emission products, I was ready to present the findings and facts to potential investors. However, this was done in secret because it was a personal surprise to family and work colleagues. Consequently, when the designs were compromised and someone uploaded them on the internet, it hampered the entire project. The conflict arose because there has been a lack of respect for personal boundaries for years because this helps protect individual privacy and property. Since there has been limited communication with my family, no person was aware of the project and the sensitivity of the compromised information. Even after finding the culprit’s digital footprint, the individual denied and sought protection from other family members, branding me a villain in this situation. With the situation irreconcilable, I left the house and concentrated on personal development to manage my communication.
Communication Privacy Management Theory
The absence of an effective communication channel with family members can lead to broken relationships. Many families exist when foundations are established on respecting boundaries. According to Adler et al., communication privacy management theory relies on the prospecting of building relationships by ensuring boundary management (309). In this case, knowing the importance of another person’s content can depend on staying out of their business. It is crucial to share messages affirming a person’s stance about a situation that could impact their surroundings by considering how things are communicated (Adler et al. 310). Without proper boundaries in the family, it was inevitable that conflicts would break out since communication was not effective and respect was limited. The theory denotes an approach that considers individuals as vital members to establish guidelines that should be followed to ensure harmony. Therefore, considering the features of a communication privacy management theory require establishing relational approaches to achieve different outcomes.
Relational Work
When families lack approaches to communicate about problems, they need means to navigate the turmoil. The relationship with my family required much work to re-establish the connection and respect everyone deserved. Adler et al. explain that relational work focuses on holding discussions about concerns people have by directly addressing them to find a solution (280). It is crucial to limit doubt among people by allowing them to share information about concerns to mend mistakes. The lack of non-verbal communication approaches in interpersonal communication contributes to conflicts as people fail to understand the extent of a person’s decision to adopt a specific lifestyle (Kamal et al. 1319). Since families are bound to live together, creating a communication channel would have helped shape the type of relationship that could work for every member. The concept expects individuals to find common grounds to discuss concerns and develop amicable solutions to avoid an escalation. As a result, relational work is a concept that explains the rise of challenges, which require specific skills to address conflicts in a relationship.
Emotional Agility
I would have used the emotional agility skill to handle and label the conflicts within the family relationship to address the situation effectively. Using listening techniques, I would have found mechanisms crucial to solving the conflict by seeking the help of communication professionals to help repair the interpersonal relationship. Adler et al. consider emotional maturity a skill that can reduce and help recognize stressors, which can help during decision-making (255). It hurts when emotions come between family members due to differences individuals fail to discuss. Kamal et al. suggest that using alternative communication activities can alter outcomes since people engage in ways that could be effective (1319). In this case, learning to control emotions is a vital skill that should have helped me handle the conflict better. For instance, informing the family about the importance of this project could have helped them to set boundaries about using other people’s property. Adler et al. add that finding the ability to express emotions can eliminate negative experiences because they hinder expressing pleasurable feelings in family relationships (255). The importance of maturity during conflicts can make a difference during communication because relationships rely on openness. Hence, applying emotional agility when in conflict would have led to better outcomes since the situation would have been analyzed extensively.
Works Cited
Adler, Ronald B et al. Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (14th Ed.). New York: Oxford Press University, 2018.
Kamal, Nathasya M et al. “A Systematic Literature Review on Interpersonal Communication Activities Among Intimate Partners.” Journal of Positive School Psychology, vol. 6, no. 4, 2022, pp. 1319-1325.