Courses
How to Tame Your Lizard Brain: Conflict Resolution

How to Tame Your Lizard Brain: Conflict Resolution

A simple and straightforward conflict resolution course to help you recognize what's happening, judge what's happening and react to what's happening as you explore 6 tips to SLOWING DOWN your lizard brain in conflict.

By Amber McMillan In Communication · Leadership Development · Networking Skills

Last updated Apr 15, 2025
English (Canada)
General Audiences - suitable for all ages

What you'll learn

Be aware of emotions, assess situations objectively, and respond thoughtfully
Communicate clearly and avoid a competitive mindset
Acknowledge errors to foster mutual understanding
Identify emotions to understand conflict origins
Practice active listening and provide feedback

Content

The brain's structure is complex, with various regions playing distinct roles in processing information and responding to conflict situations. The cerebral cortex, responsible for higher-order thinking and decision-making, often collaborates with the limbic system, which manages emotions. During conflicts, these areas work together to assess threats and determine appropriate responses. Recognizing the "Lizard Brain," or the more primitive part of our brain responsible for instinctive reactions, is crucial in conflict resolution. By understanding this aspect, individuals can better manage impulsive responses, allowing for more thoughtful and effective resolution strategies.

The Lizard Brain plays a crucial role in evolution, serving as a fundamental component in survival. It is responsible for instinctive fear reactions, such as fight, flight, and freeze, which are automatic responses crucial for protection. Additionally, emotions have a preconscious nature, meaning they often arise before conscious thought, highlighting their deep-rooted and instinctual origins.

Achieving clarity and fostering collaboration involves emphasizing the significance of effective communication. It is important to prioritize face-to-face meetings whenever feasible and to focus on understanding rather than trying to "win" the argument.

Acknowledge mistakes by recognizing errors and using them as learning opportunities. Foster an open environment for collaborative assessment.

Recognizing emotions involves understanding the underlying causes of conflict and easy methods for identifying emotions.

Active listening involves engaging in attentive listening and reflecting back what you hear, while fostering an environment that encourages feedback.

Refrain from making personal attacks and concentrate on specific behaviors. Avoid engaging in the blame game. Identify and address the root cause of the issue.

Directing discussions toward shared goals involves guiding conversations to align with the common objectives of all parties involved. It is essential to define the lessons learned from past experiences and outline actions to prevent similar issues in the future.