The Conflict Strategies Inventory is a type of index that predicts the appearance of an individual's preferred method of resolving conflict. It breaks down each person and assigns one of five distinct profiles based on responses to various scenarios a person may encounter in the job market. It is important to understand that although the individual's preferred profile indicates what their preference will be in a given situation, we all have the ability to view all profiles at any given time. In other words, each situation is different and has different circumstances and, therefore, each situation may force the person to step out of their natural profile and approach the conflict with a less preferred style. The Conflict Strategies Inventory simply identifies each person's preferred style. It is also important to note that our preferred profile is also our default profile and that particular profile will prevail in highly stressful situations, even if we try to suppress it over an alternative profile. My default personal profile is that of a compromising person. To define this profile, the index uses the word compromise. Delving a little deeper into the definition, a compromising profile is that of someone who understands, anticipates and plans for each party involved in a conflict to give up something they consider important and therefore neither party is ultimately fully satisfied. Moreover, a compromising person may even overestimate the initial demands in anticipation of negotiations until the truly desired outcome. A real-world example of this type of negotiation is that of a car salesman. First, the seller will make an offer to the buyer...... middle of paper ... quickly in this firefighting mentality. Not having all the background and facts from the other side's perspective tends to lead to unknown limitations. This can lead to asking too much or too little in negotiation situations and leaving the compromise lopsided in favor of one party. Additionally, I can't switch to my other profiles or styles at the appropriate time; either too quickly or too late. The simple fact of identifying, at the appropriate time, when a situation imposes a different profile, would allow me to significantly gain in my ability to resolve conflicts. I recognize that all conflicts and negotiations are situational, the next step for me is to practice the different profile styles and more quickly identify which style is appropriate and in which situations. This will allow me to bring more balance into my life with more predictable results.