This morning I was listening on the radio to the unfolding story about the allegations surrounding the suspected assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, specifically the deadline that Theresa May had given the Russian Government for an explanation. The commentator explained how unrealistic the deadline had been even for normal communications between the Kremlin departments never mind with the outside world. The story highlighted for me the irony that both Governments wanted to find out who did it and why yet seem unable or unwilling to communicate clearly in order to get to the truth of the matter.
This struck me as an excellent example of positions and interests: each party in a fixed, some might say an entrenched position – rigid, defensive and restricted in their communication - but both having an underlying common interest, a vested interest, an interest that could potentially improve relationships in an unusual but more productive way. From this brief news report I pondered on how when positions and interests feature in family, relationship conflicts they are not so obvious, highlighting just how difficult (even frustrating), it is to move from a position to a common interest, when there is mistrust and a lack of (constructive) communication between parties.
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