On the other hand, if I work through the conflict, I can both understand the other person's point of view and express my perspective. The process then begins to build trust and understanding. I would not be successful, nor a survivor, if I did not deal with conflict openly. It would eat me up inside or cause me political problems within the organization. Being familiar with your current or prospective employer's grievance policies, statements of commitment to diversity, and equal opportunity practices is very important.
Most companies have policies that provide guidelines for conflicts.
Unfortunately, many of these policies were created from a reactionary perspective, not a preventative one. They have been designed to address problems and conflicts at the point that a problem requires intervention for damage control. Because communication skills are essential in conflict resolution, taking it upon yourself to improve these skills should rank high on your list of things to do upon entering into today's workplace. The fine art of listening is a great starting point for increasing your communication skills. Aside from understanding whatever information is being presented, an important second outcome of effective listening is that the person speaking feels heard.