This is NPR's life kit. I'm Diana O'Pong.

Conflict in general is the pits, but conflict at work is kind of the worst.

I mean, haven't we all wished conflict would just magically go away with a snap of a finger and never return,

like Thanos with his infinity stones?

Conflict is just a fact of life.

As human beings, we're going to find ourselves in conflict situations and there's no avoiding it. It's inevitable.

This can be one of the most confounding things that people have to deal with.

A new mixbag of co-workers who all bring their own backstories, superpowers, and weaknesses to the office.

This includes belief systems and values that can be nearly impossible to peg,

unless of course your professor Xavier and can read minds.

Welcome into my mind.

On top of the actual work we already have to do, we also have to deal with the little nuances that pop up,

like someone interrupting you in meetings, which can grow into other issues, like someone making comments about your weight.

And when all of those forces are at play, sometimes it can feel like you're in a superhero movie up against an entire universe of problems.

Since conflict is inevitable, despite our best efforts to run and hide from it,

and there are no infinity stones to be found and we lack the cool skill of telepathy,

it's important to learn how to handle conflict in a manner that won't get you fired.

Reducing conflict in the workplace, it's about normalizing the reality that humans are going to human.

But have no fear because in this episode of LifeKit, we've assembled a super team to help you improve your conflict resolution skills.

You're going to get the tips you need to face conflict head on, like the superhero you are.

At some point in your career, whether you're a newbie to the workforce or a long timer,

you're going to end up in conflict with a colleague or supervisor,

...