In our daily lives we have a tendency to "talk over" one another, at the same time presuming to already understand one another. One of the principles that has worked for me in my life is NEVER to assume that you know the other person yo uare talking to. Always assume that there is something to learn from them. And often reset your own expectations about who they are and what they are trying to accomplish. If you practice this you will tend to be a more attentive listener and therefore a better person at identifying and resolving conflicts.