When my partner and I wanted to renovate our home, we saw two very different visions and there was a lot of conflict. We had been living together for 12 years and just let the tension grow. Finally, we made a rule that if either of us wanted to express a different perspective he had to listen to my perspective; and vice versa. Similarly, we decided to have a third person resolve our differences, which lead us to a compromise rooted in common ground between conflicting ideas, and as a side-effect, led us to be more understanding and tolerant of each other. The experience not only solved the issue but enhanced our relationship through a joint commitment to each other’s interests.