The Tao te Ching says:

“There is no greater misfortune
than underestimating your enemy.
Underestimating your enemy
means thinking that he is evil.
Thus you destroy your three treasures
and become an enemy yourself.
When two great forces oppose each other,
the victory will go
to the one that knows how to yield.” 
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Conflict is the friction necessary for growth. Suzuki Roshi, the Zen master, says that a true teaching is painful because it is highlighting where we are vulnerable. During times of conflict, rather than the traditional approach of seeing it as something negative and a hindrance to wellbeing, awakened beings approach adversity with appreciation and gratitude.

Compassion is a necessary aspect of any successful conflict transformation. The reason is that successful conflict transformation requires both parties to be re-directed towards growth. It is a collective effort, just as a competitive tennis match is both competition and cooperation. Overall, this theme of cooperative adversity is easier said than done, however it is unquestionably an important skill for navigating relationships, vocation, and ultimately life as a whole.