The skills you need
There are four vital skills you can learn for conflict resolution: Perspective checking, mediation, negotiation, and arbitration. Read more about each one here, then, when you're ready, move onto Find your path and Tell your story to go through some applications of these skills in real-world settings.
There are four vital skills you can learn for conflict resolution: Perspective checking, mediation, negotiation, and arbitration. Read more about each one here, then, when you're ready, move onto Find your path and Tell your story to go through some applications of these skills in real-world settings.
Perspective checking
Every individual sees the world through their own eyes, through the lense of their preconceptions. When faced with a disagreement, we tend to dig in our heels and become defensive, unable to see clearly. Intelligence or experience is no protection against this; all humans are prone to fall into this trap. The way out of it is to ask for the opinions and views of impartial third parties. People without an interest in the issue can see more clearly than any of the involved parties.
By asking friends, colleagues, and other communities members to speak to us candidly about our disagreements, we can gain some much needed neutral perspective.
Learn more at this website: Classroom Activities on Perspective Taking.
Every individual sees the world through their own eyes, through the lense of their preconceptions. When faced with a disagreement, we tend to dig in our heels and become defensive, unable to see clearly. Intelligence or experience is no protection against this; all humans are prone to fall into this trap. The way out of it is to ask for the opinions and views of impartial third parties. People without an interest in the issue can see more clearly than any of the involved parties.
By asking friends, colleagues, and other communities members to speak to us candidly about our disagreements, we can gain some much needed neutral perspective.
Learn more at this website: Classroom Activities on Perspective Taking.
Mediation
By taking part in a structured mediation process, both parties in a potential disagreement will have a chance to have their differences heard and their point of view recognized. The typical format of mediations allows for each side to have time to talk, and then to respond to each other. Ideally, it will end with reaching an acceptable compromise.
A mediation is supervised by a trained mediator, who may be a peer of the disagreeing parties. The key to successful mediation is for both sides to agree to abide by the rules beforehand, and for the mediator to encourage them to respect the rules and listen to one another.
Learn more at this article: How the Mediation Process Works.
By taking part in a structured mediation process, both parties in a potential disagreement will have a chance to have their differences heard and their point of view recognized. The typical format of mediations allows for each side to have time to talk, and then to respond to each other. Ideally, it will end with reaching an acceptable compromise.
A mediation is supervised by a trained mediator, who may be a peer of the disagreeing parties. The key to successful mediation is for both sides to agree to abide by the rules beforehand, and for the mediator to encourage them to respect the rules and listen to one another.
Learn more at this article: How the Mediation Process Works.
Negotiation
Learning the skills of negotiation for conflict resolution can help you stop conflict before it starts. By following the guidelines of conflict negotiation, which are useful for taking emotion out of the equation, you can find ways that both you and the person you're disagreeing with to gain.
You can take formal training in negotiation, or choose to read about conflict negotiation strategies to help you navigate disagreements and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Learn more by reading this instructional document: Conflict Negotiation Skills Checklist
Learning the skills of negotiation for conflict resolution can help you stop conflict before it starts. By following the guidelines of conflict negotiation, which are useful for taking emotion out of the equation, you can find ways that both you and the person you're disagreeing with to gain.
You can take formal training in negotiation, or choose to read about conflict negotiation strategies to help you navigate disagreements and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Learn more by reading this instructional document: Conflict Negotiation Skills Checklist
Arbitration
Arbitration is a process that may be either voluntary or legally mandated. It occurs when two parties who have a dispute agree to submit to a formal process, with a binding result. The power to make the decision is given over to one or more arbitrators who act like judges, determining the outcome.
This process heads off conflict by providing a strict framework with a predictable outcome. The disadvantage is that both members in the conflict loose some autonomy by agreeing to abide by the result at the outset, but this is more than outweighed if there is a fair process with an impartial arbitrator.
Arbitration can in many cases supplant a legal dispute.
For one example of a legal framework for arbitration, see: What is Arbitration?
Arbitration is a process that may be either voluntary or legally mandated. It occurs when two parties who have a dispute agree to submit to a formal process, with a binding result. The power to make the decision is given over to one or more arbitrators who act like judges, determining the outcome.
This process heads off conflict by providing a strict framework with a predictable outcome. The disadvantage is that both members in the conflict loose some autonomy by agreeing to abide by the result at the outset, but this is more than outweighed if there is a fair process with an impartial arbitrator.
Arbitration can in many cases supplant a legal dispute.
For one example of a legal framework for arbitration, see: What is Arbitration?