9 Steps to Address
Conflict Positively
- Create an appropriate atmosphere, based on trust and safety
- Clarify perceptions and misunderstandings
- Move from positions to interests and needs
- Positions and interests are negotiable. Needs are not negotiable
- A difficulty: In structural conflicts it is not always possible
to meet every person's needs. You have to change the subjacent
conflictive structure.
- A problem: Most people don’t know which are their needs.
- Learn to manage your emotions and the response you give to somebody
else emotions.
- Promote the connecting elements —the ‘we’ instead
of the ‘you against me’. Instil the idea of a ‘power
towards’ where we all participate, instead of a ‘power
over’, that keep out some people.
- Project to the future, towards what we want to do together, acknowledging
and learning from the past at the same time.
- Encourage people to speak of their responsibility and not of
their guilt. Facilitate reconciliation.
- Identify and develop gradually workable solutions.
- When possible, develop verbal or written agreements that everybody
can accept.
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