Personal Empowerment & Leadership Skills

Celebrating Life:
Art & Creativity

Local, Bioregional & Global Outreach

2b. Facilitation Skills: Decision Making and Conflict Resolution
The Art of Facilitation	How to Make Good Decisions	Understanding and Learning from Conflict

“Creating freedom, community and viable relationships has its price. It costs time and courage to learn how to sit in the fire of diversity” – Arnold Mindell

Understanding Conflict

Conflict is inseparable from life and diversity. Where there is homogeneity, there is no conflict, there is no tension, but there is no movement, no life, either. Our challenge as human beings is to support and appreciate diversity – necessary for life on this planet – while we learn to recognize the unity underlying the apparent diversity, so that we can live the encounter with what is different, maybe with tension and difficulties, but not with violence, aggressiveness and (self)destruction.

The most important lesson is to change our attitude from avoiding conflicts to looking at them with interest and openness. This means stepping out of a “winner-loser“ attitude and moving towards a “win-win“ perspective. Win-Win solutions become possible after all involved parties of a conflict have been heard and understood.

Often, when we regard a situation as “conflictual”, this means that we have lost our sense of connectedness, of belonging, or of being understood. Before agreeing or disagreeing with anyone's opinions, try to tune in to what the person is feeling and needing. Instead of saying “No,” say what need of yours prevents you from saying “Yes.” If you are feeling upset or angry, become aware of the deeper need that is not being met and of what you could do to fulfil it, instead of thinking about what's wrong with others or yourself.

Forum, as it has been developed in ZEGG and other communities, is a ritualised and creative form of communication within community. It offers a stage upon which people’s thoughts, feelings and anything that moved them can become visible to others.
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