©2000 William L. Ury 1 The Third Side William L. Ury Harvard University
©2000 William L. Ury 2 The Challenge What will it take to transform destructive conflict into constructive conflict at home, at work, in the community & in the world?
©2000 William L. Ury 3 Two Sides of the Conflict Side 1Side 2
©2000 William L. Ury 4 Side 3 The Third Side of the Conflict Side 1Side 2
©2000 William L. Ury 5 Outsiders (e.g. neighbors, neutrals, bystanders) Who is the Third Side? 1 Insiders (e.g family, friends, the parties themselves) Side 1Side 2 1
©2000 William L. Ury 6 What Will It Take? A Mobilized Community Acting Systematically Motivated by a New Story
©2000 William L. Ury 7 A Mobilized Community Everyone is a Thirdsider
©2000 William L. Ury 8 Acting Systematically Focus on: Prevention, Resolution and Containment
©2000 William L. Ury 9 Escalation of Conflict Latent Tensions Overt Conflict Power Struggle Destructive Violence
©2000 William L. Ury 10 Why Conflict Escalates Latent Tensions Overt Conflict Power Struggle Destructive Violence Frustrated needs Poor skills Weak relationships
©2000 William L. Ury 11 Why Conflict Escalates Latent Tensions Overt Conflict Power Struggle Destructive Violence Conflicting interests Disputed rights Unequal power Injured relationships
©2000 William L. Ury 12 Why Conflict Escalates Latent Tensions Overt Conflict Power Struggle Destructive Violence No attention No limitation No protection
©2000 William L. Ury 13 Catching Conflict Before it Escalates Prevent Resolve Contain Power Struggle Overt Conflict Latent Tensions Destructive Violence
©2000 William L. Ury 14 Prevent Sources of Tension Frustrated needs Poor skills Weak relationships Ways to Prevent The Provider The Teacher The Bridge-Builder
©2000 William L. Ury 15 Resolve Sources of Conflict Conflicting interests Disputed rights Unequal power Injured relationships Ways to Resolve The Mediator The Arbiter The Equalizer The Healer
©2000 William L. Ury 16 Contain Sources of Struggle No attention No limitation No protection Ways to Contain The Witness The Referee The Peacekeeper
©2000 William L. Ury 17 Motivated by a New Story From Fighting is Inevitable. To Fighting is Preventable.
©2000 William L. Ury 18 A Timeline of Human Conflict 2,500,000 Years of Possible Coexistence 2,500,000 B.C. 1,000,000 B.C. 2,000 A.D. 10,000 Years of Coercion
©2000 William L. Ury 19 Fighting is... Preventable Coexistence for 99% It is human choice There is the Third Side Inevitable We have always fought It is human nature There is no other way
©2000 William L. Ury 20 “Is this a private fight or can anyone get in?” Old Irish saying
©2000 William L. Ury 21 What Will It Take? THE THIRD SIDE A Mobilized Community Acting Systematically Motivated by a New Story