1. Conflict

2. Conflict Is...
A disagreement resulting from incompatible concerns, goals or values.
Influenced by perceptions, thoughts, values and emotions.
Natural and inevitable in close relationships.
Either positive or negative.

3. Conflict is Positive When It...
Opens up discussion of issues, resulting in clarification.
Identifies alternative solutions.
Serves as a release of pent-up emotions, anxiety and stress.
Builds cohesiveness among group members.
Helps individuals to grow personally and apply their knowledge to future conflicts.
Makes life more interesting.
Is hard on the problem, easy on the people.

4. Conflict is Negative When It...
Diverts energy from more important activities and issues.
Destroys the relationship.
Means no decision or new behaviour results and the problem remains.
Reduces or destroys any level of trust.
Divides people even more and polarizes groups.
Results in debilitating emotional experiences.
Is hard on people, and easy on the problem.

5. Keys to Resolving Conflicts
Seek first to UNDERSTAND... and then to be UNDERSTOOD
ASSERTIVELY achieve a WIN-WIN situation
Be HARD on the PROBLEM and EASY on the PERSON

6. Approaches to Conflict Management

7. Adversarial Approach Conquest of one party over the other
Each party sees the issue from own point of view
Conflicts are personalized, rather than based on issues and facts
Disputants are conflict oriented; animosity present
Relationships are fractured or destroyed; total distrust

8. Negative Power Process
Both parties choose to address certain aspects of the problem
Disputants unwilling to examine problem from other points of view
Usually short lived resolution; conflict resurfaces
Division of resources or compromises to meet immediate positions
Conflict avoided; underlying needs and feelings ignored

9. Principled Negotiations
Energies used to defeat the problem rather than the other person(s)
Open identification of the problem; “we” approach
Define the problem in terms of mutual needs; cooperation and joint ownership of solution
Acknowledge behaviours and feelings of others through active listening
Relationships are strengthened through trust and respect
No single right answer; offer choices and alternatives, personal empowerment and validation of strengths of everyone

10. Conflict Resolution Model
Listen actively Empathize Ask open-ended questions and clarify Reach a mutually acceptable, win-win agreement or solution Next time follow up