Conflict Resolution

1) Conflicts are inevitable. Throughout your life, at work, and at home, you will find yourself in situations where you need to resolve a conflict. What tips and tricks did the role models provide to help resolve conflicts in a healthy way? How could you apply these tips or tricks to your own life?

2) Listeners learned that resolving conflicts is easiest if they can avoid feeling upset or taking the conflict personally. Think of a recent conflict that you were involved in. How did you feel during the discussion? What things went well? What things could have gone better? What lessons did you learn that you can use in the future to resolve conflicts more easily?

3) One role model told us that the most important thing she does when faced with a conflict is to “assume best intentions”. What does it mean to “assume best intentions”? Why do you think this could be such a valuable perspective to take when trying to resolve a conflict?

4) Another role model shared that she likes to “feel like the rock in the stream” when trying to resolve a conflict. How could feeling like “a rock in the stream” help you resolve conflicts in a healthy way? What actions could you take to be “a rock in the stream” during your next conflict?

5) One role model told us that to be a good team player, you have to communicate and be able to resolve conflicts without any hurt feelings. Why is it important to be able to resolve conflicts without hurting anyone’s feelings? What words or actions might you use to help ensure you don’t hurt someone’s feelings? What words or actions should you try to avoid? Why?

6) One role model told us that, “Saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ is a sign of courage. It shows that you are a leader, that you have reflected on the situation, and that you can get past it.” Why does it sometimes feel hard to apologize? What can happen if you don’t apologize to a family member or friend? To a coworker or boss?

Obviously, conflicts cannot be avoided. So you have to learn the easy way handling your conflicts, not be upset, not to take everything personally, how to be a professional.

I think oftentimes when we’re having arguments, we feel like it’s really important to get our point across immediately. That can’t always happen. Sometimes we need to think about whatever it is that we’re feeling so that when we are sharing what’s going on, that we’re doing that accurately, and so that we can calm down. So helping yourself to stop and just say, “Hey, give me a second,” that’s a great way of slowing down an argument.

To be a good team player, you have to communicate. You have to be able to resolve conflicts without belittling the other person because they’re still on your team. They’re still your teammate. You can’t make them feel bad. You have to do it in a way where the issue is resolved without any hurt feelings. You’re okay. She’s okay. Let’s come to an agreement. Let’s come to a resolution and leave and still be okay.

One of the things I think we all will run into in our careers and our lives is conflict and the need to resolve it. And one of the things that I’ve learned actually from my manager is this tenet of, “Assume best intentions.” So when you have a conflict with someone and you’re thinking, “Well, they were so mean. They did X, and they were out to get me,” sometimes it’s good to take a moment. Take a step back and assume that that’s actually not the case. If somebody closed the door when you were coming in, maybe they didn’t realize you were there. Assume that best intention because it really makes resolving conflicts much easier.

And I found that it really helps to be unflappable. You want to be the one who is centered and calm, and then try to find the common ground among everybody. I often say it’s good to feel like the rock in the stream. So you’re heavy, you’re at the bottom, and everything is just flowing past you. So just let all the drama flow past you. Don’t let it move you. Don’t let it rattle you.

A lot of times you have to be the bigger person than the next person you’re talking to. Everyone is not always right. But I think that if you are open enough to realize what part you play in whatever disagreement you may have with someone, own it. And if there is someone that you’ve hurt and you’ve actually said something bad about, apologize. Saying “I’m sorry” is a sign of courage. It shows that you are a leader. It shows that you’ve reflected on the situation, and it shows that you can get past it. But a lot of times you have to be the bigger person than the next person you’re talking to.

Conflict Resolution Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a lively discussion about what it means to be civil to each other.

Did you know that there are lots of different ways to approach a conflict and resolve it? From compromise to acknowledgment, there are tons of healthy conflict resolution methods to learn about and apply in your life. Whether you’ve recently encountered a conflict at school or in your personal life, the role models in this video have some great advice and tips that you can start applying today to help resolve your conflicts in healthy, productive ways.

Conflict Resolution Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.

Use Empowerment Activities as a fun way to reinforce the video topic and build community with your students.

• Sock Puppets – Creating Sock Puppets for Conflict Resolution Role-Play

Related Empowerment Activities:

• Civility Tree

Conflict Resolution Fun Page Activity – What does it mean to compromise? How can learning to compromise help you overcome challenging conflicts in your life? Try out your conflict resolution skills in this simple fun page activity!