Ten tips to resolve conflict
I was asked to talk to a group of year three and four students the other day about ways to resolve conflict. I asked some of the students to suggest ways that they resolve conflict in their daily lives.
After some discussion, I presented the group with 10 tips and we discussed each tip in detail.
Ten ways to resolve conflict
1. Seek to understand the problem.
2. Listen to each other – take turns to speak.
3. Listen to the other person’s point of view.
4. Calm down first – manage your emotions.
5. Clearly and calmly state your opinion.
6. Be honest about your feelings.
7. Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
8. Compromise on some things.
9. Seek a win – win solution.
10. Ask some to help you (e.g. a Teacher or Counsellor).
As our discussion came to the end, one of the students said in a matter of fact way, “Yes, we need to be honest and talk about it!” This is exactly what the 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935), Tenzin Gyatso said:
“Dialogue is the most effective way of resolving conflict.”