The Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of Ukraine

Kerch Institute of Economics and Humanities of Tavrida National University

Affiliate of English philology department

Conflict Resolution

Kerch, 2013

Authors: 5^th grade students

Preface. This manual is devoted to viewing the concept of conflict resolution and means of resolving conflicts. It is aimed at helping students to learn how to deal with conflicts and resolve them constructively.

Editor: Nepomnyashchaya Y.

Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

Section 1. Different kind of conflicts………………………………………………………………………...5

Section 2. Conflict mapping……………………………………………………………………………….…6

Section 3. Different resolution styles (strategies)……………………………………………………………8

Section 4. The ways of solving conflicts……………………………………………………………………10

Section 5. The algorithm of conflict resolution……………………………………………………………..13

Section 6. Tips about how to avoid conflicts……………………………………………………………….14

Section 7. Online courses on conflict resolution……………………………………………………………16

Introduction

Gladenko Dasha

Conflict is the result of clashes between incompatible attitudes, principles or goals. Conflicts are a part of life and we have to solve them, deal with them and move on. Conflicts exist within families, among peers, friends and neighbours. They exist at work, church, school and simply along the street among strangers.

Conflicts can appear because many reasons and motivation. It is in the human nature to observe, conclude and create attitudes. But we all do observation of our surrounding, making conclusion and building attitudes in different way. Once people with different attitudes meet, they may have different view to some situation. Everybody is having his/her own opinion about resolution of some problem. In that situation conflicts can appear as normal reaction to different attitudes. It is natural reaction to different views and perspectives.

Conflict can have positive and negative sides. The positive side of the conflict can be better ideas produced. It can turn people to other approaches. Tension is stimulating interest and creativity. People in conflict can test and develop their capabilities. On the other hand the conflict can have a negative impact too. Some people do not like conflict since it makes them upset or defeated. Conflict can increase distance between people. People can defend their stands, since they do not like to admit that other idea can be better. People can have biased attitude, according their own interests. It can bring distance instead of team development.

Despite conflicts can have a positive influence somehow, they cause more harm: problems with health (stress), worse relations between people (colleagues, friends, relatives). In this case it is important to know how to resolve and eliminate conflicts.

Conflict resolution is a set of processes which are driven towards removing the sources of a conflict. Conflict resolution is a skill that can be developed gradually. Identifying your interests and working upon the most profitable solution for a conflict are generally the most common strategy adopted by people. Strong negotiation skills and the ability to put forward your opinions intelligently go a long way to resolving conflicts.

The term conflict resolution may be used interchangeably with dispute resolution, where arbitration and litigation processes are critically involved. Furthermore, the concept of conflict resolution can be thought to encompass the use of nonviolent resistance measures by conflicted parties in an attempt to promote effective resolution.

Response to conflict should be effort that will utilize positive impact of the conflict, diminish negative effects and bring the resolution of the conflict with the benefit to all parties. Since everyone can participate in the conflict, everybody can also give contribution to the resolution of the conflict.

Conflict resolution presupposes the acceptance of the fact that conflict exists and that there are more or less different attitudes of involved parties. Acknowledgment of conflict existence helps to analyze and understand the cause of the problem. It is very important to separate problem from the person, since personalizing of the problem can increase resistance and opposition between parties.

References:

1. Conflict Management and Resolution [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа к документу : http://www.my-introspective.com/Myself/7.3.ConflictsManagement.htm

2. What is Conflict Resolution? [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа к документу : http://www.conflictgateway.com/features/185-what-is-conflict-resolution.html

3. Conflict Management [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа к документу : http://directory.inverness-courier.co.uk/Conflict_Management_Inverness-r1008378-Inverness_SC.html

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