Introduction

Conflict is an inescapable part of our daily lives. In personal relationships or business interactions, each of us has our own perspective, temperament and ways of thinking. We also have needs and concerns we’d like to address. The question is – in conflict situations, how do we work together to address as many of our mutual needs and concerns as possible in a collaborative way?

Conflicts that go unaddressed may keep our relationships from realizing their full potential, or they may become so severe that they do irreparable damage to individuals, families, workplaces, and entire communities. How we deal with these differences can determine the quality of our lives.

Learning how to resolve conflicts effectively is an essential life skill needed by every person and every group regardless of age, social role, profession, or cultural background.

William Ury, in The Third Side, poses the question, “What if fighting, violence, and war were preventable and we simply didn’t know it?”(Ury, 2000, p.xviii). It’s an interesting question.

We cannot eliminate conflict, but we can transform how we approach it. Rather than blaming and judging, a move to more curiosity and openness is a first step in this direction.

The goal of this course is to offer effective and practical knowledge, strategies and tools for approaching the resolution of interpersonal conflicts cooperatively and collaboratively. We believe that:

• Success in managing conflict brings the potential for success in family and business life.
• Conflict constructively expressed and explored, allows creativity to flourish.
• Conflict is an opportunity to be seized.
• Effective conflict resolution contributes to personal happiness.