CONFLICT RESOLUTION TOWARDS THE CULTURE OF PEACE

Lesson 1: Responses/Strategies to Resolve Conflict

"Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict
– alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence."

— Dorothy Thompson

How do we respond to Conflicts?

In responding or dealing with conflicts, there are different patterns or styles that need to be considered.
Depending on different kinds of people and different situations, the responses to conflict are like
"movements towards" or "movements against" or "movements away" from others (Castro and Galace,
2010). It can also be assertive (satisfying your own concerns), cooperative (satisfying the other person's
concern), or both (combining assertive and cooperative) (Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies, 2014).
The given importance to issues as well as concern for goals and relationships can also influence the kind
of response or style we use in dealing with our conflict (Schilling, 2012). The five patterns in responding
to conflict are avoidance, accommodation, compromise, competition and collaboration.
What are the Five Responses or Strategies to Conflict Resolution?

Avoidance ("Do nothing.")

In the avoidance response style, there is no movement towards or against another. Avoiding individuals
moves away from another and do not address the conflict instead, they deny it and keep it hidden. For
them, conflict is hopeless and they would rather accept disagreements and get out. They will not assert,
they will also not cooperate. They just hope and allow time to solve the problem. Avoidance reflects a
low concern for the issues and of relationships. The longer the time the two conflicting parties resolve,
the more difficult it becomes. When both parties avoid each other, both of them loses since they do
nothing to their problem.

Avoidance is best used during the following situations:

· When an issue is unimportant or when other, more important issues are pressing;
· When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns – for example, when you have low
power or you are frustrated by something that would be very difficult to change;
· When the potential costs of confronting a conflict outweigh the benefits of its resolution;
· When you need to let people cool down – to reduce tensions to a productive level and to regain
perspective and composure;
· When gathering more information outweighs the advantages of an immediate decision;
· When others can resolve the issue more effectively; and
· When the issue seems tangential or symptomatic of another, more basic issue.

Accommodation ("I lose, you win.")

Accommodation is giving up or giving in to the other person. The individual neglects his/her own concern in favor of satisfying
the concern of the other. The individual is unassertive and very cooperative. They tend to be selflessly generous or charitable,
giving in and deciding that one's concern is no big deal. They yield to another's point of view, and obey although they prefer not
to. Accommodating individuals ignore the issues and put higher stakes to relationships. For them, conflict is usually disastrous
therefore it is better to keep one's peace.
Accommodation is best used in the following situations:
o When you realize that you are wrong— to allow a better solution to be considered, to learn from others, and to show
that you are reasonable;
o When the issue is much more important to the other person than it is to you—to satisfy the needs of others and as a
goodwill gesture to help maintain a cooperative relationship;
o When you want to build up social credits for later issues that are important to you;
o When you are outmatched and losing and more competition would only damage your cause;
o When preserving harmony and avoiding disruption are especially important; and
• When you want to help your employees develop by allowing them to experiment and learn from their mistakes.

3. Compromise ("You lose, I lose.")

People who compromise are moderately assertive and moderately cooperative.
Their objective is to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both parties. Compromising is in the
middle of accommodating and competing, giving up more than competing but less than accommodating. It means seeking the
middle-ground apposite, splitting the difference or exchanging concessions. For the compromiser, conflict is mutual difference
best resolved by cooperation or compromise. If each come half way, progress can be made by democratic process.
Compromise is best used in the following situations:
o When goals are moderately important but not worth the effort or the potential disruption involved in using more
assertive modes;
o When two opponents with equal power are strongly committed to mutually exclusive goals- as in labor-management
bargaining;
 o When you want to achieve a temporary settlement of a complex issue;
o When you need to arrive at an expedient solution under time pressure; and
o As a backup mode when collaboration or competition fails.

5. Competition/Confrontation/Domination ("I win, you lose.")

Competing is a movement against another response. It is power-oriented, assertive, but not cooperative. Individuals will assert
themselves in pursuing their interest even at other people's expense. Competition means defending a position and pushing it
through, believing it to be correct, or simply due to the desire to win -even by force. In competition, the perspective is that
conflict is obvious, some people are right and others are wrong. Very important is who is right and pressure and coercion are
necessary. The issues are of much importance while relationships are least considered
Competition is best used in the following situations:
When quick, decisive action is vital-for example, in an emergency, on important issues when unpopular courses of action need
implementing— for example, cost cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline on issues vital to company welfare when you
know you're right; and
• When you need to protect yourself from people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior.

Collaboration ("I win, you win.")

In collaboration, the parties are both assertive and cooperative. They move towards the other in order to find a solution that
fully satisfies both their concerns. Different opinions are tackled, weighed against each other and measured against the
common aim.
Differences are welcomed although they assert their own views while also listening to others views. Collaborating between two
persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each other's insights, resolving some conditions that
would otherwise have them competing for resources, or confronting and trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal
problem.
Collaboration is best used in the following situations:
o When you need to find an integrative solution and the concerns of both parties are too important to be
compromised;
o When your objective is to learn and you wish to test your assumptions and understand others' views;
o When you want to merge insights from people with different perspectives on a problem;
o When you want to gain commitment by incorporating others' concerns into a consensual decision; and
o When you need to work through hard feelings that have been interfering with a relationship.
 CONFLICT RESOLUTION TOWARDS THE CULTURE OF PEACE

Lesson 2: Effective Communication Skills in Conflict Resolution

When you communicate with clarity, congruence and compassion,

conflict is resolved more effectively."
-Charmaine Hammond

What is Communication and how does it become effective?

Communication as a process of understanding and being understood through ideas, facts, thoughts and
emotion is indeed central to the success of human beings and organizations. It is a vital tool in achieving
productivity and maintaining good, strong and lasting working relationship between and among people,
communities and nations.

Schilling, K. (2012) outlines the following ways on how Communication becomes more effective:
1. Be explicit and clear. Speaking clearly and explicitly makes the whole message meaningful and
makes it unnecessary for the receiver to speculate about what is said or wanted.
2. Be concrete. Concreteness is the ability to speak in a manner that is straightforward and
uncomplicated.
3. Convey I message. Talking in the first person singular means accepting responsibility for what one
says, being direct and unambiguous in one's expression.
4. Respect others. The underlying attitude is all-important: there surely be very little room for
misunderstanding if the speaker feels respect for others as well as for herself/himself and expresses
this respect in their tone of voice, the gestures and other body movements.
5. Set context and state the purpose of one's actions. Find the appropriate time and place for special
conversations.
6. State wishes rather than demands. Expressing wishes leaves the other person free to meet the
request. A demand is coercive, implying punishment and is usually less helpful.

What are Active Listening Skills?

Listening is not limited to hearing with the ears. Listening requires more than that: it requires focus.
Listening means paying attention to the words a person says, the feelings behind or buried under the
words, the messages encoded in the cues that surround the words, the body language while the person
is speaking or is silent. When listening emphatically, the listener involves the whole body and observes
with all the sense-ears, eyes, mind, heart, sense of touch and imagination (Schilling, K. 2012)

The aim of active listening is to fully and emphatically understand what the speaker is experiencing. This
involves not taking sides, remaining non-judgmental and non-evaluative and accepting the person; thus,
active listening becomes a means of achieving clear communication and creating an atmosphere of
mutual [Link]

An active listener therefore:

 1. Focuses on trying to understand what the speaker is expressing;
2. Gives the speaker time, space and the attention necessary to fully express their thoughts, needs
feelings and experiences;
3. Uses communication skills and techniques; and
4. Is aware of the feelings and emotions that arise within oneself (listener) because of the contact
with the speaker, although the focus stays on the speaker.

What are Other Important Elements in Listening?

1. Set aside what you are doing and attend fully to the person.
2. Be aware of your own feelings, concerns and reactions as you listen.
3. Acknowledge, affirm or restate what is said, regardless whether you agree or disagree with what
is said.
4. Wait until the other person has finished before you speak.

What are the Skills for Listening and Questioning?

Listening is the most important skill for anyone seeking effective dialogue in a conflict situation, leading
a group or functioning as a third party. A brief summary:

1. Listening to the content of the message by making an effort to hear precisely what is offered;
2. Listening to the feelings of the speaker by perceiving the speaker's feelings through the way the
message is delivered;
3. Responding to the feelings of the speaker by demonstrating that the feelings expressed are
recognized and understood;
4. Paying attention to the speaker's cues, both verbal and non-verbal;
5. Identifying mixed and/or contracting messages the speaker may be expressing:
6. Reflecting back what was heard by restating and/or summarizing what was understood; and
7. Allowing the speaker to respond and/or give feedback for further clarification.

Keep in mind:

1. When overused, active listening can be irritating;

2. It can be difficult to practice active listening in cross-cultural situations where perceptions and
interpretations of content and underlying emotions in the conversation are too divergent;
3. Be aware that both listener and speaker communicate verbally and non-verbally at all times;
and
4. Don't be afraid of silence-maybe the speaker needs to reflect on what has been discussed so far.
 CONFLICT RESOLUTION TOWARDS THE CULTURE OF PEACE

Lesson 3: Approaches in Resolving Conflict

"Dialogue is the most effective way in resolving conflict.

-anonymous

Conflict resolution. This refers to a wide range of processes that encourage nonviolent ways to resolve
conflicts outside of the traditional court system. It is the process of resolving a dispute or a conflict by
meeting at least some of each side's needs and addressing their interests. Specifically, conflict resolution is an
approach that addresses the causes of conflict and seeks to build new relationship between parties in conflict.
Knowing how to manage and resolve conflict is essential for having a productive work life, and it is important
for community and family life as well.

1. Conventional Methods of Resolving Conflict

The most conventional methods in conflict Resolution are through the Court or Peace Arbitrary Council in the
case of LGU. Both Methods used arbitration as a process of resolving

What is Arbitration?

Arbitration is a process whereby a third party called the Arbitrator who is normally Judge in the case of the
court and the Peace Council members acting as jury in the case of Peace Arbitrary Council sit to hear and
appraise the case and give decision afterword's. This is Hybrid because it Process must be followed.

can utilize all approach in conflict resolution. Basic to these methods is the Principle of Due

Elements of Due Process

1. Notice
2. Hearing
3. Presentation of Evidence (Documentary and oral witnesses)
4. Right to council
5. Judgement based on the evidence presented

1. Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) Methods in Resolving Conflict

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) refers to a wide range of processes that encourage nonviolent dispute
resolution outside of the traditional court system with the Philippine army, traditional leaders, religious
leaders and LGUs Administrators as part of the settling party. ADR use techniques such as : Dialogue,
Mediation, Negotiation and Indigenous Conflict Resolution depending on the context.
What is Dialogue?

Dialogue is a genuine conversation, which seeks to increase communication and build relationships between
people with different experiences and views; thus, helps in resolving conflict. This helps people gain a greater
appreciation for the complexity of conflicts. We turn to dialogue to focus on learning and development a
whole or systems view of an issue, question, or challenge; to move beyond polarization and discover
alternatives that build shared meaning and aligned action; and to develop skills that foster a culture of
cooperation and shared leadership founded on trust and respect.

What are the three (3) Features of a Dialogue?

1. Equality and absence of coercive influences

2. Listen with empathy
3. Bringing assumptions into the open

How is dialogue different from Debate?

Debate Dialogue

There is a right answer and you have it. Many people have pieces of the answer and together they
can craft a solution.
Combative: the other side is wrong Collaborative: work together towards a common
understanding
About winning About exploring common ground
Listening to find flaws and counterarguments Listening to understand

Defending assumptions as truths Revealing assumptions for reevaluation

Critiquing the other side's position

Re-examine all position

Defending one's own view against all others Admitting that other's thinking can
improve one's own
Searching for flaws and weakness

Searching for strengths and values in

other's position
Seeking a vote or ratification of one's position Discovering options, not seeking closures

Three (3) Steps to Dialogue

* Know Where You Stand

- Goals and purpose

- Values
- Analyze the situation

* Meet the Other

- Data Gathering

- Explore interests

- Breaking stereotypes

- Joint Action

* See What You Can Do Together

- Problen solving

- Joint action

The process of dialogue in peacebuilding:

1. - Provide a safe place

2. - Acknowledge differences
3. - Build the capacity to communicate
4. - Focus on the relationship even as the issue is discussed
5. - Seek mutual understanding
6. - Be prepared to change because of the dialogue; and
7. - Have no hidden agenda

Why does Dialogue sometimes fail?

1. - Lack of the right disposition

2. - Wrong timing
3. - Not the right partner
4. - Lack of preparation

* Disposition of a party in a successful dialogue

- Openness

- Respect

- Wonder

- Understanding

- Humility

- Love
*The Qualities of a Good Party in Dialogue

- Silence (to listen well)

- Position (knowing where you stand)

- Tension (to step into the truth)

- Patience (to prepare for the long wait)

What is Negotiation?

Negotiation involves discussion among two or more people with the goal of reaching an agreement.
Negotiation is a dispute resolution approach where two or more parties who have disagreeing positions,
values, and interests, and competing needs and goals attempt to jointly search for mutually acceptable
solutions to their common problems.

Two General Forms of Negotiation

A. Distributive Negotiation

- Process wherein disputing parties discuss how they are going to divide and share limited resources
(e.g. money, material resources, natural resources, etc.).

B. Integrative Negotiation

- Process whereby disputing parties explore other opportunities – beyond the limited disputed resources
– to reach mutually gainful solutions to problems and find an outcome that they both prefer.

What is Mediation?

Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process wherein a neutral third-party facilitator helps people
resolve difficult issues and negotiates an agreement involving basic steps in the process that include
information sharing, framing the issues, developing options, negotiating, and formalizing agreements.
Mediator does not have any decision-making power over their own solutions, and the mediator is a
dispute resolution method in which an impartial third party assists the disputing parties engage in
principles of negotiation process.

* Merits of Mediation

 - Economical decisions
 - Rapid settlements
 - Mutually satisfactory outcomes
 - High rate of compliance
 - Comprehensive and “customized” agreements
 - Greater degree of control and predictability
 - Personal empowerment
Mediator’s Intervention Process: An Overview

Mediation Road map