Conflict Resolution

These days, more and more people are spending a majority of their time at work. And since many people end up spending as much time with their co-workers as they do with their families, the opportunity to work in a supportive environment that encourages growth is invaluable. One way that people grow is through overcoming challenges and developing good problem-solving skills. And if work environments support new ideas and encourage constructive criticism in an open, blame-free setting, problem-solving skills are encouraged and nurtured. As leaders and professionals, we can facilitate and support a "win-win" problem-solving workplace by agreeing on specific ground rules and helping each other to follow them:

• Look for and highlight good points.

• Assume positive intent.

• Listen. Do not interrupt each other. Do not speak too long or too often.

• Volunteer yourself only.

• Agree on confidentiality, when necessary.

Every member of our faculty should support the following approach:

• Agree to be active listeners.

• Give every participant time to explain the challenge as she or he perceives it.

• Allow emotions to be expressed in a non-violent manner.

• Agree to be open to new ideas and flexible to creative solutions.

• Find a solution that addresses the consensus of the group.

  However, you know what they say about “best laid plans.” Differences of opinions are inevitable—the key is how these differences are handled. In the event that a conflict does arise, here are some suggestions to appropriate resolution:

Step 1 - Define the Problem: Clearly define the nature of the conflict and the fundamental issues. Show appreciation for what is working well.

  One of the most important steps people can take in learning to prevent or resolve conflicts is to become aware of and sensitive to the difference between interests and positions. Interests are the needs, concerns, and values that motivate each person. They represent why a person wants something, and they get at underlying issues. Positions are the actions a person will take to meet his or her needs and achieve a desired outcome. 

The ability to separate interests from positions is key to resolving conflict for these reasons:

• Focusing on positions often creates a competitive, even combative, struggle in which each party is determined to win.

• Separating interests from positions assists parties in focusing on the underlying issues rather than dealing with ideological or situational reactions.

• Focusing on interests rather than positions increases communication and the possibility of agreement.

• Identifying interests requires taking a step in defining and analyzing the conflict: such a step is necessary to reach a resolution.

Tips for Separating Interests from Positions:

• Change your focus.

• Clearly state your interests rather than your position.

• Ask questions to elicit and clarify the other parties' interests, the needs, concerns, and values that motivate their position.

• Express your understanding of the vision or purpose of the group.

Step 2 - Clarify the Needs: Clearly identify the needs of everyone involved. By taking everyone's perspectives into account, you are likely to develop solutions that benefit everyone.

Step 3 - Generate Possible Options: Generate a range of possible solutions. This will help everyone involved analyze the plausibility of different options and their potential viability.

Step 4 - Evaluate Proposed Options: Develop criteria that can be used to examine and evaluate each option. Example of questions: 

• Do all members understand the solution? 

• Is it realistic? 

• Are all members of the team committed to the idea? 

• What could go wrong? 

• What are the potential benefits?

Step 5 - Develop an Action Plan: Choose an effective solution, ask these questions to develop an action plan:

• What small steps can the team take to achieve the best results?

• Who will take the lead for each step? Who else will be involved?

• What is the time frame for each step?

• What criteria will be used to evaluate the plan's effectiveness?

Step 6 - Reaching a "Win-Win" Solution

  Traditional methods of negotiation (holding discussions to arrive at a compromise that is acceptable to everyone) are based on power relations in which one party wins and another loses. The "win-win" strategy involves collaboration and negotiation. It is based on interests rather than positions. It can lead to agreements that satisfy all parties.

Use these principles to reach a "win-win" solution:

• View participants as problem solvers.

• Separate the people from the problem.

• Be soft on the people, hard on the problem.

• Focus on interests, not on positions or the bottom line.

• Help participants create multiple options for mutual gain.

• Use objective criteria.

• Reason and be open to reason; yield to principles, not to pressure.

  While each conflict is unique, this basic framework can make the process of understanding and resolving the conflicts much easier. Moving toward understanding conflict and using it to increase personal and workplace growth are the first steps to seeing conflict with insight and perspective. As educators and administrators, we need to step out of old beliefs, ideas, and habits and see with new eyes. Using our new-found conflict resolution skills, we can identify different types of conflict, examine and better understand them, and find a "win-win" solution for everyone involved.

  If a resolution cannot be reached, please visit with the principal. Any/All formal complaints must be in writing. When this occurs, a conference with all involved parties will be held with the principal acting as mediator.

**Under no circumstances should any staff members in the building engage in unprofessional conduct where students are in ear-shot or eye-shot range.  Personal conflicts must be handled in a place where our scholars are not present.  If such incidents occur, any staff members who witness adults engaging in such behavior should;

 1)Remind staff members to move to a private location and;

 2)Alert their administrators if an incident has occurred.  

If upon investigation it is determined unprofessional conduct has occurred around students, appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken.