One of the most sought after positions in the business world today are conflict resolution teachers. These professionals can help others learn how to manage even the most difficult of situations with ease and with grace. And while you might not necessarily want to teach others, learning the skills they have to offer is certainly a great way to enhance your value in the workplace and in your personal life. After all, conflict is not something that will go away any time soon. But you can learn how to manage it without losing your head.
Who are the Best Teachers?
The best candidates for teaching conflict resolution are those who like to interact with others. These people are already born communicators or they have taken a number of classes that have helped them become so. Teachers may also come from positions that required a lot of natural conflict resolution. For example, if you were already a manager of a team of people, chances are high you’ve had to deal with a lot of conflict and the lessons you’ve learned would be applicable to others. Or if you were a part of an organization or group that dealt specifically with conflict – i.e. labor unions and mediation teams – you might want to pass on the skills and the lessons you’ve learned along the way. In the end, the best teachers are those who simply want to hear what everyone has to say and then to help each side get what they need from the situation.
Can Anyone Avoid Conflict?
Of course, the first question may people have is whether we can ever avoid conflict. And if not, why is the reason for a conflict resolution teacher? The truth is that conflict is unavoidable. We are always going to have troubles with managing the needs of everyone and we are always going to have one side that wants something that another side has or wants. But at the same time, there are positive ways to deal with conflict and negative ways to deal with conflict. The real question becomes, how can people learn to deal with conflict in a way that supports everyone involved? And that’s where conflict resolution teachers and lessons are needed.
Identifying the Problem
The first step in teaching conflict resolution is identifying the problem. Without any clear sense of what the issues is, solving or addressing the issue becomes more difficult, if not impossible. Both sides of the conflict are brought together in order to begin to learn what the main concern is or concerns are. This might take the form of a meeting or separate meetings if a joint meeting can not be scheduled. Together, the sides will begin to figure out what the issue might be and then create a list of these problems in order to ensure each is addressed.
Learning to Listen
The next step in conflict resolution will actually begin in the problem identifying phase, but the act of listening needs to be a part of the process as a whole. Without listening to the needs and to the concerns of the other side, the problem can not be positively addressed. Each side needs the chance not only to speak about what they want, but also to speak about what they feel and what they need. The other side needs to be willing and able to listen to these statements in order to understand the situation from another point of view. Listening can be difficult at first as the process of doing so can mean that you don’t always get to talk or to express yourself, but you also might find out that the needs of the other side are similar to your own.
Working Together
The process of working together is the next logical step. Once the problem is identified and each side listens to the other, the sides will begin to work together to ensure both are happy. This might include compromising on certain issues or developing a new plan together that will help to support he needs of each person or party involved. By working together, no one side is left handling the entire process in such a way that one side will have total power. Instead, the sides will have equal power and equal say, paving the way for future conflicts to be resolved just as easily.
Practice Makes for Perfect
In the end, teaching conflict resolution is a matter of practicing what you learn and telling it to others. It helps if you take the time to take the lessons you’ve learned and to apply them to your everyday or to your business life. This way, you will not only remember what you’ve learn in a conflict resolution class, but you will also begin to find ways to make the actions you take all the better for everyone involved. Of course, the more you teach others, the more you will learn from others as well, so passing on your knowledge isn’t just about getting it right for yourself, it’s also about making sure you’re the best example possible for those who wish to learn from you.
You can learn more about arbitration training techniques and conflict resolution training here.