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Conflict Management - August 2007

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Conflict Management - August 2007

Wednesday, August 1, 2007
In nonprofit organizations diversity among board members and staff is highly encouraged to cultivate a more effective organization in dealing with the everyday issues facing communities. Inevitably when individuals of varying cultures, experiences, and motivations come together conflict will arise.
In nonprofit organizations diversity among board members and staff is highly encouraged to cultivate a more effective organization in dealing with the everyday issues facing communities.  Inevitably when individuals of varying cultures, experiences, and motivations come together conflict will arise. Conflict may be viewed by some as totally negative. However, when properly handled conflict can serve as a positive in organizational life facilitating creativity, defining and clarifying values and relationships, and even binding people who have weathered conflict together. The process of conflict resolution involves several steps:
  1. The conflict resolution meeting will open with the conflict manager welcoming people and introducing them, if necessary.
  2. The group will discuss comfort issues and logistics.
  3. The conflict managers will discuss the process and ground rules of the meeting.
  4. The parties will make an oral or written agreement to participate and follow ground rules.
  5. The conflict manager will briefly and generally describe the conflict as he or she understands it.
  6. Each party will tell their understanding of the conflict.
  7. The parties and conflict manager will discuss and clarify their understandings of each others; perspectives on the conflict.
  8. The parties and conflict manager will identify the key interests and establish an order in which to discuss them.
  9. The parties will generate ideas for solutions to key concerns.
  10. The parties will evaluate solutions in the light of the interests they’ve identified.
  11. The parties will select mutually agreeable solutions.
  12. The parties will discuss implementation, monitoring, and follow-up to the solutions.
  13. The parties and conflict manager will fine-tune and write up the agreed upon resolution.
  14. The conflict manager will initiate a way to celebrate the resolution.
  15. The conflict manager will assure follow-up.