UNIT 2 PERSPECTIVES ON CONFLICT. How Do We Really “See” in Conflict? What do you “see?”

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UNIT 2 PERSPECTIVES ON CONFLICT

Transcript of UNIT 2 PERSPECTIVES ON CONFLICT. How Do We Really “See” in Conflict? What do you “see?”

UNIT 2 PERSPECTIVES ON CONFLICT

How Do We Really “See” in Conflict?

What do you “see?”

Dalmatian

Duck/Rabbit

Faces/Vases

Letters/Numbers

Young/Old

How do you perceive conflict?

Metaphors to Describe Negative Conflict Perceptions

– War– Explosive– Struggle– Act of nature– Mess

Metaphors to Describe Positive Conflict Perceptions

• Bargaining table• Tide• Dance• Garden• Quilt making

Lens model of Communication Perceptions

Each person has a view of conflict--we “see” conflict through our own eyes.

How Do These Perceptions Develop? Where Do They Come

From?

• Family of Origin• Culture• Gender• Experience

Misconceptions of Conflict

Misconceptions are usually based in personal history

• If I engage in conflict, “I’m a bad person.”• “All conflict is bad.”

• “If I engage in conflict, the other will not like me anymore.”

How Do We Change Our Own Negative Perceptions of Conflict

to Positive Ones?

If we choose to, we can transform conflict perceptions and communication from destructive to constructive. Believe it or not, conflict can be positive!

Final Thoughts

Conflict communication/behavior is not “right or wrong,” “good

or bad”—it just is.