fandomhigh | Conflict Management and Resolution: Mon Period 4 - Class # 2

If Wilson was looking a wee sleepy as he slipped into the classroom well, it might have been due to the brief nap he caught in between the faculty meeting and class. Due to said meeting there was, unfortunately a lack of yummy baked goods for snacking.

Woe.

Setting his soft-sided briefcases up on the desk, Wilson turned and smiled at the class.

“Good morning everybody. I’d like to start out today’s class with saying how pleased I was with the creativity and cooperation you all showed in last week’s exercise. Some of you came up with ideas I hadn’t considered when I made up the exercise and I was delighted to see that sort of originality. Everyone and I do mean everyone, got top marks.”

Pulling the overhead projector films from his satchel, Wilson walked over to the projector and flipped it on.

“All right, let’s get started today. We’ve got a lot of material to cover.”

Lecture:

“Today in class I want to discuss the typical types of conflicts you will encounter. Now I say typical but I want you to understand that very little is ever going to be by the book when dealing with an actual conflict. People, peoples and beings are all too widely varied and unique for every situation to be exactly the same. So I want you to think of these more as guidelines, foundations upon which to grow your own ability to identified the core form of a conflict and work from there.”

Setting the first film on the overhead Wilson continued for the next half hour going over,

Interpersonal Conflict
Organizational/Business
Education: General
Intergroup Conflicts
Community / Environment / Public Policy Conflicts
International Conflict
Intractable Conflict
Justice Conflicts

Each conflict type was carefully detailed out over the series of slides.

Interpersonal Conflict: Family Conflict -Family conflicts can often be extremely difficult because the people can never get away from each other--they will always be family. The closeness can lead to especially intense conflicts. Student conflicts - Student conflicts are conflicts that take place in schools or universities and and involve students. They include conflicts between students, between students and faculty, between students and administrators, between students and dorm residents. Youth (Non-School) Conflicts (i.e. Gangs) - Youth conflicts are conflicts that involve children, occur outside of school, and are not gang related. Workplace - Workplace conflicts are conflicts take place in a work setting and involve co-workers, or employees and employers. Interpersonal Violence Prevention - Interpersonal violence prevention refers to any process that is used to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violence between private individuals.

Organizational/Business: The overhead slide detailed out various examples of conflicts for this group.

Education: General: Another handy dandy slide.

Intergroup Conflicts: Hey it saves you from his handwriting, which is a conflict all it’s own!

Community / Environment / Public Policy Conflicts: Yet more conflicts.

International Conflict: Who said you weren’t going to be taking a lot of notes?

Intractable Conflict: Almost there!

Justice Conflicts: Annnd last one!

Class Discussion:

“All right, I know this is a lot of material I’ve just thrown at you so we’re going to take one small section for discussion in class today. “

Sliding away from the desk, Wilson switched off the overhead projector and turned back up the lights.

“Speaking in the hypothetical only, I don’t want to hear about your roommate stealing your socks or how mean Professor so and so is, I want you to think about a possible student conflict scenario and then discuss with the class how you would propose to manage the conflict to the positive resolution of both parties. To keep this manageable for the class period lets work with conflicts that would be student to student conflict, or a student to faculty conflict.”

Sliding up onto the desk he smiled impishly at the class.

“All right, don’t be shy…and don’t make me call on you.”

Homework:

“I threw a lot of information at you today but it’s all very important information to this class as a whole. I want you all to review your notes, get them organized, think of any questions you might have of the information we went over and be prepared for a quick, small written quiz at the start of class next week.”

[ooc: Class shamelessly cribbed from The Conflict Resolution Information Resource. ~~Please wait for~~ The OCDs are up and class is in session!!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wow, did Luke not want to play this game.

He thought about his options for several minutes before finally offering. "Two students both like the same girl. She chooses one over the other. The first can either keep holding on to his feelings and wait for her to decide that she'd made a terrible mistake, or he could move on to someone else."

"That is, unfortunately, a very common scenario Mr. Skywalker." Wilson said with an understanding expression. Leaning back against the desk, he crossed his arms and asked.

"So, how would you approach helping the students resolve this conflict? Do you think it's better to hold on to potentially distressing feelings in the hope of something that one has no control over or is it better to take control and make an effort to move on?"

"Moving on is probably more logical," Luke said thoughtfully, "but I think it depends whether the girl seems happy with the other guy. If she is...pining is stupid. And so are elaborate revenge scenarios."

"Elaborate revenge scenarios often have the unfortunate habit of rapidly deviating from their original intent." Wilson agreed in a soft tone. "Even, with the best of intentions propelling them forward."

Luke nodded, his family's history running through his head. "Dark side emotions lead to disaster," he said. "Anger, hatred...it's never the answer." He gave Wilson a rueful smile. "However tempting it might be in the heat of the moment."

Wilson smiled sympathetically.

"Very rarely does a heat of the moment, emotional decision lend itself to a well designed, long term conflict resolution. No matter how emotionally gratifying it might be in that immediate moment."

Shifting his feet slightly, he pursed his lips in a thoughtful manner.

"What's converse about the whole situation is that a calmly thought out plan, approached with an open, logical mind can often give you a greater position of strength in the managment and negotiation of a conflict. Because you're thinking clearly and less likely to become so intently focused on one course of action that you block out all potential options."

Luke nodded. "That's what I was taught," he said. "Detachment is essential for being a Jedi."

Wilson tilted his head to the side and looked thoughtful.

"Would you say, though, that there is a difference between detachment and perspective?"

Luke thought about the question, then nodded. "I would say perspective is something you gain through experience. Detachment you bring because you initially have no vested interest in what happens."

Wilson nodded, intrigued by the answer as he hadn't entirely thought about it that way himself.

"An interesting point and a salient point. What about situations were you have a vested interest. Do you think it is still absolute that you detatch yourself from the situation or do you think that being able to maintain a proper perspective is enough?"

Wilson sounded more interested in what Luke thought about the question than in one answer over the other. It was more an exercise in thinking and considering than absolutes.

"I think it depends on the situation," Luke answered slowly. "With family...I don't think it's truly possible to remain detached. It might even be laughable to ask for anything resembling perspective. But trying to keep your feelings out of the way of making a decision...it's the only way you can do something that has even a chance of being fair."

He bit his lower lip. "Keeping hope alive just because you want something to happen can be very, very childish."

Nodding with agreement to Luke's assessment of trying to remain detached with family, Wilson smiled gently.

"I agree about the challenge of remaining detatched with family. It's one of the many reasons doctors are not encouraged to treat their own family members. As for hope...I think you're right that keeping it alive just because you want a specific outcome is to almost set yourself up for disappointment because reality very rarely matches up to our imagined 'perfect' outcome."

Conflict Management and Resolution: Mon Period 4 - Class # 2 - Jan 15

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion

Re: Class Discussion