CALIMLIM, Jally Anne N.
MSBA 1
Challenge Paper #6 – Ted Talks on Conflict & Negotiations
The two TED Talk videos revolve around the theme of conflict management and negotiation skills.
The speakers share their personal experiences and insights on how to handle conflicts effectively,
emphasizing the importance of understanding others' perspectives, practicing empathy, and seeking
mutually beneficial solutions.
In the first TEDx Talk video, Finding Confidence in Conflict, Kwame Christian, the speaker, a
business lawyer and negotiation consultant, shares a personal story about a conflict he faced with his wife
over cereal. He emphasizes the importance of effective conflict management in both personal and
professional lives. The speaker explains the role of the amygdala, the brain's primitive response center, in
triggering fear responses during conflicts. He introduces the concept of compassionate curiosity as an
evolved response to conflict resolution. He shares how being vulnerable, suspending judgment, and asking
deeper questions can help manage conflicts effectively. The speaker uses examples from his own life,
including a heated contract negotiation, to demonstrate the power of compassionate curiosity in diffusing
conflicts and strengthening relationships. He concludes by challenging the audience to choose
compassionate curiosity over destructive conflict behaviors.
In the second one, How Understanding Conflict Can Help Improve Our Lives, Robin Funsten, the
speaker recounts a personal experience where she accidentally locked her young son in a hot car. She
called the authorities and demanded that the car dealership fix the issue with her smart key for free. As a
professional mediator, the speaker reflects on why she chose a career in conflict resolution despite
personally avoiding conflict. She explains that conflict arises from limited resources, unmet needs, and
different values. She emphasizes the importance of balancing emotions, logic, and empathy when
resolving conflict. The speaker shares how she resolved her conflict with the car dealership by considering
the limited resources, unmet needs, and different values involved. She realizes that her anger was reactive
and acknowledges that mechanics don't provide free fixes for every issue. The speaker encourages
everyone to take a step back, breathe, and engage in conflicts to find deeper understanding and peace.
She suggests identifying the roots of conflicts, considering everyone's needs and values, and focusing on
long-term solutions that benefit everyone.
I can relate to the speakers’ initial emotional reaction in conflict situations and the struggle to
remain neutral. Like the speakers, I also believe that conflicts can be opportunities for growth, and that
understanding the needs and values of all parties is crucial in finding long-term solutions. The
recommendations for handling conflict provided by the speakers - emotional awareness, logical reasoning,
and empathy - are seen as both ideal and practical in various personal and professional contexts.
In the Filipino culture, cultural and contextual factors heavily influence how people perceive and
handle conflict. Filipino culture emphasizes harmony and maintaining good relationships, often leading to
the avoidance of conflicts or discussing sensitive topics openly. There is a tendency to prioritize indirect
communication and saving face, which can hinder addressing conflicts openly. However, the concepts of
compassionate curiosity can bridge these cultural barriers, promoting understanding and effective conflict
resolution.
In both personal and professional careers, I plan to apply the learnings from the talks by practicing
compassionate curiosity in handling conflicts. I will strive to understand others' perspectives and ask openended questions to foster better communication and find mutually beneficial solutions. I will also
recognize the potential of conflicts as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than avoiding them.
If I were to be invited as a TED Talk speaker, the wisdom or takeaways on conflict and negotiation
that would be imparted to a Filipino audience would revolve around the importance of open
communication and the value of conflict resolution for individual and societal growth. I would emphasize
the need to move beyond the fear of conflict and prioritize understanding and empathy in challenging
conversations. Additionally, the cultural factors influencing the Filipino approach to conflict would be
highlighted, providing practical strategies to navigate conflicts while maintaining harmony and respect
within the unique cultural context.