Transforming the Way Your Community
Deals with Conflict
Search for Common
Ground - USA
There are seven billion people on this planet, we will never all agree, we can
only learn how to disagree in peace.
Community Conflicts – A Given
Neighbor to Neighbor
Interpersonal
Interethnic
Intergroup
Intragroup
Land Use
Misdemeanors
Conflict is neither positive or negative in itself . . . it’s the way we deal
with the issue and each other that is the key.
Dealing with Community Conflicts – A Choice
Unite
Flight
Fight
When in conflict, we can either try to be the winner or look at how can
we work this out together.
Why Does Your Choice Matter?
Flight
Peace
and Quiet
Festering
resentments
Injustice
Fight
Order
Imposed
Justice
Damaged
Mutual
Unite
agreements
outcomes
relations
Time
Improved
relations
Effort
Lightened
court caseload
Commitment
Resolving conflicts as partners is a
learning experience for all involved
– it is rarely the easy route, but
ultimately it is the most rewarding
approach.
Not all conflicts can be resolved by dialogue, much harm could be avoided by a
change of approach.
What Is A Better Approach?
Flight
Fight
Flight
Fight
Unite
Unite
“now”
“then”
Given the right tools, we can learn how to manage conflicts as partners so that
everyone wins.
Generate Options
Develop
Agreements
Raise Issues
Discover Interests
The Cooperative
Problem Solving Path
To resolve conflicts as partners, we must be prepared to stop finger-pointing and
labeling – honest listening and expression are fundamental to positive resolution.
Manage
Emotions
Effectively
Communicate
Respect
Perceptions
Conflict Analysis
Conflict
Management
Problem
Solving
How and When to Access Third Party Processes
Develop
the Processes to
Match the Problems
Neighbor to Neighbor
Mediation
Interethnic
Study Circle, Media Programming
Land Use/ Safety
Neighborhood Problem Solving Process
Misdemeanors
Restorative Justice Processes
Endorse
Overall Vision of
Change
Provide Support
Walk the Talk
Government
Community Groups
Religion
Business
Education
How Does This Happen?
Search
Homeport
+
Partners
Change
Skills
Leadership
Processes
Role of Homeport Partner
Act as a catalyst for change, be “applied visionaries”
Identify and proactively
respond to systemic and
emergent community conflicts
Build
a network of volunteers and professionals who
provide resources and services to community members
Enlist support of community leaders
Develop partnerships with and among other
community organizations
Search supports:
Articulate Vision
Identify
Define
Agree
Barriers
achievable pieces of the vision
on a plan of action
Implement
Evaluate
/ Improve
Search provides:
Mentoring,
Sources
coaching, advising
of information
Training
Materials
Networking
Search for Common Ground
“. . . transform how individuals,
organizations, and governments deal with
conflict – away from adversarial approaches
and toward cooperative solutions”
D.
R.
Congo
Middle East
Angola
Iran Morocco Liberia
United
States
Sierra Leone Macedonia
Ukraine Greece-Turkey Burundi
Contacting Search for Common
Ground
Search for Common Ground
www.sfcg.org
Every day we choose how to respond to
crisis, those in our lives and in the world . . .
we are all connected, each individual makes
a difference.
Map of
Cooperative Problem-Solving
Principles
Use
conflict Raise
as a
Issues
natural
resource
Attack
problems,
respect
people
Process
Results
Attack Problems
Discover
Interests
Generate
Options
Develop
Agreements
Respect People
Emotions
Communication
Perceptions
Good
agreements
Good
relations
Individual
Conflict Resolution Skills
Facilitating
the Community Problem
Solving Process
Communities That
Guidebook
Processes
Guide
Work – Together