Learn to Reframe Conflict

In the Center for Conflict Management community we value learning and reinforcing the skills we all need to transform conflicts: to prevent, resolve, or reduce the harms associated with the conflicts in our lives.  These are also among the problem solving skills used by social entrepreneurs.

Central among these skills is learning to reframe conflicts. The second video to the right is a powerful presentation from the founder of Priceline.com, Jeff Hoffman,about the importance of reframing our own internal mission statements to focus on the problem. When we focus on solving problems, paychecks will follow.  

The first video provides a powerful three-minute introduction to reframing racial conflict...Or this one...

You might also consider the Implicit Association Test by clicking here. Or this video...

Or, check out the wide variety of materials provided in our Food for Thought section.

You can also read papers written by CCM students published in our Transdisciplinary Journal of Conflict Management.

Consider an idea that is central to JS Mill's argument in On Liberty, as articulated in a TED talk called 'Dare to Disagree.'  Margaret Hefferman argues in this talk that...

...we need to rethink our approaches to the everyday collaborations that spark innovation and progress...because doing this depends on a shared openness to being persuaded.

Consider the idea of 'emotional correctness.'  

In this second TED talk the speaker argues that 'political persuasion does not begin with ideas and facts or data.  It begins with being emotionally correct.  We cannot get anyone to agree with us if we can't get them to listen.' 

We need to learn to 'talk through our disagreements,' by putting ourselves in our opponent's shoes to see if we might be able to (as Getting to Yes puts it) invent options for mutual gain.

Jesus calls this learning to 'love our neighbors as ourselves.' Gandhi calls it honoring our opponents perspective and when the Dalia Lama says 'my religion is kindness' he is reinforcing the same idea.