We are going to dive deep into Dispute Resolution during this month’s PD Days, but here is one interesting component.
When a dispute occurs in your village – or anywhere else, including perhaps your family home – it’s interesting to take a step back to understand what is unfolding before your eyes.
Here are five potential outcomes. As simple as it seems, by identifying which one you want at the start makes that target easier to achieve:
1. Someone wins, someone loses
This is the competitive outcome.
2. Both parties win
This is the win/win outcome
3. Someone gives, someone takes
This is the compromise outcome.
4. One or both parties run away
This is the flight response outcome.
5. You take on extra demands
This is the accommodation response.
You can see how each of these could occur if you don’t clearly identify which one you want for your purposes. And for many Village managers, to keep the peace, No. 5 where you take on extra workloads is the outcome.
But this rarely solves the core problem creating the dispute.
The key lesson is to decide which outcome you are seeking from the outset so that all energy – and language – is directed to that goal.
More tips will be presented at your PD Day.