Show I II I II I I I I I II Professor r Teaches Me Conflict Resolution I II I I II I I I Emilee Hague Contributing Writer Conflict is is something that both students and staff at Salt Lake Community College deal with everyday Whether its it's a nagging wife a messy roommate or an unbearable boss Dr Carolyn Clark a professor at convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced both students and staff members at that conflict conflict conflict con con- with these people doesn't necessarily have to be destructive Clark presented a workshop workshop workshop work work- shop at Redwood Campus Tuesday for the Social Equity Committee which was recently formed at this year The committee will be beholding beholding beholding holding a series of lectures throughout the school year to help educate woman on leadership leadership leadership lead lead- opportunities and skills Clark a professor in the communications department gave this specific workshop which was titled The Art of Win Win Conflict Resolution Clark is educated ed in this field and has been teaching at for ten years Clark started out her workshop workshop work work- shop by asking all attendees I to think of a conflict that they had encountered within the thelast thelast thelast last couple of days and to toi i keep that conflict in mind throughout her lecture She i 1 also told the audience that i j ji i i after she was done lecturing that she would open up the floor for discussion and that she would like to hear audience audience audience audi audi- ence members discuss conflicts conflicts conflicts con con- that they have recently encountered The main purpose of this workshop was to teach students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents and staff how to classify and manage conflict Dealing with conflict is not a black and white science science science ence Clark said You never know what the other person is going to do Because it is hard to know what other people will will do in any given situation Clark suggested a couple of tips on how to know what type of conflict you are encountering The first type of conflict is the pseudo conflict One of the subjects in this conflict has pre-conceived pre notions that they already disagree with the other person Pre Preconceived Preconceived Preconceived conceived notions are negative negative negative nega nega- tive because they create a conflict when there wasn't one in the first place Ego Conflict is the second type This conflict occurs when the two people involved move away from the real problem and attack the other person This causes a defensive defensive defensive sive spiral The focus turns from being on the problem to now on the fight itself Clark suggested to not to take the bait but instead maintain your cool cool- ness The last conflict simple conflict has a possibility of being solved whereas the theother theother theother other two need to be reframed first Simple conflict is when both people know what the problem is and they want to work on on it Clark then explained different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent strategies for managing conflict She said to first decide what your need is and what you want to get Next think of the relationship and how important tant it is to you At that point you are able to choose to avoid avoid appease or compro compro- mise It is unhealthy if you are always appeasing other people people people peo peo- Clark said But sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times it can work to your advantage ad Clark then went on to discuss discuss dis dis- discuss dis- dis cuss how using the appeasing method can be used in a positive positive positive pos pos- pos pos- way such as a bargaining conflict Avoiding conflict is usually bad because negative feelings build up Clark referred to avoidance as a gunnysack If Ifa a person is always packing conflict away at some point they will break because of all of the built up frustration Other times avoidance can work When a coworker is trying to frustrate you and cause conflict in the workplace workplace workplace work work- place sometimes it is not worth your time and effort and therefore avoidance works Compromise is is a good goodway goodway goodway way to get balance but it is hard to recognize what is equivalent Clark said When two people decide to compromise together they need to keep checking tomake to tomake tomake make sure that their compromise compromise compromise compro compro- mise is working Finally Clark explained that collaboration is the best way to solve a problem for both people It is impossible to collaborate if either person is stuck on one issue and therefore it is crucial that both parties have the same mind set Clark then opened the floor to a discussion forum where staff and students shared their conflicts and were able to not only get advice from Clark herself but from fellow atten atten- dees Dozens of hands shot into the air realizing that conflict was something pressing in their own lives Time ran out and people had the opportunity ty to meet with Clark after the workshop to ask other ques ques- November will be the next social equity workshop which will feature Clark as the guest speaker again She will be talking about different communication styles of both men and women Conflict can be a stringboard stringboard stringboard string- string board for growth Clark said We can gain new ideas and grow |