Deborah is very inclusive and supportive in our learning and understanding how our thoughts and behaviors can be changed to help us have better outcomes in our conflicts.
A Mediation Client
Conflict competence, to do conflict better
Everyone experiences conflict sometime
In this category, I give tips and strategies to develop your conflict competencies.
Conflict Competence is the ability and attitude to use the knowledge and skills you already have, even in stressful conflict situations.
When you are conflict competent, a conflict may still arise. You’ll handle the stress better, have more control over your reactions in volatile situations, and reduce conflict’s negative effects.
Conflict Competence means Doing Conflict Better
Conflict competence is a life skill I use in the service of my clients and volunteer organizations, and when life tests me.
Through competently managed conflicts we learn, grow and develop, which are often unexpected but positive outcomes of a conflict experience.
Resources for becoming more conflict competent
There’s more in Books/Resources links in the main menu.
Click to read my answers to questions asked to The Conflict Doctor.
Click to use the contact page to ask your specific questions.
- Tips for Teaching Conflict Competence to Physically Distanced Children (1/25/2021)
- Conflict Mental Maps (1/2/2020)
- Updating a useful metaphor (12/4/2017)
- DO CONFLICT BETTER (6/26/2017)
- Rob Ford’s simple rules of leadership (3/24/2016)
- Does regret deserve another chance? (12/11/2015)
- Is peace a reward for patience? (12/24/2014)
- Trust the tail, the truth is there (7/24/2014)
- I got news that trumped Fear with Optimism (6/1/2014)
- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s Valentine’s Day simple rules for love and loyalty (2/16/2014)
- Resilience helps after a quadruple mastectomy (yup – 4 of ’em) (9/30/2013)
- The Secret for Recovery from Post Change Syndrome (8/22/2013)
- Conflict Analysis of Dialogue (6/9/2013)
- Metaphors for conflict competence (9/24/2011)
- The power of apology in conflict (9/10/2011)
- Short term success or long term conflict management? (7/15/2011)
- High salaries don’t guarantee conflict competence (1/28/2011)
- Hollywood can teach about conflict management (11/17/2010)
- Conflict management myths (3/22/2010)
- What does it mean to be conflict ‘competent’ (2/21/2010)
- Conflict management lessons from President Obama (1/6/2010)
- Lesson on Conflict from the Galapagos Islands (6/30/2009)
- conflicts when the goals are the same (4/29/2009)
- Adversity made easier with Conflict Competence (2/27/2008)
Deborah Sword 