Two peers are in conflict and seek your support. How will you navigate this delicate situation?
When two peers are embroiled in conflict and turn to you for support, it's a testament to your capacity for empathy and understanding. As a peer supporter, you're tasked with the delicate responsibility of navigating through their discord to find a resolution. Your role isn't about taking sides or imposing solutions, but rather facilitating a conversation where both parties feel heard and respected. It's a challenging situation, but with the right approach, you can help mend fences and restore harmony.
The first step in resolving conflict is to fully understand the issues at hand from both perspectives. Listen attentively to each peer without interrupting, ensuring they feel heard and validated. Acknowledge their emotions and viewpoints, and clarify any misunderstandings. It's crucial to remain neutral and avoid making judgments. By demonstrating active listening and empathy, you create a safe space for open communication, which is the foundation for any conflict resolution process.
-
Pranav Achary
Process trainer- Operations
Understanding the perspective if both the individuals is important. Patiently listening to each one and making them understand the other individual's point of view can help move towards resolving the conflict. It may not lead to immediate resolution but it is a very solid way to lay a foundation towards resolving the issue.
-
Thomas Rissmann
Probably the most well connected Specialist for Software based Barcode Reading for your Application
When two peers are in conflict and seek my support, I approach the situation with empathy and impartiality. By actively listening to both perspectives, I identify common ground and introduce a fresh viewpoint that may bridge their differences. My goal is to facilitate a collaborative dialogue, helping each party understand the other's position and work towards a mutually beneficial resolution. Often, a new angle can illuminate shared interests and foster unity, turning conflict into an opportunity for growth and strengthened teamwork.
Before delving into the heart of the conflict, establish ground rules to maintain a respectful and productive dialogue. Encourage your peers to agree on communication norms such as one person speaking at a time and using "I" statements to express themselves without casting blame. Remind them that the goal is to understand each other and work towards a solution, not to win an argument. Ground rules are essential for preventing the escalation of emotions and keeping the conversation focused.
-
Lisa Pous
Survivor Extraordinaire; leader, mentor, interpersonal violence victim/survivor service consultant, peer support program creator, speaker, educator, and woman falling madly in love with herself.
Peers don't make or set rules, we might have agreements that we come up with together for different activities or conversations. I supervise a team of peer specialists; When my Peer team is struggling, we talk it through in team meetings and supervision. Sometimes people are carrying a person's workload, we need help with something, or we have things that hurt our feelings and we need to talk it through. We ask if anyone is hurting, and if we are here to hurt each other or feel like someone else wants to hurt our feelings, we ask what it will take for people to feel safer while having an uncomfortable conversation.
With a clear understanding of the conflict and ground rules in place, guide your peers towards brainstorming potential solutions. Encourage them to think creatively and collaboratively, considering each other's needs and interests. It's important to foster a sense of teamwork, where both parties are invested in finding a mutually beneficial outcome. Remind them that compromise may be necessary and that the best solutions often involve give-and-take from both sides.
Empathy is a powerful tool in conflict resolution. Encourage your peers to put themselves in each other's shoes and consider how their actions may have affected one another. This shift in perspective can lead to greater understanding and compassion, which is often the key to breaking down barriers and resolving disputes. Empathy helps to humanize the conflict and reminds both parties that at the core, they're both individuals with valid emotions and viewpoints.
-
Dr Antje Bothin
📢Empower ALL to SUPPORT people with Selective Mutism (SM) find their voice🗣communicate freely💬peer ADVICE for fear of speaking, social communication anxiety🚀creative writing workshops for CONFIDENCE & ASSERTIVENESS📕
Understand everyone's point of view. Acknowledge their perspective by emphasising that every experience is valid. Be non-judgemental. Paraphrase and summarise what they said. Allowing their feelings and emotions to be there creates compassion.
Once your peers have reached an agreement, help them outline the specifics of their resolution. This might include actionable steps, deadlines, or any necessary follow-ups. Having a clear plan ensures accountability and provides a reference point to revisit if the agreement needs reassessment. Your role is to support them in articulating this agreement and to encourage them to commit to the decided-upon actions sincerely.
Finally, offer to monitor the progress of the agreement over time. Check in with both peers to see how the resolution is holding up and whether any adjustments need to be made. Continuous support can help prevent future conflicts and reinforces the idea that resolutions are dynamic and can evolve as necessary. Your ongoing involvement signifies your commitment to their well-being and the health of their peer relationship.
-
Jessi Davis
Passionate Peer Specialist | Mental Health Advocate | National Speaker and Consultant
As peer specialists, we’re not trained as mediators or family therapists. We need to evaluate where the boundaries of our training lie and refer people out whenever needed.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Conflict ResolutionHere's how you can defuse conflicts and stop them from getting worse.
-
Conflict ResolutionWhat do you do if you're struggling to understand and manage conflicting perspectives in conflict resolution?
-
Conflict ManagementHere's how you can resolve conflicts in your previous roles.
-
Conflict ManagementHere's how you can effectively mediate a conflict between coworkers.