Changing how we view conflict

Participant comments from a number of different courses we ran over the last year:

‘To realise that conflict can be useful and is not always a negative thing is a very exciting idea.’

'In the past I’ve always tried to avoid conflict. I now can see it sometimes can have a positive outcome if dealt in the right way.'

'I've gained a lot of knowledge on how conflict exists in people’s life, and understanding that conflict has to happen to make a change in people’s life and community.'

'I have more skills to use in my own life. I have learnt more to help me not be afraid of conflict and to be more patient.'

Like pain, conflict is useful and at times essential. It is an indicator that something is not working right, that something needs addressing. As with pain, we need to think of what’s causing conflict – the context – rather than fixing the conflict itself.

We encourage people to see conflict in this positive light. Once you think of conflict in this way, it seems less frightening and becomes a catalyst for change and growth. By looking to understand the sources of tension from all sides, there is an opportunity to change ways of being – from our own behaviours to entire social structures – to accommodate the views and creative solutions of a range of people.