Accommodating:
A style of dealing with conflict in which the needs of others overwhelm one's own, in an effort to be diplomatic; characterized by submissive communication; also known as smoothing.
Active listening:
The process of seeking to understand another person's point of view, demonstrating a desire to understand the meaning of that person's communication without judgment.
Affirming environment:
A positive, respectful atmosphere in which to communicate.
Assertive communication:
The sharing of one's needs and concerns, while respecting the needs of other persons involved.
Avoiding:
A conflict style in which disagreements and concerns go unexpressed, often making the circumvented conflict worse.
BATNA:
Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
Behavioral responses:
Actions in reaction to conflict, such as yelling, walking out, withdrawal, or negotiating.
Caucus:
A private meeting outside of a larger group; in mediation, it is a meeting with each party separately.
Cognitive responses:
Thoughts and ideas about a conflict, often present as "inner voices" and sub-vocalizations.
Collaborating:
The pooling of individual needs and goals towards a common goal; a conflict style that often produces a better solution than any individual party could achieve alone; the integration of separate interests.
Competing:
A conflict style in which one's own needs overwhelm the needs of others; often characterized by aggressive communication; tends to result in conflict escalation.
Compromising:
A conflict style involving tradeoffs, resulting in some sense of satisfaction, but no real exploration of the underlying needs of the disputing parties.
Conflict styles: Varying approaches of behaving during conflict
Consensus:
A situation (or decision) in which all members of a group find an outcome to be acceptable; most valued when members of the group perceive it to be genuinely "safe" to express dissent.
Emotional responses:
Feelings curing a conflict, such as anger, fear, confusion, or elation; often contribute to behavioral and physical responses.
Empathy:
The ability to put oneself in another person's position and understand that point of view.
Expertise power:
The power accumulated from developing great technical knowledge regarding a particular role or set of challenges
Extremists:
Parties to a dispute who hold extreme, strongly held, convictions about the right positions and solutions in a conflict; often the strongest voices in a multi-party dispute
Facilitator:
One who makes the process easy; a person empowered by the group to manage a group process (e.g., a meeting).
Ground rules:
The rules of conduct that govern the interactions of group members; expectations regarding interpersonal behavior.
"I"-message:
A technique for expressing one's feelings assertively, without evaluating or blaming others; "I"-messages connect a feeling statement with the specific behaviors of another person and the consequences of those feelings and behaviors.
Impasse:
A point at which conflicting parties feel "stuck" and no longer able to find effective solutions; often a normal phase of the conflict resolution process.
MLATNA:
Most Likely Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
Mediator:
An impartial third party who facilitates the resolution of conflict between two or more parties.
Moderates:
Parties to a dispute who tend to be able to see valid aspects of each perspective and have greater flexibility about potential definitions of the negotiating space; often will be reluctant to express views in a multi-party dispute.
Multi-party disputes:
Conflicts involving more than two identifiable parties or factions.
Normative power:
The power that accrues to those who know "the lay of the land" in a given group, and how to get things done; power coming from familiarity with cultural norms
Opening Statement:
In a facilitated meeting, the introduction given by the facilitator to set the tone for the meeting, establish ground rules, and clarify the process.
Physical responses:
Bodily reactions to conflict, such as muscle tension, sweating, and dry mouth; often interact behavioral and emotional responses.
Pre-negotiation:
The intervention of a concerned third party encourage participation in the negotiation or discussion process; can take place prior to or between meetings; an initial phase of the mediation process, where mediator meets with each party prior to a joint session.
Problem solving:
An intentional and systematic process by which effective responses are sought for difficult situations.
Procedural concerns:
Issues that relate to the process by which a problem is addressed; one of three sets of concerns (along with substantive and psychological concerns) in conflict.
Psychological concerns:
Issues that relate to the emotional well being of group members, such as safety, trust, integrity concerns; one of three sets of concerns (along with substantive and procedural concerns) in conflict.
Referent power:
The power that one accrues from earning respect from others, generally associated with integrity and competence.
Stakeholder:
One who has a vested interest in a situation or outcome.
Substantive concerns:
The "stuff" of the discussion; the issues that most view as the basis of the problem to be solved; one of three sets of concerns (along with procedural and psychological concerns) in conflict.
WATNA:
Worst Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement