CHAPTER 2

THE LANGUAGE OF EARLY CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The language we use in a conflict situation can determine the escalation (or otherwise) of that situation. It is the difference between ‘We’ve got a real fight on our hands’ and ‘We need to look at how we can work this out’. In particular, the language we use will need to strike the balance between acknowledging the issue and turning the existence of the conflict itself into a problem, thereby transforming it into something bigger than it actually needs to be.

Timing can be everything in resolving a conflict. The earlier the conflict can be addressed, the more opportunities for resolution and creative solutions there are available. At the same time, early stage conflicts or disagreements ...

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