RESOLVING CONFLICT
Being in conflict with someone is never a nice place to be. Whether it is a member of staff working in your home or a work colleague, friend, acquaintance or a family member, all you know is, that it needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Often it can involve more than one person, so communication is absolutely essential to resolution.
There may have been a simple misunderstanding that could potentially be resolved with a chat, or it may be a much more complicated grievance with layers of complex issues to sort out. In any setting or scenario (a household or at a place of work,) the strategies people use to get what they want include: ignoring the problem, talking about it behind people’s backs, shouting, having time off work, sulking, resigning, getting other people on their side, refusing to cooperate in meetings, taking revenge and crying.
So, fortunately there are practices and processes in place that can help with these types of issues and offer a start to unravelling a conflict, offering the opportunity to repair broken relationships.
‘Restorative Practice’ is a process that helps build on relationships when they have become broken and provides effective ways to try and mend them.
It is a proactive process that puts relationships at the heart of everything, working with people to repair the broken relationship and focuses on a ‘no shame-no blame’ way of working, so all parties have a voice.
Restorative Practice includes:
- Low-key restorative conversations which can take place in an ad hoc way.
- Restorative circles where groups share, listen and acknowledge conflict and work towards solutions.
- Formal restorative conferences with a trained Facilitator.
There are many benefits to using ‘Restorative Practice’ as a tool to resolution.
For example, companies who utilise this practice, restoratively reduce levels of conflict because the focus is on working with people rather than doing things to or for them and the process can work alongside a their grievance policy adding an additional layer to problem solving). The same principles can be applied to a household/home/family environment as everyone is heard, valued and listened to effectively.
In this way, ‘Restorative Practice’ very practically unites empathy with both accountability and responsibility.
Put simply, where there is a culture of power with and not over people, there are more likely to be better relationships and better outcomes if there is conflict. Put relationships and restoration at the heart of everything and this will help build stability and resilience.
To explore ‘Restorative Practice’ further, Restorative Practice Facilitator Charlotte Weatherley can be reached via her website: https://www.petomclaren.co.uk/
