From war to family quarrels: reflecting on the gift of conflict resolution skills
The world we live in is full of conflicts, large and small, from war to a quarrel in the family. Facing and dealing with conflicts is a daily necessity for all of us. As a facilitator, how can we face and resolve conflicts through facilitation, that’s a question of particular interest to me.
I participated in the 2-day course on Facilitation Conciliation held by ICAA on January 25 and 26 held by ICAA on January 25 and 26. In the course, we looked at the conflicts around us, explored the roots of the conflicts, learned about different level of conflicts, and how to discern types of conflicts. The facilitators introduced the seven phases of conciliation resolving as well as the keys to a successful conciliation. Using real cases from, the co-facilitator, Alexey Svetlichny from the School of Expert Facilitation in Ukraine, shared his experiences of the war, and successes using ToPTM facilitation tools to help people to face the difficulties and remain hopeful. Participants learned very practical skills on how to design and implement conciliation process for complex cases. The course expanded my knowledge and skills on facilitation conciliation and provided me with practical tools to resolve conflict through facilitation.
We even practiced what we were learning in the course itself! Occasionally, during the workshop, differences of opinion emerged between participants, and even facilitators. We immediately applied what we had learned in the class to deal with those conflicts smoothly, right away. It was an unexpected, “aha” moment that brought made the lessons real. By the end of the course, many of us realized that we not only grasped the practical application of the facilitation tools, but we had also become less afraid of engaging in conflict. It was an amazing gift!
About the author
Xin is an experienced facilitator and trainer, currently working as an independent consultant, consulting associate of ICAA, and currently enrolled in ICAA AFP (Advanced Facilitator Program) program. She is a devoted social change agent with a legal background and more than 20 years working experiences in various international originations. Xin has worked in the fields of international cooperation, social development, rights and protection of vulnerable people, Children and people with disabilities, gender equality, social inclusion, and NGO development and capacity building.
