Working with groups, we often start by gathering words associated with the word
conflict.
After we have created a Conflict Web, we ask: What do you notice here?
'Its all negative'. 'Bad'. 'Conflict is not welcome'. 'We don't like conflict!'
When folks start mining their memories for messages they have adopted about conflict, they often uncover the incomplete and unhelpful ideas that are prevailing in our world.
Our work is about moving conflict concepts away from the lose-lose mentality to a new conflict metaphor.
- Conflict as a problem to be solved
- Conflict as an opportunity
- Conflict as a time to learn
- Conflict as a gift.
- Conflict as...(a garden? a journey? a house?...)
Do this
: take a piece of paper and write down all the words you associate with conflict.
Try to come up with a list of conflict metaphors. Be creative!
Consider where these messages came from in your life.
