MODULE 3. Topic 5. Models and techniques of preven4on and posi4ve management of the conflict in Cultural Media4on

Transcription

1 MODULE 3 Topic 5 Models and techniques of preven4on and posi4ve management of the conflict in Cultural Media4on

2 CONTENT I. Effec6ve Conflict Management II. Prac6ces for Individualists Dealing with Conflict in a Collec6vis6c Culture III. Prac6ces for Collec6vists Dealing with Conflict in a Individualis6c Culture IV. Posi6ve Management of the conflict in Cultural Media6on 2

3 Effec6ve Conflict Management Effec6ve conflict management requires us to communicate properly, HOW? With Efec6vity With Tolerance Accurately Being open to knowledge With Crea6vity 3

4 Effec6ve Conflict Management First of all Establishing the bases What is a High-Context culture? These are cultures that give more importance to the context than to what is being said, paying aven6on to the implicit message that push them to follow the non wriven rules of their society. Family is a good example of high-context cultures. At a global level, Japan and Korea are examples of excep6onally high-context cultures. What is a Low-Context culture? In these cultures there are not many differences between internal groups and subgroups and are individually focused. In order for newcomers to interact, codes, beliefs and costumes must be expressed. In a low-context culture rules are very important. An example of this kind of culture is, for instance, the way people behave in airports. At a global level, USA is an example of a low-context culture. 4

5 Effec6ve Conflict Management What is an individualis6c culture? These cultures defend personal freedom, the inalienable right to act according to their own judgement; the individual is sovereign and it is the basic unit of moral interest. The individual is an end in itself, not a mean to the ends of others. It is related to Anglo-Saxon cultures. What is a collec6vis6c culture? Collec6vism considers that life does not belong to a person, but to the group or society in which the individual is considered to be just one of the parts that forms it. People has no individual rights and must sacrifice their beliefs and goals in order to achieve a greater welfare of the group. To collec6vists, the group, and not the individual, is the basic unit of moral interest. It is related to Hispanic cultures. 5

6 Effec6ve Conflict Management In order to achieve an effec6ve conflict management, we have to be sensi6ve to the differences and similari6es between COMMUNICATION PATTERNS in low-contexts and high-contexts and to adapt to the nego6a6on rhythms that are inherent to MONOCHRONIC-BASED INDIVIDUALS (related to Anglo-Saxon 6mes and individualists) and POLYCHRONIC-BASED INDIVIDUALS (related to Hispanic 6mes and collec6vists). VS. An effec6ve conflict management also requires to be aware of the importance of both goal-oriented and process-oriented conflict nego6a6on pathways, and to pay aven6on to the close rela6onship between cultural variability and different conflict communica>on styles. 6

7 Effec6ve Conflict Management For both individualists and collec>vists, the concept of MINDFULNESS can serve as the first effec6ve step in raising awareness about the differences and similari6es in cross-cultural conflict-nego6a6on processes. Langer's (1989) concept of mindfulness helps individuals to connect consciously, THROUGH MEDITATION, to their habituated mental scripts, feelings, states and perspec6ves. To engage in a mindfulness state, an individual needs to learn to: (a) create new categories, (b) be open to new informa6on, and (c) be aware that there are mul6ple perspec6ves about one same event. 7

8 Effec6ve Conflict Management Ting-Toomey (1994) elaborates two lists of pracaces: Prac6ces for INDIVIDUALISTS dealing with conflict in a collec6vis6c culture. Prac6ces for COLLECTIVISTS dealing with conflict in an individualis6c culture. 8

9 Prac6ces for Individualists Dealing with Conflict in a Collec6vis6c Culture ü Being mindful of the CONFRONTATION-MAINTENANCE assump6ons of conflict situa6ons that take place in this culture. Conflict competence resides in the strategic skills that enable us to manage the interac6on, finding the balance between humilia6on and pride, shame and honour. ü Being PROACTIVE in dealing with conflict situa6ons that are not severe (by using informal consulta6on or the go in-between method) before they escalate into irrevocable mutual facing-loss episodes. ü SHOWING RESPECT and try not to put your opponent s back against the wall with no room to deal with loss or recovery. Learning to let your opponent find a gracious way out of the conflict situa6on if at all possible, without viola6ng the basic spirit of the fundamental human rights. ü Prac6cing ACTIVE LISTENING skills and feeling the co-presence of the other person. Pa6ent and deliberate listening indicates that one person is concern about the other person s needs, even in an antagonis6c conflict situa6on. 9

10 Prac6ces for Individualists Dealing with Conflict in a Collec6vis6c Culture ü Being sensi6ve to the importance of quiet, MINDFUL OBSERVATION. Individualists need to be mindful of the historical past that hold relevance to the present conflict situa6on. ü Discarding the Western-based model of EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION when dealing with conflict situa6ons in collec6vis6c, high-context cultures. When rejec6ng a request, learn do not use a blunt no as a response because the word no is typically perceived as a threat in collec6vis6c cultures. ü Using MODERATE ANSWERS ( Perhaps someone else is more qualified than me to work on this project ), counter-ques6ons ( Don t you feel someone else is more competent to work on this project...? ), or condi6onal statements ( Yes, but... ) to convey the implicit sense of refusal. 10

11 Prac6ces for Individualists Dealing with Conflict in a Collec6vis6c Culture ü WALKING OUT of a conflict situa6on if the conflict party does not want to deal with it directly. A COOLING period may some6mes help to mend a broken rela6onship; the main issue of the conflict may be diluted over 6me. Individualists should remember that avoidance is part of the integral, conflict style that is commonly used in collec6vis6c, low-context cultures. Avoidance does not necessarily mean that collecavists do not care about resolving the conflict. In sum, individualists need to learn to respect: the high-context culture and the collec6vis6c ways of approaching and handling conflicts. They need to con6nuously monitor their ethnocentric biases on the cogni6ve, affec6ve, and behavioural reac6ve levels, and learn to listen ac6vely, and observe mindfully and reflec6vely. 11

12 Prac6ces for Collec6vists Dealing with Conflict in a Individualis6c Culture ü The ability to put aside rela6onships and separate them from the conflict problem is cri6cal to achieve an effec6ve conflict nego6a6on in individualis6c, low-context cultures. Collec6vists need to learn the difference between the DIMENSIONS OF A TASK and the SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DIMENSION of a conflict. ü Focusing on resolving the substan6ve issues of the conflict, and learning to openly express opinions or POINTS OF VIEW. Collec6vists should try not to take the conflict issues to the personal level, and learn to keep the distance between the person and the conflict problem. ü Engaging in an ASSERTIVE, levelling style of conflict behaviour. Asser6ve style emphasises the rights of both individuals to speak up in a conflict situa6on and to respect each other s right to defend her or his posi6on. Collec6vists need to open a conflict dialogue with an upfront theore6cal statement, and to develop key points that include examples, data, figures, or well-planned proposals. 12

13 Prac6ces for Collec6vists Dealing with Conflict in a Individualis6c Culture ü Having an INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY about the conflict decision-making process. Collec6vists need to learn to verbally explain a situa6on and not to expect others to infer their points of view. ü Providing verbal feedback and engaging in ac6ve listening skills. ACTIVE LISTENING skills, in individualis6c, low-context cultures, means collec6vists must pay aven6on to verbal percep6on and ensure that the other person is interpre6ng their points of view accurately. Collec6vists need to use verbal paraphrases, summary statements, and interpre6ve messages to acknowledge and verify the storyline of the conflict situa6on. ü Learning to occasionally express FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS; they cannot rely solely on nonverbal, intui6ve understanding to intuit and evaluate a situa6on. 13

14 Prac6ces for Collec6vists Dealing with Conflict in a Individualis6c Culture ü Using DIRECT, INTEGRATIVE VERBAL MESSAGES that clearly convey their concern about both the rela6onal and substan6ve issues of a conflict situa6on. ü Commiong to solve the conflict situa6on. Collec6vists should learn to use taskoriented INTEGRATIVE STRATEGIES and reach a collabora6ve, mutual goal dialogue with the conflict party. Working on managing individual defence and learning to build up trust when facing a face to face interac6on. In sum, collec6vists need to work on their ethnocentric biases as much as the individualists need to work out their sense of egocentric superiority. Collec6vists need to untangle their historical sense of cultural superiority especially when thinking that their way is the only civilised way to appropriately deal with a conflict. 14

15 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on First of all, What is MediaAon?... MEDIATION is a conflict resolu6on method that involves a neutral and specially trained third party (the mediator) who assists conflict par6es to set out their interests and needs and to reach a mutually acceptable solu6on. Ideally, media6on does not lead to a compromise between the conflict par6es but to a win-win solu6on which allows puong the rela6onship between the conflict par6es on a new level. 15

16 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on HOW DOES MEDIATION WORK?... MEDIATION is usually performed in pairs of mediators. The advantage of co-media6on is that the team of mediators can be tailored and adjusted to the needs of the conflict par6es. That is, the personal characteris6cs, skills and experiences of the first mediator are complemented by a second mediator with different personal characteris6cs, skills and experiences so that the team is more balanced. In this way, conflict par6es will be able to iden6fy themselves with at least one of the mediators in terms of age, ethnicity, gender, social and professional background, etc. 16

17 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on Media6on follows five FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES: Consensusorienta>on Selfdetermina>on of conflict par>es Neutrality of the mediator Voluntary nature of the media>on process Confiden>ality 17

18 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on 1. Consensus-orienta>on: The goal of media6on is to find a solu6on on which all conflict par6es can agree. Consequently, media6on does not avribute blame or determine who is right or wrong. Instead, it looks for solu6ons that RECONCILE THE INTERESTS OF THE CONFLICT PARTIES and sa6sfy their needs equally. This is best achieved through win-win solu6ons. The purpose of consensus-orienta6on is to avoid dissa6sfied conflict par6es whose grievances will lead to renew the conflict. Instead, media6on aims for amiable solu6ons that are likely to be implemented and to last for a long 6me. 2. Self-determina>on of conflict par>es: In pure media6on, conflict par6es alone determine what issues they would like to discuss and what are the perfect solu6ons to their conflict. They know the conflict best, so they are the ones to decide. Mediators only offer procedural rather than substan6ve assistance. That is, mediators control the process of resolving the conflict while the content is up to the par6es. Consequently, mediators must resist the impulse to give their opinions on the maver and to tell the par6es how to fix their problems. The purpose of this principle is to assure the SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION. It is assumed that solu6ons are more durable if the conflict par6es come up with the solu6ons on their own and can thus fully iden6fy with those solu6ons. 18

19 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on 3. Neutrality of the mediator (also named "impar>ality" or "all-par>sanship"): Mediators must not side with any of the conflict par6es but SUPPORT ALL OF THEM EQUALLY. To that end, the mediators should avoid everything that might be interpreted as them favouring one par6cular party. Specially, they should keep their opinions and preferences out of the process, giving no indica6on of prejudgement, not showing a lack of interest, irrita6on or impa6ence, without making favourable or unfavourable comments regarding the statements of any party, they have to be careful with their body language and to avoid private discussions with any of the par6es involved. The purpose of this principle is to protect the principles of CONSENSUS-ORIENTATION AND SELF-DETERMINATION. 19

20 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on 4. Voluntary nature of the media>on process: Conflict par6es cannot be forced to par6cipate in a media6on process and they have the right to discon6nue a media6on, once started, whenever they wish. Similarly, mediators have the right not to accept a case or end the media6on whenever they feel that it is no longer possible to work with the conflict par6es. Conflict par6es can also not be forced to adhere to an agreement reached through media6on. The purpose of this principle is to ensure that the media6on process is truly CONSENSUS-ORIENTED and that win-win solu6ons are possible. 20

21 Posi6ve Conflict Management in Cultural Media6on 5. Confiden>ality: Media6on is confiden6al. Nothing that is said during the media6on process may be revealed to outsiders. In par6cular, informa6on obtained in media6on should not be used if conflict par6es decide to bring their conflict to court. The principle of confiden6ality applies to conflict par6es as well as mediators. Its purpose is to ensure that conflict par6es FEEL ABSOLUTELY FREE to reveal anything that may contribute to the resolu6on of the conflict, even their own mistakes and most inner feelings. 21

22 References Bibliography and references Ting-Toomey, S. (1994). Managing Intercultural Conflicts Effec6vely. In Samovar, L.A, and Porter, R. E., 8Eds.), Intercultural CommunicaAon: A reader. California, United States: Wadsworth. Sources hvp://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan pdf hvp:// 22