When you find yourself engaged in a conflict, it’s usually easy to understand the other party’s immediate interest, which is their stated, desired outcome.
These tend to be more surface level concerns.
Examples of Immediate Interests include:
-Getting a raise
-Finishing a project
-Closing a deal
-Gaining a larger share of the market
-Satisfying the customer
When we find ourselves at an impasse, it is important to gain an understanding of the other party’s dedicated higher purpose, or the underlying reason why they want a certain outcome. These are things that all human beings have in common that are at a deeper, higher level than their immediate interests.
Examples of Dedicated Higher Purposes include:
-To be out of debt & financially stable
-To take pride in one’s work or to do a good job
-To be successful
-To be a leader
-To be someone who can be counted on
Often times during a conflict, people will not directly tell you what their dedicated higher purposes are. Instead, you have to draw them out through the use of active listening. By understanding the other party’s dedicated higher purpose, you can explore creative solutions that address the needs of both sides of the conflict. This changes the mentality from a win-lose to a collaborative approach. The resolution reached is more likely to be sustainable in the long run. R U Interested in learning how to manage conflict more effectively? R U Ready To Achieve can help!
