Identifying Underlying Issues and Problem-Solving Techniques

Quick reference

• 00:04 Welcome back.
• 00:05 In this lesson, we will discuss how to identify underlying issues in conflicts
• 00:10 and explore some problem-solving techniques to effectively resolve them.
• 00:15 When dealing with conflicts, it's extremely important to tell the difference
• 00:20 between positions and interests.
• 00:23 Positions are what people specifically ask for or demand while interests
• 00:28 are the deeper reasons, the desires, the worries behind those demands.
• 00:34 In other words, positions are what they want, but interests are why they want it.
• 00:41 Figuring out the underlying interests helps you get to the heart of
• 00:45 the conflict and come up with a better solution.
• 00:48 So sometimes conflicts have hidden agendas or root causes that are easy to spot.
• 00:54 To help you dig deeper and figure these out, you can ask open-ended questions,
• 00:59 get the other person to open up about their point of view and
• 01:02 share their real concerns.
• 01:05 Listen actively, we talked about this in the previous lesson.
• 01:08 Listen to what they're saying and show that you care and understand,
• 01:12 but watch the body language and facial expressions too.
• 01:16 Sometimes their reactions to discussion points will signal how the other
• 01:20 party really feels about things.
• 01:23 And reflect on past experiences, think about if you've seen similar situations or
• 01:28 patterns before, look for some common threads.
• 01:32 Not every situation is the same and you can't use the same solution every time.
• 01:36 But even sharing a similar scenario may help both sides consider something that
• 01:41 they haven't thought of before.
• 01:44 Once you figured out a little bit more about what's really going on beneath
• 01:48 the surface, you can use a variety of problem-solving techniques to effectively
• 01:52 resolve the conflict.
• 01:53 Let's talk about one of those techniques right now, brainstorming.
• 01:58 I think many of us probably think of brainstorming as a way to
• 02:02 generate content or ideas and not usually to solve problems.
• 02:06 But that really is what you're doing with brainstorming,
• 02:09 you're generating multiple ideas for potential solutions.
• 02:13 The hope is to find something or
• 02:16 a combination of things that fit your scenario.
• 02:20 And it can work really well for problem-solving if you do the following.
• 02:24 Number one, encourage open-mindedness.
• 02:27 Welcome all ideas without judgment, even those that seem unconventional or
• 02:32 unrealistic at first.
• 02:35 Number two, focus on quantity.
• 02:37 Generate as many ideas as possible because this increases the likelihood,
• 02:41 you'll find a suitable solution.
• 02:43 And don't get locked in on one solution you think is the only one that will work,
• 02:49 keep your mind open to the possibilities.
• 02:52 And number three, evaluate the ideas later.
• 02:55 Postpone judgment in evaluation until the brainstorming session is over.
• 03:00 If you immediately jump in and start shooting down ideas or picking things
• 03:04 apart, some people may become defensive or hesitant to contribute,
• 03:09 and the possibility for finding an equitable solution becomes less likely.
• 03:15 Once you've got a list of potential solutions, evaluate each option based
• 03:20 on factors like feasibility, effectiveness, and potential impact.
• 03:25 Select the best solution or combination of solutions that address the needs and
• 03:30 interests of all parties involved.
• 03:33 And once a solution has been agreed upon, the process becomes straightforward.
• 03:38 Create a clear action plan outlining the steps and responsibilities and deadlines.
• 03:44 But that's not the end, monitor the progress and
• 03:47 effectiveness of the solution and be open to adjusting the plan along the way.
• 03:52 Regularly communicate with all parties involved to ensure transparency and
• 03:56 accountability throughout the implementation process.
• 04:01 So you should find that with brainstorming, evaluation and
• 04:05 then implementation of the best idea possible solves most issues.
• 04:10 If you consider the needs and wants of all parties,
• 04:13 the right solution should become apparent.
• 04:16 But maintaining open communication is key so that the problem and
• 04:20 the conflict does not linger.
• 04:24 That's all for this lesson.
• 04:25 In our next lesson, we'll discuss negotiation skills for
• 04:28 conflict resolution, including strategies for achieving win-win outcomes.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.