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What These Three Ladies Know About Conflict Management

A group of Texas A&M faculty have published a book on strategic conflict engagement titled Conflict Management and Dialogue in Higher Education.
By Justin Ikpo, Texas A&M College of Education and Human Development July 21, 2016

Christine Stanley, Nancy Watson and Karan Watson
From left: Christine Stanley, Nancy Watson and Karan Watson

(Transform Lives)

A group of Texas A&M faculty have published a book on strategic conflict engagement titled Conflict Management and Dialogue in Higher Education. The book, written by Drs. Nancy Watson, Karan Watson, and Christine Stanley, focuses on different strategies and tools to assess and engage effectively in conflict within the higher education work place.

“Conflict is an inevitability in any workplace. Any healthy, thriving organization has conflict,” said Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Nancy Watson. “However, conflict in and of itself is typically neutral and what I find powerful, is that we can transform lives just by having effective communication through engagement in meaningful conflicts.”

Much of the book was based off of data collected over the course of two years and over twenty years working in the areas of conflict and diversity, according to Dr. Watson. During this time, the three writers observed other faculty, staff, students, and administrators in their perspective classroom and workplace roles.

The book also identifies different conflict intervention strategies. Each conflict intervention strategies is thoroughly discussed and identified — coinciding with each writer’s research.

“I think the majority of us view conflict as a negative,” Dr. Watson said. “If we are able to observe the benefits for both parties to engage, instead of avoiding conflicts, it can really work in helping the situation.”

Continue reading on Transform Lives*.

This article by Justin Ikpo originally appeared in Transform Lives*.
* This link is no longer active and has been removed.

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