Objective: Identify the importance of clarifying goals and interests in a dispute.

Most definitions of conflict contain some reference to the fact that each conflict partner has goals but they are incompatible. If I get my goal met in this conflict then you won’t get yours met. An important part of managing conflict is clarifying goals and then looking at how both parties can build some shared or collaborative goals.

• Write 3-4 paragraphs responding to the following instructions:
• Summarize the section on Goal Clarity on p. 97.
• Then summarize the Collaborative Goals on p. 101.
• Think about a conflict situation in your own life where you look back and realize you didn’t clarify your goals, either in your own mind or to your conflict partner.
  • You realize now how hard it was to collaborate on resolving the conflict because one partner never really knew what the other partner wanted.