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Conflict Resolution By Stephen R. Covey

Decent Essays
Conflict Resolution To win or not to win, that is the question…or is it? Stephen R. Covey suggests that it does not have to be a win-lose scenario. Covey subscribes to a win-win philosophy, “Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions” (Covey, n.d.). When it comes to parent-teacher conflicts, Covey’s “Win-win” approach is the best solution to deescalate frustrations and maintain positive relationships between the teacher, students, and parents. This paper will examine two conflict scenarios and determine which actions achieved a mutual beneficial outcome. In the first parent-teacher conflict scenario, a mother storms into her son’s classroom and demands if the teacher there is the one she is looking for. After his affirmation, she begins to vent her frustrations about an assignment that made her child bring a homeless man into her home. It is not long before the teacher cuts the parent off and condescendingly informs her he has no idea what she is talking about or who she is. As the mother angrily tells him it is about an assignment he gave her child, the teacher immediately jumps to the defensive. The teacher berates her communication with her child, uses sarcasm when explaining the assignment he gave out and the intent behind it, and made it known that he was not taking her concerns seriously as he suggested she put her complaints in a suggestion box. There were no win-win resolutions made in this
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