Expecting a clash of opinions is required. How you approach it will differentiate whether you find common ground or not. Differences are not only normal, they are also a source of learning. When you adopt a mindset based on curiosity, your approach is like an exploration. Ask open questions and be interested in the responses. When we learn other perspectives, it broadens our views.

It's a part of the process and why you are there in the first place. The pre meet with each party beforehand gives valuable insight in to depth of feeling and and a good mediator worth their salt will clock that and know where the sticking points will manifest themselves. Teasing that out early prior to bringing conflicted parties together will help the mediator to tone down the noise and direct the traffic when contentious hotspots arise

Individuals should be told that they are expected to articulate their ideas and thoughts in a courteous and respectful manner when there are differences of opinion. There are no stupid questions or ideas when brain storming to solve a problem. Select the top three ideas to filter responses and reduce the size of list. Verify and validate the ideas until conclusion.

When facilitating conflict resolution where opinions clash, my role is to create a safe space for open yet respectful dialog. I find the most constructive approach is to listen actively without judgment, reflecting back what I'm hearing to ensure comprehension. Paraphrasing and asking thoughtful questions helps illuminate perspectives beyond initial positions. Discussing the shared interests beneath divergent viewpoints often reveals the roots of disconnection. With empathy and care, even passionate disputes can transform into cooperative problem solving. My hope is that all parties feel heard and better able to hear each other in turn.

The research is clear that if your goals overlap, you are in the best position to find a solution that gives each of you what you want. Ask them about their perceptions of the conflict, how it makes them feel, and what a solution would need to include. Listen carefully to see if they want a particular (working) relationship with you, if they want to be seen a certain way by colleagues, if they want future conflicts to be handled differently. Think creatively and laterally about possible next steps that could include both what they and you want. If people choose to trust one another enough to speak honestly, which can involve intense vulnerability, it's possible to resolve the conflict with few concessions on either side, or none at all.

Além dos excelentes comentários acima, uma das maneiras de medir conflitos é estabelecer uma decisão inicial clara entre as partes interessadas e um nível de hierarquia em relação à tomada de decisões. Como facilitadores e mediadores de conflitos, nosso papel não é encaminhar todas as questões para os gerentes das equipes, mas sim entender quem são os responsáveis pela decisão final e qual é a visão do produto que está sendo trabalhada por essas pessoas. Dessa forma, podemos sempre reforçar o foco do projeto, o que muitas vezes é negligenciado pelos participantes do dia a dia da equipe.