"The number of conflicts doesn't determine whether a family is happy or whether a family is in trouble."
It's how the conflicts are resolved that matters most.
Listen to Thomas Gordon describe the types of conflict resolution that are available to parents.
Method I is the most common: I win, you lose. In conflict-of-needs situations, the parent's needs get met at the expense of the child's.
Method II is the other side of the coin. You win, I lose. The child's need is met at the expense of the parent.
But there's a third way. The Gordon Model calls it Method III, or No-Lose Conflict Resolution. Whether you're a workplace leader, a parent, or teacher, this model of conflict resolution taps into the brainstorming power of everyone involved in a conflict. Life flows in new directions when you use Method III.
It takes time and practice to learn the skills that support this nonpower method, and it requires some slowing down. In my experience, it's totally worth it. Taking the time to have these kinds of conversations invariably deepens and strengthens relationships, and the problems are usually resolved for good.
P.E.T. class begins in December, with Teacher Effectiveness Training and classes for individuals coming in 2027!
