To begin, we will combine all the groundwork into a single step.

• Phase One (Creating an Effective Atmosphere): Take a moment to calm down and deal with your emotions. Look at the possible positive outcomes of the conflict.
• Phase Two (Creating a Mutual Understanding): Quickly evaluate your wants and needs, and those of the other party. Try to identify the real issue.
• Phase Three (Focusing on Individual and Shared Goals): Identify common ground.

This information can be gathered in just a few moments, and it will help you identify the most appropriate conflict resolution approach. (Remember the five approaches that we looked at in Module Two.) Although we promote the collaborative approach, there are situations where other approaches are more appropriate and beneficial.