4.6.a The Mindset

Individual and personal disposition toward conflict is one of the most critical influences related to getting at conflicts early and well in organizational settings.” (4)

To mitigate conflict is to decrease the severity or seriousness of a specific conflict. An effective way to mitigate conflict is to enter into it with an open mind, a positive attitude, and a productive mindset. Think of conflict as an opportunity, instead of imagining negative or worst-case-scenarios, as this sets the tone for conflict response and outcome. Instead of thinking, “ugh, here we go”, think, “okay, here we go.”

Recall that you have already been introduced to the concept of appreciative inquiry. Appreciative inquiry is a process that promotes positive change by focusing on positive performance, behaviors, beliefs and values. Appreciative inquiry relies on a collective analysis of the elements of success, or peak experiences, from the past. It is thinking about something through a positive lens, which is called the asset-based approach. This is the opposite of a needs-based approach, which focuses on people’s shortcomings, deficits, problems, or flaws. In an asset-based approach, the focus is on people’s successes, abilities, strengths, and achievements. Using appreciative inquiry is one way for health care teams to resolve problems collaboratively.