By In children, young people and adults, group problem-solving strategies encourage the generation of new ideas and critical thinking. Join us to see some of the most commonly used ones.
Teamwork inevitably brings problems between the people who make it up. While these can be a tool to strengthen relationships, it never hurts to apply conflict resolution dynamics that channel this effect.
These activities are often fun and exemplify situations in which team members clash. In this relaxed atmosphere, strategies are learned and tempers are calmed if the environment is already somewhat toxic. Here you will find 17 examples for different scenarios, very fun and with fairly affordable materials.
Problem-solving strategies in the classroom
In this first section, we will look at some dynamics to resolve conflicts in the classroom, an environment in which students live together for a long period of time. They can be applied as a preventive measure (as a tool in an anti- bullying program , for example) or to begin to build healthy and respectful relationships.
1. The traffic light
This is a technique to be carried out on a weekly basis and aims to make students aware of the impressions that others have of them. The teacher will cut out 3 cardboard circles: red, yellow and green. Each student will have a sign assigned to them with their name and, when the time comes for the weekly meeting, they will decide which colour they deserve to be on.
The teacher and the rest of the class will then express their support or disagreement with the classmate’s perception. After this meeting, the teacher will place the student’s name in the colour agreed upon by everyone. In this way, conflicts are confronted and resolved, preventing them from becoming entrenched.
It is important for the teacher to play the role of mediator, preventing it from becoming a hall of shame and teaching how to make criticism in a constructive way, as well as how to accept it. If carried out successfully, it is a dynamic that regulates social behavior very well.
2. Two stars and a wish
Here we have a softer and more anonymous version than the previous one, so it can be used in classrooms with a tense atmosphere. It consists of giving students cards on which 2 stars and a djinn lamp (or another symbol that represents a wish) are drawn.
On it, each person writes 2 good things that happened to them this week and something they wish or would like to change. At the end of the week, each student reads their card and looks for ways to improve based on the wishes expressed.
3. I feel…
For this fun activity, the double meaning of “sit” and “feel” is applied when saying “I feel like this.” To do it, the teacher will fill a container with slips of paper with phrases like “I feel happy when…” or “I feel embarrassed when…”. The students will place their chairs in a semicircle and sit on them, except for the one who will take the slip of paper.
When the student chooses a random card and completes the sentence, the rest of the group will decide whether to stand up and join him because they identify with him. This creates a sense of community, strengthens ties and discusses the problems expressed by everyone.
4. Behavioral contract
Are you a teacher trying to reason with students to find common solutions and you can’t? Create a contract in which students agree to do or stop certain behaviors. It also states that they will receive a reward if they do it.
The role of the teacher will be to reconcile so that this contract is not used as a way of punishing or discriminating against any of the students. He or she will also be in charge of giving or taking away the reward, as well as helping to choose one that has motivating power.
5. The bank of peace
Ideal for creating a safe space where each child can express themselves without fear and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. The place can be a bench in the playground, a separate table in class or whatever suits you best.
All students can attend the meeting and find the teacher as a mediator. As the dynamics become more established, it is possible to train other students to participate in the mediation , giving them the autonomy to resolve problems among themselves.
6. The referee
It stands out as a dynamic for entire classes. In it, the teacher presents a situation that affects the entire classroom and the students recount the facts and points to be taken into account. When names are called, the people mentioned will speak, without being interrupted, to present their point of view.
This is therefore an open debate in which everyone has an opinion. However, the role of the teachers will be to guide the opinions towards joint solutions. These will be noted and signed by the entire class to obtain their commitment.
Conflict resolution dynamics for work environments
Work is a fundamental pillar in life, and not only because of the need for a salary to survive. In this scenario, several hours of the day are spent with people who are not chosen, so it is important to maintain a work environment as healthy as possible to preserve the mental health of workers. Here we list dynamics that will help with this.
1. Fantasy of a conflict
Although it is somewhat lengthy, this technique allows each person to express themselves freely and to raise issues that have been worsening the work environment for some time. In addition, it is suitable for large groups.
Here, an imaginary (but harmless) situation similar to the one experienced in the office is presented. Participants choose solutions and discuss them among themselves (groups can be formed if there are many employees). At the end, the favourite alternatives are chosen and discussed among all.
2. The spider web
In collaborative groups, this is one of the most commonly used conflict resolution dynamics. It consists of recreating a spider web with rope tied to different points in a large room or outdoor space. The idea is to make it difficult to walk through.
Participants are asked to cross the net from one side to the other with the help of their teammates, always without touching the net or moving it. At the end, the strategies used are discussed and how they help or hinder teamwork .
3. Turn the sheet over
This activity is for medium or small groups, as it consists of placing a sheet on the floor and asking the participants to get on top of it. They are then told to turn it over without anyone getting off it.
This is one of the most fun conflict resolution dynamics for the workplace, because it presents a challenge while forcing them to collaborate . Once it is over, the methods used and how to optimize them are discussed.
4. Reflected listening
Here you have a version of the game of broken telephone, but more complex and useful to contrast the subjective experience and that which others observe. In it, someone recounts a fictitious situation or one from their life in which they have experienced a conflict. It is pertinent to tell how they got to it, what they felt and how they resolved it.
Then another participant repeats the same story, and so on with everyone. Finally, the speaker’s story is compared with that of the last partner and the points on which they differ are discussed.
5. Yes and no
This technique addresses problems in a direct way. The facilitator chooses phrases that are representative of situations and says them out loud. All employees must position themselves on one side or the other of the room, depending on whether or not they agree with the statements they heard.
Individuals are allowed to express their point of view in each case. At the end of the debate, solutions are discussed together. It is important to encourage everyone to express themselves with empathy and correctness.
Family conflict resolution dynamics
Conflicts also exist in the family environment and, if they last for a long time, avoidance often appears , which further worsens the relationship. Here are some dynamics to improve the emotional climate, trust and address problems from a more neutral perspective.
1. The human knot
Use fun as a tool to encourage cooperation and bonding. In it, family members are asked to stand in a circle, hold out their hands and close their eyes. They then move forward and grab the first hand they feel.
When they open their eyes, everyone will be tangled up, so they are asked to undo the knot of their hands without letting go of each other. They finish and comment on what emotions arose and how they managed to collaborate with the others .
2. Inflate like balloons
Very useful for families with children, as it helps to manage emotions . It is a way to teach them to breathe better and to stop when conflicts threaten to escalate.
Everyone stands in a circle and takes several deep breaths , raising their arms as they inhale and lowering them as they exhale. This is repeated until they reach the floor and adopt a relaxed posture.
3. Draw what you hear
To understand what happens when problems are not faced head-on, as well as to better understand the ways others express themselves, consider this strategy. In it, a family member receives a card with a drawing and describes it without saying what it is, so that the rest can reproduce it in their own notebook.
At the end, the drawings are compared and the roles are rotated . At this point, we discuss how they could have been better understood.
4. Role play
Role playing is one of the most versatile ways to help people put themselves in someone else’s shoes. They are invited to act as if they were another family member or to act out assigned roles. The scenes presented can also be real or fictional.
It is important to accompany each session with a final discussion about how each person plays their role. This provides information about emotions and strategies for solving conflicts that can then be dealt with directly.
5. The game of silence
Playing the silent game helps to exemplify what it feels like when a person feels like they are not being listened to. It is very simple: one family member tells fictitious situations that make them feel bad. Another will just watch and remain silent. Then the roles are rotated.
Participants are then asked to list the emotions they felt during the process. This ends with agreeing on solutions in similar contexts.
6. The bomb
Valid for everyday use, this is a low-intensity conflict resolution dynamic. Each family member is assigned 16 cards: 6 with a drawing of a bomb and 6 with a vest or a shield. Each explosive is an assertive statement or request about something that bothers the other person and each shield is a way of refusing to do it.
They are asked to use up all their bombs within a week, while vests or shields are optional. When they return to the consultation, they are told what they refused and how they resolved it, as well as the emotions that arose in the process.
Enjoy the moment while you find solutions.
Although in this article you have read conflict resolution dynamics in different areas, you must keep in mind that all of them can be interchanged, as long as you adapt them to the size of the group and the age of the participants.
Therefore, as a teacher, facilitator or psychologist , remember to choose the one that best suits the situation at hand. And, above all, make sure that the groups enjoy the game while they solve their problems.