Dealing with a conflict situation can be stressful. It can help to be aware of when “your buttons” are being pushed and to have some strategies to keep your emotions under control.
Let’s hear what strategies these students have for managing conflict.
It can be useful to think about your options before talking to a person who you are in conflict with. You might like to consider whether you need to:
- Take some time out during a difficult conversation
- Physically remove yourself from a conflict situation
- To talk to someone else
- To vent / let off steam / calm down
- Seek out assistance / support
- Find out some more information
We have put together a resource you can use to think about different Strategies for Dealing with Conflict.
There are many different ways to feel supported and each individual will have a preference for where they go for support when they’re in conflict. The type of support you seek out may also change depending on the context or intensity of the conflict.
Here are some examples of support that students have sought when they are in conflict.
Common examples of where students may go for support when they are in conflict include:
- Talking about the conflict to family or friends
- Talking to someone else closely involved with the situation (e.g. a lecturer, tutor or classmate)
- Talking to university support services to get advice about:
- Sending an email or letter to the person
- Talking to the person to try to resolve the conflict
- Asking someone else to speak on their behalf with the other person
- Find out how to make a formal complaint
- Talking to a neutral person such as a:
- University counsellor
- University Chaplain
- Student conflict support service
For more information about assistance available if you have conflict managing a group work situation, have a look at the resource sheet seek assistance.