From Conflict to Conciliation: How to Defuse Difficult Situations

The Six-C approach provides a framework within which people can work together to attack the problem, not each other. By ending each conflict with conciliation, those who use this approach can do much more than resolve conflict-they can build each other up so future conflicts will be easier to resolve.
-Bob Bowen, Chief Executive Officer The Mandt System, Inc.

Don’t let conflict get in the way of meaningful collaboration!

Conflict is inevitable, but educators can work together effectively if they understand how to defuse difficult situations before they escalate. This resource describes the Six-C process, a conflict resolution method that allows educators to take progressively more assertive steps as necessary to resolve disagreements.

Based on research and easy to remember, this approach helps readers handle challenging situations using the least amount of time and energy. Illustrated with many examples and scenarios, the six steps are:

Concern: identifying actionable concerns Confer: expressing concerns in nonthreatening ways Consult: reviewing and clarifying the situation collaboratively Confront: considering consequences and giving clear warnings Combat: taking sustained, logical action Conciliation: mending the wounds and restoring relationships

Focused on preserving relationships while resolving disagreements, From Conflict to Conciliation can be used in any situation or setting, from the classroom to the community.