Peter Coleman is one of the most prolific academics in the field of conflict resolution. He has published many articles and has even developed apps to support people to engage more effectively in conflict.
This article is a kind of compilation of his work, with links to many other resources. There is so much in this article, I’ll just give you a broad overview, but it’s worth going back to a couple of times to follow the various links to more in depth content on various topics.
The article introduces a model of conflict intelligence (CIQ). The core premise is that conflict intelligence requires consideration of complexity science to allow people in conflict, and their support practitioners, to adapt their work with conflict in situational and systemic ways.
Coleman defines conflict intelligence as “the capacity to do the right thing at the right time in response to very different conflicts, using alternative strategies and knowing which option fits which situation”.
Coleman suggests that Conflict Intelligence (CIQ) requires four core competencies:
- Self: Knowing and being able to check our more chronic responses to conflict.
- Social: Developing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to work out social conflicts constructively and optimally (including alternating, intentionally and strategically, between seemingly contradictory responses to conflict, ensuring sufficient positivity to keep the ratio optimal).
- Situational: Becoming more strategic and adaptive when facing fundamentally different types of conflict situations (including 1) the capacity to understand the fundamental dimensions that distinguish between qualitatively different types of conflict situations, 2) skills in shifting and employing different conflict resolution strategies, and 3) the ability to assess fit: knowing which strategies work best in which types of situations.)
- Systemic: Learning the limits of direct methods of conflict resolution and when and how to employ systemic wisdom (including the ability to 1) zoom out from the presenting problem to identify key drivers and inhibitors of conflict and the interrelations between them in a system, 2) zoom in to identify the main leverage points where changes to the system may be most impactful, 3) anticipate the potential unintended consequences of taking action, and 4) learn to benefit from setbacks and act adaptively in changing contexts).
The article includes toolkits for each competency. These are a collection of articles and blogs, assessments and feedback profiles, and questions for reflection.
Peter T. Coleman (2024) Navigating Firestorms: The Imperative of Conflict-Intelligent Leadership in a Turbulent World. Negotiation Journal, Winter-Spring, p.5-40.
