Moshe Dayan and Abdullah el-Tell risk dialogue and achieve a ceasefire during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 (Wikimedia Commons)

Solving a problem, resolving a conflict, and reaching an agreement all require will, creativity, and some amount of risk-taking. Those involved in a dialogue must start by finding common ground to reach those goals. This training starts with the presumption that seeking resolution is in the best interest of both parties involved in a conflict.

Participants will learn the steps to finding common ground, as well as how to use it as a building block for potential solutions. Participants will be trained to pay special attention to the fact that developing common ground often seems counter-intuitive to parties involved in a conflict. Participants will develop techniques for getting input and establishing buy-in from all parties, both of which are necessary for a positive outcome. Working in small groups and then with role-play partners, participants will practice the hard work of finding creative solutions to seemingly intractable conflicts—which can be translated to other work or family settings.

• 2 – 4 hour training