Games to Use During Meetings Addressing Conflict

Game play can help adults develop skills for dealing with conflict.

Adults, like kids, can use games to learn important life lessons. Games are frequently used in meetings addressing conflict to introduce attendees to real life situations. The game play helps them consider the possible outcomes of each conflict situation and learn skills that they may need when conflicts arise in real life.

Conflict Resolution Debate

This game will help to address a common issue while offering practical resolution strategies that respect all sides. Choose an issue and pose it using unbiased wording. Divide participants into two teams where each team represents a different side of the argument and presents their solution in a debate-style discussion. For teams of three, assign each team member a role: one will analyze the core conflict, another will discuss the options available and the last will announce the group's chosen solution to the conflict.

The Colors of The Days

This exercise points out how every individual can see a simple, mundane pattern, like the days of the week, in completely unique ways, and therefore how differences will also exist when conflict arises. Have everyone in the meeting close their eyes and picture the days of the week. Have them notice the color that each day is and when they open their eyes they will write down the colors that they saw. There may be similarities between people's color associations, and some radically different ones too, but each choice will be unique to each person.

Peace-Keeper or Shark?

This is an exercise that shows the conflicts that may arise from notions of fairness and unfairness. Start with a stack of bills of the same denomination; use real money for impact. Pass the bills around to the group one at a time until they are all gone. The bills will end up unevenly dispersed and this will be the talking point of the follow-up discussion. Ask participants to give a response regarding the outcome of the game. Write down the responses, negative or positive

Choose Your Resolution

In this game, participants try to decide on the most agreeable course of action when conflict arises. Give each participant a card on which is written a real life conflict. Each participant will read the situation on their card aloud and then choose from a list of actions: negotiate, arbitrate, communicate, mediate, legislate or mitigate. The categories can be written on mats on the floor or written up on a board where the participant can stand beside their chosen action. Take a poll with the rest of the meeting attendants to see if they agree. If the majority agrees, the participant gets a prize.

References

• Conflict Resolution Network: Conflict Resolving Game
• Business Balls: Day Colours Exercises
• Beacon Lesson Plan Library: Are You a Peacemaker or a Man-Eating Shark?
• Teacher Vision: Interpersonal Skills