Winter is here, so we need all the warmth we can get! Here at the Office of Student Conflict Resolution (OSCR), we are thinking about what “warmth” in conflict resolution looks and feels like. We believe it involves approaching disagreements with compassion, empathy, and a genuine desire to foster understanding and healing. Warmth means prioritizing human connection over retribution or dominance, and creating an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Here are some insights from OSCR about how warmth manifests in conflict resolution:
- “I feel warm when someone takes the time to reiterate my point of view before moving further into the dialogue.”
- “Embracing multiple perspectives is really important because you feel warm inside when someone wants to get to know you.”
- “I feel warmth when we approach things from a human-centered standpoint; we should embrace our emotions to feel each other’s heart.”
By bringing warmth into conflict resolution, the process becomes less transactional and more collaborative, opening pathways to building relationships and fostering environments of emotional safety.
If you would like to learn more about how to approach conflict resolution strategies with warmth, feel free to visit our website.