What do you do if your conflict resolution team lacks creativity in problem-solving?

1 Identify the root causes

Before you can come up with creative solutions, you need to understand the underlying issues and interests of the parties involved in the conflict. Don't assume that you know what they are, or that they are obvious. Ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and probe deeper to uncover the hidden needs, values, and emotions that drive the conflict. This will help you avoid jumping to conclusions or imposing your own assumptions on the situation.

2 Diversify your team

One way to boost creativity is to bring in different perspectives and experiences to your conflict resolution team. If your team is composed of people who share similar backgrounds, views, or styles, you may be missing out on some valuable insights and ideas. Try to include people who have different roles, skills, cultures, or personalities in your team, and encourage them to share their opinions and suggestions. This will help you broaden your horizons and challenge your assumptions.

3 Brainstorm multiple options

Another way to enhance creativity is to generate as many possible solutions as you can, without judging or evaluating them at first. This will help you avoid settling for the first or most obvious option, and explore alternative or unconventional ways to resolve the conflict. You can use techniques such as mind mapping, lateral thinking, or SCAMPER (substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse) to stimulate your brainstorming process. The goal is to create a list of diverse and varied options that you can later refine and prioritize.

4 Test your assumptions

Once you have a list of potential solutions, you need to test them against reality and see how they would work in practice. Don't rely on your intuition or gut feeling alone, but use evidence and data to support or challenge your assumptions. You can use techniques such as SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), pros and cons lists, or feasibility tests to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each option. This will help you identify the best and most creative solution that meets the needs and interests of the parties involved.

5 Seek feedback and improvement

Finally, you need to seek feedback and improvement on your chosen solution, and be willing to adapt and modify it as needed. Don't assume that you have found the perfect or final solution, but be open to learning from others and from the results of your implementation. You can use techniques such as surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather feedback from the parties involved, or from external experts or stakeholders. You can also use techniques such as PDCA (plan, do, check, act) or SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals to monitor and improve your solution over time.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?