How can you use networking to stay up-to-date with the latest conflict resolution trends?

1 Identify your goals

Before you start networking, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you want to grow as a conflict resolution practitioner. Do you want to learn new skills, expand your knowledge, find new opportunities, or get feedback on your work? Do you want to connect with people who have similar or complementary interests, backgrounds, or perspectives? Do you want to join a specific community, organization, or network? Having a clear and realistic goal will help you focus your networking efforts and find the right people to connect with.

4 Seek out mentors and mentees

One of the most rewarding aspects of networking is finding mentors and mentees who can help you grow as a conflict resolution practitioner. Mentors are people who have more experience, knowledge, or skills than you and who can guide you, challenge you, or inspire you. Mentees are people who have less experience, knowledge, or skills than you and who can benefit from your guidance, support, or encouragement. You can seek out mentors and mentees by reaching out to people who have similar or different goals, interests, or backgrounds as you, by asking for recommendations from your network, or by joining formal or informal mentoring programs or initiatives. You can also be both a mentor and a mentee at the same time, as you can always learn from and teach others.

5 Be open to new ideas and perspectives

Networking is also a great way to expose yourself to new ideas and perspectives that can enrich your understanding and practice of conflict resolution. You can learn from people who have different approaches, methods, or frameworks for resolving disputes, who have worked in different contexts, cultures, or settings, or who have faced different challenges, opportunities, or dilemmas. You can also challenge your own assumptions, biases, or habits and discover new ways of thinking, acting, or communicating. You can do that by being curious, respectful, and receptive to what others have to say, by asking for feedback or input on your work, by participating in discussions or debates, or by trying new tools or techniques.

6 Evaluate your outcomes and adjust your strategy

Finally, you need to evaluate your outcomes and adjust your strategy accordingly. You need to assess whether your networking efforts are helping you achieve your goals and stay up-to-date with the latest conflict resolution trends. You can do that by reflecting on what you have learned, gained, or contributed through your network, by measuring your progress or performance, by seeking feedback or testimonials from your contacts, or by comparing your results with your expectations. You can also identify your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities and threats, and your gaps and needs as a conflict resolution practitioner. Based on your evaluation, you can adjust your strategy by setting new or revised goals, finding new or different platforms or events, engaging more or less actively or authentically, seeking more or fewer mentors or mentees, being more or less open to new ideas or perspectives, or evaluating more or less frequently or rigorously.

7 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?