There are many ways to live life. Some people may choose to follow the cooperation, creative solutions or conflict approaches. The route they follow has consequences for both themselves and other people.
Different people follow these approaches in different ways. Let’s explore how they may translate these into action.
The Cooperation Approach
People who follow this approach believe that people can combine their talents to live or work well together. When appropriate, they may then help people to achieve certain common goals.
Such people recognise that many people want similar things in life. These include the needs described in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs – such a food, safety and love.
Some people also want to healthy, hopeful and happy. They may want to be creative, do satisfying work and achieve their picture of success. Some may also want to enjoy a sense of peace.
Imagine that a person is aiming to help people to cooperate. They may do this informally or may have been asked to help others in a specific situation. They may then focus on the themes of common goals, coordination and concrete results.
Common Goals
Such a person may start by gathering information about what happening in a specific situation. This can include focusing on how people are behaving and the consequences.
They may then clarify what people want and the potential picture of success. This can involve them meeting with individuals and taking the following steps.
They clarify what each party wants – the real results they want to achieve – and their specific goals;
They clarify the goals that people have in common and the benefits of achieving these goals;
They clarify the common goals and translate these into a clear picture of success.
Let’s assume they have clarified the potential common goals. They may then move on to the next theme.
Coordination
Such a person may then coordinate people’s efforts to achieve their goals. The way they do this will depend on their role in the personal or professional situation.
A professional worker or a respected person may have the authority to help in certain situations. A leader, manager or mediator may also have the ability to coordinate people’s efforts to achieve their aims.
Imagine that a person has such authority. They may then explore the following questions in order to help people to in the situation.
What are the common goals that people want to achieve and what will be the benefits of achieving this picture of success?
What are the key strategies that we can follow to increase the chances of achieving the picture of success?
How can we coordinate people’s efforts to do our best to achieve the picture of success?
Let’s assume that a person is helping people to work towards the agreed common goals. They may then focus on the next theme.
Concrete Results
Such a person will do their best to help people to achieve their goals. Different people will do this in different ways. One approach is for them to take the following steps.
They help people to get some early successes because this helps to build confidence.
They help people: a) to keep build on what is working; b) to, when appropriate, find solutions to any challenges.
They help people to keep encouraging each other, continue to set goals and work towards achieving their picture of success.
People who follow the cooperation approach believe it is possible for people to coordinate their efforts to achieve common goals. They may do this informally or, when appropriate, in professional situations.
Different people do this in different ways. Sometimes they may embody elements of the following approach.
The Creative
Solutions Approach
People who follow this approach aim to find creative solutions to challenges. Some enjoy doing this in their own lives. Some may also do it in their professional lives.
Such people aim to gather information about a situation. They explore the possible ways forward, settle on their chosen option and then work towards getting positive results.
Different people follow this approach in different ways. Some use the Three C model for finding solutions. This involves them focusing on the following themes.
Clarity
They start by establishing clarity. They clarify the real results to achieve in the situation and translate these into a clear picture of success. They also clarify the benefits of achieving these results.
Creativity
They clarify the possible options going forwards together with the pluses and minuses of each route. They also explore any other potential creative solutions.
Concrete Results
They settle on their chosen route – or combination of routes – and translate this into an action plan. They get some early wins, focus on continuous improvement and work to achieve the picture of success.
Some people who follow this approach may also act as mediators in certain situations. They then aim to help to people to – as far as possible – get win-win solutions. These are more likely to achieve long term success rather than those that are based on win-lose or lose-lose.
Good mediators use their individual strengths to help people find solutions. Many of them, however, focus on the following themes.
This approach may sound idealistic but, providing people are prepared to work together, it is often possible to make it work. It calls for finding and building on common ground, however, and then finding creative solutions to challenges.
This is a positive way forwards. Human beings need to find win-win solutions in order to live and work together. Win-lose will just lead to more conflict in the future. Win-win is vital for both people and the planet.
As mentioned earlier, some people try to follow the cooperation approach or the creative solutions approach. Some people choose to follow another way.
The Conflict Approach
Some people seem addicted to conflict. They get a kick from setting up fights, being callous or hurting other people. They create situations where they aim to win and other people lose.
Different people do this for different reasons. Some want to feel powerful. Some want to control others. Some feel angry or resentful. Some want to lead their own cult and scapegoat others who are different.
Such people are often emotions driven. They believe that they are right and others – or the world – is wrong. They then look for confirmation to justify their beliefs.
Some are like addicts. They often feel more alive when fighting battles. They can never get enough, however, and are constantly looking for other fights. Unfortunately this can create lots of collateral damage.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of the cooperation or creative solutions approach? How can you do this in your own way?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Concrete Results
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