Third Side Skills
No matter what Third Side role you favor or take within a conflict there are 3S skills that are useful to any thirdsider. There are three key sets of skills: Seeing from the Thirdside, Listening from the Third Side and Speaking from the Third Side.
See from the Third Side
When we take the 3S we are often trying to influence the situation. The truth is, we can’t even hope to influence other people unless we can influence ourselves. The first challenge we face is to gain perspective.
Listen from the Third Side
We tend to view ourselves as “in the right” when engaged in a conflict. Our internal judgments & biases can interfere with our ability to understand the differing perspectives in a conflict & therefore can make it difficult to find a solution that everyone can accept. In order to explore for possible agreement we need to learn to listen to all perspectives and consider the whole picture.
Speak from the Third Side
The words and actions we choose influence the conflicts around us. Speaking from the Third Side has the power to transform potentially violent conflicts into opportunities for collaboration. Once you have gained a view of the whole situation, it is easier to suggest that the parties involved work together to create a solution.