Over 20-years working as a secondary teacher, lawyer, mediator, workplace facilitator and conflict coach, I have learned that conflict is a necessary and unavoidable reality of every workplace. It is not necessarily conflict in its own right that causes issues, but more the way we as humans experience, approach and respond to conflict that can lead to difficulties for us and the people around us.
Over time I have developed my approach to conflict resolution and coaching to help individuals and teams reframe their relationship with conflict, to experience and respond to conflict in an intentional and meaningful way.
Using principles from a range of coaching and mediation models, I work with individuals and teams to build knowledge and understanding of conflict, the way it manifests in behaviour and help people gain insight into their own conflict behaviours and triggers. I teach clients and workshop participants a practical step by step framework to break down and approach conflict, so that they can experience and respond to conflict in a helpful and intentional way.
Over many years working in conflict resolution and coaching, I’ve come to understand some fundamental truths about conflict:
This realisation inspired me to develop The PARC Program, a simple yet flexible framework to support and guide people to reframe and transform their relationship with conflict.
Often in conflict, our body and brain’s automatic responses can take over, leading us to react in ways that aren’t always helpful. These responses are shaped by our own experiences and observations of conflict through life, reinforcing beliefs and behaviours over time through observation and experimentation on what feels effective, uncomfortable or rewarding.
The simple, flexible framework offered through The PARC Program offers a steadying guide helping us to pause, acknowledge our experience and make intentional choices aligned with our values; to understand and acknowledge our experience so we can choose how we ‘show up’ in our personal and professional relationships.
No two interpersonal conflicts are the same; each is shaped by the people involved, their personal beliefs, behaviours and experiences and the content or subject matter of the issues between them.
The PARC Program framework guides and supports people to work through conflict while allowing flexibility in how its tools and skills are used. It can be adapted to suit individual needs, styles and the unique context of each situation. The PARC framework offers structure without rigidity, supporting intentional, values-based responses while making space for the complexity and nuance of real-life conflict and the people involved.
Real and meaningful change in organisations and schools is sustained through a shared framework, where transformation and growth can truly take root and flourish, leading to embedded cultural change that shapes how conflict is understood and addressed over time.
The PARC Program offers a consistent, values-driven approach that:
By adopting The PARC Program framework, organisations support a culture where conflict is seen as an opportunity to openly communicate, realign with shared values, strengthen relationships and understanding and move to meaningful, future focussed solutions. It models constructive ways to engage with conflict that prioritise collaboration and problem solving, building a culture of connected professional relationships, meaningful exchange and continuous learning.
Kris would love the chance to talk with you and hear about your organisation’s or school’s needs