VALUING EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE: A KEY TO REDUCING CONFLICT AND FOSTERING PEACE IN OUR SOCIETY AND ORGANISATION

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In today's world, conflict is a part of every society. It has both good and bad sides depending on how it is managed. The truth is that wherever two or three are gathered, there is bound to be conflict, and if it is not managed properly and is allowed to escalate, it might be detrimental to the growth of such an organization. We must bear in mind that no organization can achieve her set goals in the face of unresolved conflict. Note, an unresolved conflict is like a time bomb waiting to explode. Understanding that conflict is part of an organization is not really the problem, but knowing the root cause of the conflict and finding a perfect solution is what truly matters.

WHAT IS CONFLICT?

According to Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, New 8th Edition, conflict is "a situation in which people, groups or countries are involved in a serious disagreement or argument." It is also seen as "a situation in which there are opposing ideas, opinions, feelings or wishes, a situation in which it is difficult to choose."

From the above definitions, one will agree that for conflict to occur, it must be between people or groups, and it is crystal clear that there must be opposing ideas, opinions, feelings, or wishes, which are part of the causative factors of conflict. Understanding and managing this situation, where different people have different opinions and points of view, is the important strategy that this write-up focuses on as a factor or strategy of conflict resolution.

Most conflicts in our society or organisations stem from one party failing to see and understand another's point of view or perspective. Understanding and valuing another person's perspective does not mean accepting and doing everything they say, it is simply a matter of giving a listening ear and realizing that 6 and 9 are only different depending on the point from which each person views it. The "I Know It All" (IKIA) mentality breeds conflict in our organizations and society as a whole. Therefore, for conflict to be minimized in our society, families, and different organizations, we must learn to give a listening ear and understand others.

To this end, I like telling people that no one is really right and no one is really wrong, it all depends on how we see, listen, and understand them, because in every nonsense, there is always a sense if and only if you check well. In my dialect, it is said "mkpo ke itie mbio, akpa checking," meaning there is something in the dump site, it is a matter of checking. Therefore, we should all understand that everyone is right in their own way. Schools should teach their students this, managers and leaders of different organizations should understand this, and NGOs who preach peace like Rotary should be given a welcoming hand to go into schools to educate students and teachers on this conflict management strategy.

Conclusion

Conflict is part of life, but violence does not have to be, and it all lies in how we manage each conflict that surfaces before it escalates. If we want a future where communities and organisations thrive in peace, then we must learn to value everyone's perspective, irrespective of their culture, background, political, and religious affiliation. It is time to understand and also teach our children that real strength is not in fighting but in understanding.