3.+Perspective+Taking

A few reminders for the perspective unit: concentrate on skills like understanding the main idea, supporting details and author's viewpoint! Let me know if you need any help! Coach Brown

**Perspective Taking** by Craig Runde, Tim Flanagan The first element of effective Perspective Taking is understanding the content of how situation a looks from the other’s point of view. Checking for understanding in this manner is a wonderful way to demonstrate Perspective Taking.

The second element of effective Perspective Taking is the ability to convey empathy toward one’s conflict partner. Considering how emotional conflicts can be, this behavior is critically necessary and undeniably challenging. It requires the leader to not only get “into the shoes” of the other person, but more accurately, get “into the heart and soul” of the other person. And it requires the ability to put the need for acknowledgement of one’s own emotions on hold. We suggest that for empathy to be most effective, the feeling must not only be understood, but it must be accurately labeled. The accuracy, of course, is judged by the person who owns the feelings. During a conflict, this can be tricky business.

The essence of Perspective Taking is demonstrating understanding. In conflict, when one conveys an understanding of another’s point of view or feelings, it begins to loosen the jam of opposing positions. It quite literally shows a respect for the other’s comprehension of a situation or response to it. When we are asked to work with those who are in conflict, we coach them to focus on Perspective Taking to the satisfaction of their opponent. In other words, the goal of Perspective Taking becomes the conveyance of the conflict partner’s position or emotions so well that the parties are convinced that there is a shared understanding. When this occurs, the chance that the conflict can result in a constructive outcome, though not assured, is extraordinarily improved. Posted by D Tejada