M F R  COMMUNICATION  TOOLS

Guides you can read download or print 

Conflict is a natural and inevitable feature of the human condition.  How you handle these conflicts can deeply affect your relationships, particularly with those who rent, manage, own or regulate housing.  Your communication and negotiation skills can make an enormous difference in working through differences creatively, reaching agreements you want, and strengthening vital ongoing relationships.

We want to help you to improve your communication and negotiation skills and we offer these free written guides or exercises to put you on the right track.  Please click on any of the materials you want to read download or print.  And if you print or share these resources all we ask is that you make sure that our information is visible on each page:  

Provided by Mediation For Results www.mediationforresults.org

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 Select a guide from a Section below 

 or to see a list of All Guides click here (all files are in Microsoft Word format)

Communication can easily escalate into messy conflict when you don’t really understand the other person. Here are some tools to help you understand another person’s version of things and ways to let them know that you understand. And remember, "understanding" does not mean you agree!

(1) PHRASES FOR ACTIVE LISTENING

(2) ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS- 10 TIPS

(3) ASKING QUESTIONS 

Most people approach negotiations by stating and then defending their positions. Interest-based negotiation is a smarter approach that digs deeper that just demanding or defending.  The following materials can help parties in conflict to explore ways of shifting from positions to interests in order to improve the conditions for effective conflict resolution.

(1) MOVING FROM POSITIONS TO INTERESTS

(2) POSITIONS AND INTERESTS EXERCISE

Sometimes the toughest part of working out a problem is trying to find the “right” way to say something so that people will keep talking!  The following materials can help you to “frame” or present issues in a way that can be discussed or in a way that can avoid escalating a conflict:

(1) GOOD OPENING LINES

(2) FRAMING PROBLEMS OR ISSUES

(3) USING I STATEMENTS

(1) EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

Many of the problems and challenges associated with running and participating in meetings can be prevented through good preparation   This mini-guide will highlight some important steps to take before, during and after a meeting that can make your meetings a success.

(2) SETTING DIRECTION FOR YOUR GROUP

Developing a group that can make decisions, take action and follow through can be quite wonderful and challenging.    The following document offers a brief planning overview for how to develop groups.   It examines mission statements, goal-setting and meeting goals.

List of Guides

ACTIVE LISTENING PHRASES

 GOOD OPENING LINES

  MOVING FROM POSITIONS TO INTERESTS.

 POSITIONS AND INTERESTS EXERCISE

 ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS- 10 TIPS

 ASKING QUESTIONS

 FRAMING PROBLEMS OR ISSUES

 USING I STATEMENTS

 EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

 SETTING A DIRECTION FOR YOUR GROUP