Listening

Social-based learning and leadership in school: conflict management training for holistic, relational conflict resolution

Abstract

Navigating conflicts is crucial for promoting positive relationships between pupils, teachers, and parents. The objective of this paper is to present Social- Based Learning and Leadership (SBL), an innovative approach to group dynamics and conflict resolution within the school setting, aiming to foster meaningful relationships and personal and social growth. The methods of SBL focus on group evolution by navigating conflicts rooted in higher needs while balancing the interplay of separation and connection. It proactively embeds prosocial values and conduct into the school culture, with teachers prioritizing the wellbeing of others, fostering shared problem-solving, and positive feedback amid conflicts. Teachers acquire tools to transform the classroom into a “social laboratory” and constructmeaningful partnerships with parents. Practical conflict management within the SBL framework involves dynamic group discussions, shifting fromother blaming to accountability, and reflective group introspection. Experiential learning through crafted case studies and role-plays enhances students’ conflict management skills by fostering perspective-taking and inclusiveness.We conducted a qualitative case study in an SBL training in a school from 2020 to 2023. These conflict management processes allow the school community to reimagine conflict as an invaluable educational opportunity, equipping pupils with essential soft skills for navigating the challenges of the 21st century.
Guy Itzchakov | Sigal Barsade | Arik Cheshin
|
Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology
Fostering a culture of companionate love in the workplace offers numerous benefits for employees, yet the methods for achieving this remain unclear. We propose that high-quality listening, characterized by undivided attention, understanding, and a positive and nonjudgmental intention toward the speaker, could be a key facilitator. We hypothesized that such listening could enhance employees' perceptions of companionate love. Additionally, we hypothesized that an enhanced perception of companionate love would increase employees' subjective well-being, resilience, affective commitment, and willingness to cooperate at work. To examine these hypotheses, we conducted four studies. Study 1 was a preregistered and highly-powered field study (N = 752) involving employees from various organizations. Study 2 (N = 37), was a longitudinal research that included a listening training of 16 hours for teachers in a single school. Study 3 was a quasi-field experiment within a risk-management company, with employees receiving 12 hours of listening education while a waitlist served as a control group (N = 67). Study 4 was a quasi-experiment that served as a conceptual replication and extension of Studies 2 and 3. The study involved listening training for employees in a global communications company, providing 14 hours of online listening training. An active control group (N = 60) was included. Across all studies, we found that feeling listened to by colleagues led to increased perceptions of companionate love in the organization, which, in turn, increased employees' subjective well-being, resilience, affective organizational commitment, and willingness to collaborate. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Keep reading
Eli Vinokur , Avinoam Yomtovian , Guy Itzchakov , Marva Shalev Marom and Liat Baron
|
Listening
Social-based learning and leadership (SBL) is an innovative pedagogical approach that centers on enhancing relationships within the educational system to address 21st-century challenges. At its core, SBL aims to help teachers transform into social architects who nurture positive social processes among pupils. Emphasizing prosocial education, SBL lays the foundation for cultivating pro-environmentalism and sustainable behavior by fostering a sense of care and responsibility toward others. SBL’s prosocial education program encompasses social and emotional skills, knowledge, and dispositions to empower pupils to actively engage in and contribute to a more democratic, reciprocal, just, and sustainable society. This approach underscores the importance of education in shaping students’ mindsets and life orientations. By nurturing a sense of interconnectedness and responsibility for the well-being of others, SBL provides a promising avenue to transform education by building more sustainable educational systems, thus contributing to creating a more sustainable future. A qualitative case study, which consisted of 18 in-depth interviews and nine observations, examined the impact of an SBL-based teacher training program at an elementary school from 2020 to 2023. The results point to changes in teachers’ perceptions of their roles as social architects and, more specifically, as facilitators of social, emotional, and cognitive processes. The teachers gained recognition as meaningful adults from their students and transitioned to hold integral positions as part of a supportive and connected school community, associating with colleagues and parents. This study thus showcases patterns of socio-organizational communication that can unfold in a school influenced by the SBL approach. SBL’s emphasis on positive social relationships and empowering teachers as facilitators of holistic student development thus further reinforces its potential to transform education for a sustainable and thriving future.
Keep reading