Responding vs. Reacting: Navigating Conflict with Skill (Justice in Practice series #3)

The Annual Community Meet 2024 brought together community organizers from around the world. Attendees were inspired by speakers who shared their experiences and insights. The event fostered connection and collaboration among participants, leaving them motivated to continue their work in their own communities. Watch the recordings of these two events here.

When tension arises, how do we lead from a place of integrity rather than reactivity? In this session, we explored how to recognize emotional triggers and build the internal capacity to stay grounded in the face of conflict. Through reflection and guided practice, we explored how to reconnect when relationships feel strained, laying the foundation for trust, empathy, and repair. This is about becoming the kind of leader who builds bridges, even in moments of rupture.

The session was led by Abel R. Cano, founder of The Arc of Change, leadership expert and trainer.

This session is adapted from Session 3 of The Liberation Lab: A Course on Agency, Identity, and Restoration, a program to explore democratic public leadership, focusing on reflection, restoration, and race dynamics, developed by Arc of Change LLC and led by trainers Abel Cano and Kortni Malone.

This session is part of the learning series Practicing Justice as Coaches & Trainers, intended for coaches & trainers of the People, Power, Change framework.