“Using email to mediate conflict is like baking a cake without a mixing bowl or an oven. The very ingredients that make reconciliation possible are absent. Reconciliation comes in the context of clear communication, meaningful listening, shared understandings, civility, openness, and a lot of patience. The medium of email inevitably removes these delicate ingredients.”
Shane Hipps, Flickering Pixels
No related posts.
Twitter Updates
Couldn’t agree with the quote more. However, even though I may believe this, live this out, and try to lead other to this, they may not be mature enough, wise enough, too cowardly to meet one on one work through our issues with as much grace as possible. So at the end of the day, I try and serve those I’m in conflict with by working through conflict in the medium that they feel most comfortable with. I’ve even mentioned that I don’t think this is the best “environment” to handle this stuff and see if they would be open to getting together. If they say no, I move on and meet them where they are at.
How are you leading in this arena, Charlie, as the inevitable conflicts rise up for/against the pastor or the church?
@Seth –
Yeah, I hear what you’re saying. I’m thinking of a recent “conflict.” A letter was hand written, and I responded by typing a letter in response, but my response was brief, pointing towards a face-to-face interaction.