By Bridgette Hall/reporter

Issues arise, so a South Campus academic advisor offered assistance Feb. 3 in dealing with them.

In Conflict Resolution, Carl Scherrieb hit on personal as well as legal conflicts that may arise in a person’s lifetime.

The most recommended style of conflict resolution is cooperation, Scherrieb said.

When a conflict occurs, one should try one of the following resolution methods: negotiation, mediation, diplomacy or peace-building.

“There is a fine line between being a doormat and giving in,” he said.

Scherrieb said “personal struggles” led him to a career in mediation.

“When two parties are having a legal dispute, the first option is to have them go to a mediator,” he said.

The mediator has no stake in the issue and will not take a side. Both sides say what they want, Scherrieb said, and the mediator will then ask smart and direct questions to resolve the issue.

“You have to ask yourself what are you willing to accept and what are you not willing to accept and then make the proper adjustments,” he said.

Scherrieb compared negotiating to sports.

“Caucus negotiating is like playing a game of volleyball or badminton or something,” he said. “It’s kind of back and forth like yes, no, yes, no.”

Scherrieb described a personal experience with a former supervisor and explained how he resolved the issue by using his conflict resolution skills.