With real-life examples and lots of laughter, these two middle school students at Malik Academyshare their insights into solving problems peacefully.
"When you talk to someone, it's better than fighting, because...when you fight, it doesn't really solve the conflict," says Mohamed.
How do you convince the other person in a conflict to have a positive dialogue? Mujadid recommends using self-management skills to "keep calm" and try to see things from different perspectives.
Mohamed and Mujadid's list of simple steps for talking it out—"go to a quiet room, bring the other person, [talk about] how they feel, and then ask them why they feel that way"—mirrors the advice of leading experts engaged in social-emotional research at Harvard University. Mohamed suggests involving a mediator to diffuse tension.
Effective communication is critical for present and future leaders.
Mohamed shares, "[Leadership] is a big step...you have to be responsible, you have to be everything if you want to be a leader."