Conflict Resolution Persuasion is a key skill for dealing with distressed or difficult clients in any public-facing role and is always part of a good process when de-escalating conflict.
When conflict occurs, your goal is to generate voluntary compliance, cooperation, or collaboration. We call that GVC3.
When you encounter sustained resistance during interaction with somebody, you need a tactic to resolve the situation. The Persuasion Sequence allows you to remain in control of the conversation while encouraging the other person to work with you.
Following the Persuasion Sequence ensures that you’ll look good no matter how the situation ends. It’s intimately linked to the five maxims of communication — principles you may already recognise from earlier training.
💡 Key takeaway: People universally desire to be treated with dignity and to be shown respect. The Persuasion Sequence builds this principle into every step of the process.
The simple idea behind GVC3 is that conflict is more likely to be resolved — and the solution more likely to stick — if the other person cooperates or even collaborates in finding the solution. The Persuasion Sequence is designed to solicit that cooperation while allowing you to settle for mere compliance if the other person remains unwilling.
Step one: make the ask. Formulate a reasonable request and ask the person to do what you need them to do. Keep it simple, clear, and professional.
Step two: set the context. If they continue to resist, explain why you’ve made the request. Set out the rule or policy, explain the reasoning behind it, and then check their understanding of what’s happening.
Step three: offer options. Present a positive option first, then explain any negative consequences if necessary. Restate the positive option and ask for their cooperation.
Step four: the second chance. If you still face resistance, pause and ask yourself — is there anything I can say that would get this person to cooperate? More often than not, there is.
Following the Persuasion Sequence ensures that you’ll look good no matter how the situation ends.
⚠️ When all else fails: In a small number of cases, none of these steps will work. You’ll need to take appropriate action — whether calling for assistance or something more definite. But this is the exception, not the rule.
When you meet significant resistance and the person just won’t do what you ask, use the Persuasion Sequence. It’s a proven framework that keeps you in control while treating the other person with dignity — and that’s what makes the resolution stick.
For the full templates and professional language used in conflict management and influence, visit Vistelar or explore the range of courses available at Dynamis Training.
Gerard O’Dea is a conflict management, personal safety and physical interventions training consultant. He is the training director for Dynamis, a specialist in personal safety and violence reduction initiatives, and the European Adviser for Verbal Defense and Influence — a global programme addressing the spectrum of human conflict. www.dynamis.training
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