WILLIAM URY: THE WALK FROM «NO» TO «YES» (00:00 – 07:53)
Before you watch
William Ury is a mediator, writer and speaker, working with conflicts ranging from family feuds to boardroom battles to ethnic wars.
Vocabulary Notes
propensity for — tendency to a particular kind of behavior
While you watch
Identify the message of the talk (in one sentence).
While watching, pay attention to the following words and expressions in context. Use them in your answers to the questions below and discussion.
to look at the situation through fresh eyes
human propensity for conflict
human genius at devising weapons of enormous destruction
the surrounding community around a conflict
to be involved as a facilitator in tough talks
to feel personally involved in the story
to have a personal stake in the story
After you watch
- William Ury tells 3 stories to illustrate his idea of solving conflicts. Give the gist of these stories.
Discuss the following:
In pairs discuss how the third side can help solve a conflict. Is it only professional mediators that can settle a conflict? Can ordinary people contribute to its peaceful settlement? Do ordinary people usually play a constructive or rather a destructive role in conflicts (ethnic, international, political, etc.). Think of the examples to illustrate your position.