Conflict transformation is different from the other two, Lederach asserts, because it reflects a better understanding of the nature of conflict itself. In addition, the notion of management suggests that the goal is the reduction or control of volatility more than dealing with the real source of the problem. Conflicts change relationships in predictable ways, altering communication patters and patterns of social organization, altering images of the self and of the other.
Conflict transformation is also a prescriptive concept.
It suggests that left alone, conflict can have destructive consequences. However, the consequences can be modified or transformed so that self-images, relationships, and social structures improve as a result of conflict instead of being harmed by it. Usually this involves transforming perceptions of issues, actions, and other people or groups. Since conflict usually transforms perceptions by accentuating the differences between people and positions, effective conflict transformation can work to improve mutual understanding. Even when people's interests, values, and needs are different, even non-reconcilable, progress has been made if each group gains a relatively accurate understanding of the other.