Overview

Course Description

Competing Interest, clashing personalities, and limited resources mean that disagreements at work are inevitable. However, they don’t have to be a source of unhealthy tension. How you approach conflict can make the difference between a negative outcome and a productive one. This course explains how conflicts happen and identifies a straightforward process for addressing them. The class is very hands on: participants engage in numerous discussions and exercises related to identifying conflict, planning responses, and resolving conflict. Topics include:  

• Identify common causes of conflict
• Identify beneficial versus destructive conflict
• Explore your options for handling a disagreement
• Prepare for a difficult conversation
• Manage your and your counterpart’s emotions
• Power, influence, politics, and negotiating aspects of conflict resolution
• Develop a resolution and rebuild trust
• Know when to walk away

Prerequisites

A basic familiarity with the subject matter is helpful, but not required.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Identify and Prepare for Conflict

• Types of Conflict
  • Emotional, Cognitive, Resources, Personality, Others
• Disadvantages and Advantages of Conflict
• Physiological and Emotional Consequences of Conflict
• Theories of Conflict
  • Levels of Conflict (S. Leas)
  • Limited Resources
  • Equity Theory
  • Systems Theory and Differing Stakeholder Goals
  • Personality Conflict
• Sources of Organizational Conflict
• Conflict Between People, Within a Group, Between Groups
• Options for Handling Conflict
• Conflict and Cultural Factors

Lesson 2: Manage a Conflict

• Assess the Situation
• Get Ready for the Conversation
• Take a Conflict Resolution Preference Survey
• Conflict Resolution Techniques (Blake and Mouton):
  • Problem Solving
  • Compromising
  • Smoothing
  • Withdrawing
  • Forcing
  • Other Methods
• Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
  • Win-Win Negotiations
  • Win-Lose Negotiations
  • Tactics: Missing Man
  • Tactics: Meet in the Middle
  • Tactics: Limited Authority
  • Tactics: Competition
  • Tactics: Deadline
  • Tactics: Legitimacy
  • Tactics: Precedent
  • Tactics: Others
• Legal Considerations and Conflict Resolution
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Litigation
• Power, Influence, Persuasion and Conflict Resolution
  • Sources of Power
  • Influence versus Power
  • Ethical Considerations of Power, Influence, and Persuasion
  • The Reality of Politics and Tactics
• Choose the Appropriate Setting
• Have a Productive Conversation
  • Body Language
  • Pitch, Tone, Volume
  • Listening Skills
  • Paraphrasing, Clarifying, and Summarizing

Lesson 3: Resolve a Conflict

• Agree on the Resolution
• Plan the Resolution in Detail
• Protect the Relationship, and Rebuild the Relationship, as Necessary
• Navigate Common Situations
• Assessing Lessons Learned Related to Conflict Management