Conflict Resolution Management Skills

Introduction

Conflict is an inevitable part of work. We have all seen situations where people with different goals and needs have clashed, and we have all witnessed the intense personal animosity that can result. And how you handle that conflict determines whether it works to the team’s advantage or contributes to its demise. When you resolve it effectively, you can also eliminate many of the hidden problems that it brought to the surface.

Understanding and appreciating the various viewpoints involved in conflict are key factors in its resolution. These are key skills for all team members to develop.

Learning Outcomes / Benefits

After this training workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand what conflict is
• Increase positive information flow through non-verbal and verbal communication skills
• Possess ways to manage conflicts to enhance productivity and performance
• Recognize how your own attitudes and actions impact others
• Understand the causes of workplace tension: Bell and Hart’s Eight Causes of Conflict
• Use the ‘Interest-based Relational’ approach to resolve conflict
• Resolve team conflict – by facing your differences
• Clarify needs during negotiations to resolve conflicts

Key Content

Module 1: Defining Conflict

• What Conflict Is?
  • Positives and Negatives of conflict
• Types of Conflict: 3 main types
  1. Inner
  2. Interpersonal
  3. Group
• Open Conflict vs Hidden Conflict
  • Exploratory discussion on open conflict and hidden conflict
• Complete a self-assessment to analyse how you currently handle conflict and how you might be able to improve.

Module 2: Understanding The Causes Of Workplace Conflict

• Eight Causes of Conflict:
  1. Conflicting resources
  2. Conflicting styles
  3. Conflicting perceptions
  4. Conflicting goals
  5. Conflicting pressures
  6. Conflicting roles
  7. Different personal values
  8. Unpredictable policies
• What Can You Do to Avoid and Resolve Each Type of Conflict?
  • Techniques
  • Personality Test – to understand working styles
  • Navigate office politics
  • Negotiation skill
  • Use a Team Charter to crystallize roles, responsibilities and focus on objectives
  • Ethical leadership
  • Communicate ‘why the rules are there’
• Practical Exercises

Module 3: Conflict Resolution

• The Three-Step Conflict Resolution Model
  1. Research
  2. Presentation
  3. Take-Action
• Use the ‘Interest-Based Relational’ Approach
  • Positive Behaviours:
    • Listen actively and empathetically
    • Understand body basics
    • Emotionally intelligent
    • Employ different anger management techniques
• Exercise: Putting the IBR Approach into practice

Module 4: Resolving Team Conflict

• Build Stronger Teams
  • Face your differences: 3-stage process
    1. Prepare for resolution
    2. Understand the situation
    3. Reach agreement
• Clarifying Needs During Negotiations
  • The ‘Onion’ model of conflict resolution
    • How to apply the model
• Activity: The Conflict Opportunity Test

Target Audience

• Managers
• Executives
• Supervisors
• Team Leads

Methodology

Interactive guided sharing; Self-assessment of conflict resolution style; Practical exercises; Exploratory discussions; Learning activities.