Let’s Work It Out: Resolving Group Conflict Leadership Development Series

Let’s Discuss Communication Styles Communication Styles Conflict Management Styles Conflict Management Styles Resolution Vocabulary Resolution Vocabulary Conflict Resolution Do’s and Don’ts Conflict Resolution Do’s and Don’ts Conflict Scenario Exercise Conflict Scenario Exercise

Conflict Tips for Leaders Your willingness to appropriately intervene sets the stage for your own success Your willingness to appropriately intervene sets the stage for your own success Be respectful, be understanding, commit to action Be respectful, be understanding, commit to action You must own some of the responsibility You must own some of the responsibility

Communication Styles Assertive Communication Assertive Communication Healthiest and most effective Healthiest and most effective Represents a high self-esteem Represents a high self-esteem Aggressive Communication Aggressive Communication Always involves manipulation Always involves manipulation Uses intimidation or guilt Uses intimidation or guilt Passive Communication Passive Communication Based on compliance and avoidance Based on compliance and avoidance Passive-Aggressive Communication Passive-Aggressive Communication Avoids confrontation but attempts to get even Avoids confrontation but attempts to get even

Conflict Management Styles Cooperative Problem Solving Cooperative Problem Solving Enables people to work together so everyone wins Enables people to work together so everyone wins Competing Competing Puts his/her needs before everyone else’s Puts his/her needs before everyone else’s Compromising Compromising Satisfies some but not all Satisfies some but not all Avoiding Avoiding Do not get involved in conflict Do not get involved in conflict Accommodating Accommodating Put their interests last, give others what they want Put their interests last, give others what they want

Resolution Vocabulary Communicate Communicate Talking things out Talking things out Negotiate Negotiate When people decide to work things out themselves When people decide to work things out themselves Mediate Mediate An outside person helps people work it out An outside person helps people work it out Arbitrate Arbitrate An outside person solves the problem An outside person solves the problem

Mediating Don’ts Avoid the conflict hoping it will go away Avoid the conflict hoping it will go away Meet separately with the people in conflict Meet separately with the people in conflict Believe that the only people affected by the conflict are the participants Believe that the only people affected by the conflict are the participants

Mediating Do’s Meet with the antagonists together Meet with the antagonists together Ask each participant to describe specific actions they would like the other party to take Ask each participant to describe specific actions they would like the other party to take Have all participants commit to making changes Have all participants commit to making changes Assure both parties that you believe they can solve the issue Assure both parties that you believe they can solve the issue Set a time to review progress Set a time to review progress

Conflict Scenario Your organization has a large event planned and you have divided into committees to handle all of the tasks. Two committee chairs have had a recent falling out about something not related to the group and the drama has seeped into the group. They say mean things about each other and are competing to recruit members to their committees. Your members have noticed and bring it to your attention. The group is slowly dividing as some members have chosen sides and some have stopped attending meetings because of the stress. As the leader, what do you do now?