Conflict Management HAS 3230

Benefits for us… Reduced stress Get more done Feel better Stay out of trouble

Benefits for company… Retain top performers Creativity and innovation Improved productivity Stay out of trouble

Objectives Understand why conflict happens Change your perspective Identify three most common workplace conflict situations

Objectives Identify five different ways people deal with conflict Use “Everybody Wins” approach Take personal responsibility for dealing with conflict

“Everybody Win” Everybody tells it like they see it Get everything on the table Focus on the future

Causes of Conflict Constant change Stress of doing more with less Confusion over responsibilities Misscommunication

Three common types Peer-to-peer Work-team Manager-to-employee

Conflict Responses Competition (win/lose) Avoidance (lose/lose) Accommodation (lose/win) Compromise (lose/lose) Collaboration (win/win)

Emotions are Contagious We influence each other Transmission of mood is powerful Carl Jung… Collective mechanism

Group Heart Research example Good spreads more powerfully Groups more effective

Questions to ask… What common goals do we have? What has worked? What hasn’t worked? What baggage do you need to let go of? Anything else on your mind? What needs to happen right now?

“Working with EI” example Calm down and tune in Show a willingness to work things out State your own point of view Find equitable ways to resolve the dispute

Influence Skilled at winning people over Find-tune presentations Use complex strategies Orchestrate dramatic events Arouse specific emotions

Strategies Impression management Appeals to reason/fact Dramatic arguments Coalitions/support Emphasizing information

Build Rapport Empathy

Failure to Convince Failure to get “buy-in” Reliance on familiar strategy Bullheaded promotion Being ignored Negative impact

Reading the signs What matters most to the other party?