0. REDUCING CONFLICT IN THE WORK PLACE

1. Purpose The goal of this presentation is
to assist you in learning the principles of successful conflict management
to help you apply those principles to workplace and personal situations

2. Learning Objectives Identify & understand conflicting situations
Clarify the conflict management process
Utilize effective strategies and communication techniques for conflict management

3. Conflicting Situations
Defining Conflict
Potential Consequences of Conflict
Sources of Conflict
The Conflict Cycle

4. Defining Conflict Conflict is defined as a condition
in which the concerns of
two or more parties appear
to be incompatible.

5. Defining Conflict Fight or Coercion Threatening Shouting
Withholding support
Ignoring Communication
Avoiding Personal Conflict
Polarizing the workplace
Filing a grievance
Flight or Distancing
Crying
Anxiety or panic
Closed body language
No eye contact

6. Consequences of Conflict
Conflict has positive or negative effects,
depending upon
how we view it
how we deal with it

7. Positive Consequences of Conflict
Helps to confront issues
Increases energy for decision making
Improves the quality of problem solving
Facilitates better Relationships
Enhances our own self-awareness
Generates creative solutions
Makes life more interesting
Brings enjoyment in our lives

8. Negative Consequences of Conflict
Involves the possibility of winners and losers
Decreases teamwork, morale, and collaboration
Uses up resources

9. Sources of Conflict Poor Communication Unclear Jurisdiction
Differences of Goals
Differences in Styles
Differences in Values
Differences in Opinions
Conflict of Interest
Use of the Same
Divergent Persons
Differences of Needs

10. THE CONFLICT CYCLE Beliefs and Attitudes About Conflict
Consequence
Conflict Occurs
Your Response
To Conflict

11. Conflict Management Process
Identifying Conflict “Something is going on”
Analyze the Conflict “ What management option will work”
Goal Setting “What short & long term outcomes I do want ?”
Deciding “How specifically to approach the conflict”
Implementation I am using conflict management strategies

12. Conflict Management Process
IDENTIFYING CONFLICT
Pay attention to:
any symptoms and behaviors
of another person
your own internal reactions
to situations and people

13. Conflict Management Process
ANALYZE THE CONFLICT
understand your own position
and emotions
understand position and emotions of the other person

14. Conflict Management Process
GOAL-SETTING
To create positive conflict outcome
take into account
the particular conflict issue
the short-term outcome
the long-term outcome

15. Conflict Management Process
DECIDING
To reach positive conflict outcome,
choose one or more appropriate
conflict management strategies
listed below.
Avoidance/Denial
Competition
Accommodation
Compromise
Collaboration

16. Conflict Management Process
IMPLEMENTATION
You are actually implementing your conflict management strategies

17. Strategies for Conflict Management
Denial/ Avoidance The Turtle
Competition The Shark
Accommodation/Giving In The Teddy Bear
Collaboration The Owl
Compromise The Fox

18. Conflict Management Strategies
DENIAL/AVOIDANCE

19. Conflict Management Strategies
DENIAL/AVOIDANCE
Denial - There is no conflict in progress
Avoidance - Conscious decision to
“do nothing”

20. Conflict Management Strategies
DENIAL/AVOIDANCE
It is appropriate to use when
“doing nothing” will not damage
an ongoing relationship
you are not interested in maintaining or
creating a relationship with the other party
“doing nothing” will not result in additional
problems down the road
the cost of doing something outweigh
any benefits you anticipate

21. Conflict Management Strategies
DENIAL/AVOIDANCE
It is NOT appropriate to use when
the conflict issue is important to you
or to the other party
you value the relationship with the other party and believe doing nothing will affect it in the long haul

22. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPETITION

23. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPETITION
The key component of this strategy are:
the use of power and influence
it creates win/lose outcome

24. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPETION
It is appropriate to use when
a decision needs to be made immediately or disaster will result
you have more power and influence than
the other party
the stakes are high
you cannot live without achieving your goal
you are absolutely sure you are correct
you are in position of formal power

25. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPETION
It is NOT appropriate to use when
the stakes are low and the issue is
not important
you will need ongoing cooperation with the other party over time
you cannot afford to lose completely

26. Conflict Management Strategies
ACCOMMODATION/ GIVING IN

27. Conflict Management Strategies
ACCOMMODATION/ GIVING IN
It means that
you stop pursuing your “issue goal,”
stop resisting what the other party wants

28. Conflict Management Strategies
ACCOMMODATION/ GIVING IN
It is appropriate to use when
the conflict issue is not important to you
your major concern is having a smooth
long-term relationship with the other party
the other party has a lot more power and
control over the situation
you know you are likely to lose if you use
a “stronger” approach

29. Conflict Management Strategies
ACCOMMODATION/ GIVING IN
It is NOT appropriate to use when
the issues is very important to you
you will carry resentment if you give in
you always give in to a specific party
in a relationship
your role is such where you have to establish
some sense of authority

30. Conflict Management Strategies
COLLABORATION

31. Conflict Management Strategies
COLLABORATION
It means to work together cooperatively
to identify a solution which is often
a creative and harder-to-find-solution(s)
so that both parties WIN.
This strategy is the most time consuming
since it involves in-depth discussion
of the problem, analysis and a great deal
of communication between the parties

32. Conflict Management Strategies
COLLABORATION
It is appropriate to use when
there is enough time to undertake
a longer process
an immediate decision may not be required
team and relationship building is a high priority
both parties have strong commitments to
their goals AND maintaining good relationships
in the future

33. Conflict Management Strategies
COLLABORATION
It is NOT appropriate to use when
a decision is needed immediately
there is insufficient time to work in
a collaborative way
one party insists on using a competitive strategy
the importance of the conflict issue is minimal
the time to collaborate can’t be justified

34. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPROMISE

35. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPROMISE
It involves an attempt to come to some solution
which is mutually acceptable to both parties,
but does not completely satisfy both parties.
Each party gives up some of their needs, so that
a decision can be made.

36. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPROMISE
It is acceptable to use when
there is some wiggle-room on both sides and each party can give up a little
there is not enough time to develop more
creative solutions
investment in the issues on both sides is not
too high

37. Conflict Management Strategies
COMPROMISE
It is NOT acceptable to use when
any compromise solution is bound to be disastrous
either or both parties may carry resentment about
not getting what they want
the other party is clearly not interested in
compromise
the other party is imposing power

38. Cooperative Communication Techniques
There are several techniques that are
effective in both preventing and/or dealing
with conflict situations.
They are as following
Active or Reflective Listening
Empathy Statements
Assertive Statements
Responsiveness

39. Cooperative Communication Techniques
ACTIVE /REFLECTIVE LISTENING
It involves taking what someone
says to you, and rephrasing it
or paraphrasing it so that
the person knows you heard
and understood them.

40. Cooperative Communication Techniques
ACTIVE /REFLECTIVE LISTENING
The guidelines for using listening techniques
are as following:
the tone used in paraphrasing is important
there is a limit on the power of listening
there is a skill to paraphrasing
the timing of active listening is important

41. Cooperative Communication Techniques
EMPATHY RESPONSES
These responses are ways of reacting to
someone that shows that we understand
and can relate to their situation, particularly
on an emotional level.

42. Cooperative Communication Techniques
EMPATHY RESPONSES
The guidelines for use empathy responses are
as following:
congruence of the words, the tone of voice,
and non-verbals is important
response must be accurate, so you prove
you understand
responses need to be used with other things

43. Cooperative Communication Techniques
ASSERTIVE STATEMENTS
It provides us with a means of
expressing our own feelings and
needs in a non-aggressive and
non-passive way.

44. Cooperative Communication Techniques
ASSERTIVE STATEMENTS
The guidelines for using assertive statements
are as following:
many people will not react positively to it
state the practical effect of person’s behavior
the timing of assertive request is critical

45. Cooperative Communication Techniques
RESPONSIVENESS
Responsiveness means speaking or acting
in a way that RESPONDS to the wants and needs
of the other person.
It goes beyond listening and empathy, because it
also shows you are prepared to ACT on that
understanding.

46. Cooperative Communication Techniques
RESPONSIVENESS
The guidelines to use responsiveness are
as following:
listen carefully to determine possible action
check out your hypothesis with the other person
once the other person has confirmed your
hypothesis about their needs, offer what you can do
do what you say
check back after you complete your action
repeat the cycle as necessary

47. Summary
Identified & provided better understanding of conflicting situations
Clarified the conflict management process
Discussed effective strategies and communication techniques for conflict management

48. Summary Use SAFE Approach: S ecure open communication
A cknowledge individual behavioral strategies
F acilitate skill training
E ngage in resolution of issues

49. Reducing Conflict in the Workplace
Contact Your Employee Assistance Program
available by phone consultation
available to help with conflict resolutions
available to help with stress management, and work and family problems