1. Conflict Resolution: Discovering Your Style and Constructively Addressing Differences Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Workshop Adriana Medina, Ph.D. San Diego, CA February 3, 2007

2. Find Your Place in the Continuum… I love conflict, I can’t get enough of it! I avoid conflict at all costs. There’s nothing worse.

3. When I think of conflict I think of… Conflict

4. Reflection How do the members of your group see conflict? Were the opinions similar, different, mixed? Was there anything surprising about your colleagues’ ways of looking at conflict?

5. When Do We Find Conflict? When differences in interests, needs, and values among people impede or hinder the resolution of a problem. When feelings are hurt.

6. Conflict Conflict may result from power struggles at all levels (from individuals to nations). We may get into conflict when we feel that our identity is threatened.

7. Individual Conflict Style The patterned behavior we exhibit in conflict situations around how we express disagreements and how we express emotion toward the other party. (Hammer)

8. Intercultural Conflict Style A culture group manner for dealing with disagreements and communicating emotion. (Hammer)

9. Pay Attention To Your: Communication style Emotions’ display or lack of it Values

10. Plus… How much are you willing to give/negotiate? How flexible are you willing to be?

11. Intercultural Conflict Style Model (Hammer) Discussion Direct Emotionally Restrained Engagement Direct Emotionally Expressive Accommodation Indirect Emotionally Restrained Dynamic Indirect Emotionally Expressive

12. What Are Your Priorities? ReciprocityBeing oneselfCooperationFace-saving SeniorityInterdependencyCompetitionTradition AuthoritySelf-relianceAcceptancePrivacy Social DemocracyEqualityFreedomGroup Harmony Group consensusSelf-interestLife enjoymentHard Work Individual rights FamilyIndependenceFormality SecurityLoyaltyCapitalismObedience DirectnessRelationshipsIndividual AchievementRisk Taking SpeedControlDutyLaw & Order Speaking UpReputationTaking One’s Time Fairness

13. US Values (Cultural Tendencies) Speaking Up Capitalism Control Law & Order SpeedEquality

14. More US Values (Cultural Tendencies) Being OneselfSelf-Reliance Self-InterestIndividual Rights DirectnessCompetition FreedomIndependence Individual AchievementPrivacy Hard WorkFairness

15. Case Study Read the case study Find the apparent sources of misunderstanding What are some things that can be done to bridge the differences?

16. Ask Yourself (Startup List) 1. Why does this bother me? Is it the way s/he is saying it, the situation, or what s/he is saying? 2. What is important to me in this situation? 3. What values of mine are being challenged? 4. What behaviors are being violated? 5. What expectations have been unfulfilled? 6. Can I see things from his/her perspective?

17. Observe, Listen, Understand 1. What is important to the other person? 2. What does this person value? 3. What are his/her expectations about behavior? 4. Is my behavior challenging him/her? 5. Are we really in disagreement? 6. Can I show or explain to him/her my perspective in a way that s/he will listen? What would that entail?

18. Resources The following site can give you a lot of insight! Make sure to visit it: What’s Up with Culture? http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/

19. Thank you and good luck to you!