This document discusses conflict resolution and managing conflict in the workplace. It defines conflict as occurring between interdependent parties who have incompatible goals, interests or desires over limited resources. While conflict can have negative impacts like increased stress and lower productivity, it also has benefits like promoting growth, creativity and understanding. The document provides tips for resolving conflict, including recognizing different perspectives, using questions to understand concerns, listening, addressing issues respectfully, and finding common ground. It emphasizes maintaining rapport, clarifying positions, and having a multi-stage approach to conflict management.

1. Conflict Resolution
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2. Conflict occurs between at least two interdependent
parties.
One party usually has more power.
Each party asserts that they have the right to
limited resources or to a course of action.
What is conflict?

3. Each party can frustrate the desires of the
other(s).
There are often perceptions around incompatibility,
resource allocation and interferences about
achieving their goals.
What is conflict?

4. Conflict resolution is the practice of identifying
and handling conflict in a sensible, fair and
efficient manner.

5. a normal, inescapable part of life
occurs in any relationship from time to time
an opportunity to understand opposing
preferences and values
Life would be boring without conflict!
Conflict is

6. Anger and frustration
Lack of trust
Lack of honesty
Poor decision making
Lack of motivation
Low morale
Absenteeism
Unmet business goals
Indicators of conflict?

7. Increased stress
Increased absence from work
Inappropriate decisions (unclear, unfocused)
Delayed and missed deadlines
Lower productivity
Divisions as people take sides
Time spent in resolution
Attrition
Costs in arbitration, mediation, negotiation
Potential legal costs
Cost of conflict?

8. Promotes growth and learning
Promotes creativity and innovation
Promotes personal development
- Increased self-awareness
- Interpersonal skills
- Mutual understanding
Opens up communication
Develops new perspectives
Broadens horizons
The benefits of conflict?

9. Without healthy conflict, teams cannot reach
their potential
There needs to be a solid foundation of TRUST
Conflict in the workplace

10. Facts – people see things from different view
points
Methods – people have different preferences
around how tasks are done
Goals – people have different objectives and
are working towards different goals
Values – people have different basic values
Sources of conflict

11. Imposing your own goals and priorities
Attacking the legitimacy of others’ position
and priorities
Minimising or ignoring others’ concerns
Suppressing differences
Going through the motions of managing the
difference but refusing to carry it through
Refusing to temporarily remove constraints
Playing politics
Taking things personally
Issues that get in the way

12. How important is this for me?
What is my attitude to conflict?
How important is my relationship to you?
How skilled am I at dealing with conflict?
Do I trust you?
Factors impacting upon conflict

13. Recognise
where you are
where the other person is
where you want to be
what your intent is
which position the other person may
realistically move to
what you need to do or say in order to
allow the other person to move
Dealing with conflict

14. Cycle of Behaviour
My Attitude
Your Attitude
My Behaviour
Your Behaviour

15. Flight Behaviour Strategy
(Intervening)
Maintain rapport throughout
Use questions to uncover concerns
(be persistent but not pushy)
Listen
Empathise
Clarify (Qualify and Quantify)
Address the concerns
Implement the solution or move on

16. Fight Behaviour Strategy
(Disarming)
Maintain rapport throughout
Pace and lead to lower energy
Listen
Empathise – however don’t agree
Clarify (Qualify and Quantify)
Address the concerns
Implement the solution or move on

17. Yes, but ...
This has the potential impact of
- negating the other person’s contribution
- positioning your idea as the right one
The words used can have a big impact
The words used

18. Yes, and ...
The words used can have a big impact
This has the impact of
- affirming the other person’s ideas
- communicating that they have been heard
- building upon their ideas
The words used

19. It is important in conflict resolution to
recognise what you would like to achieve
how you would like to do it
The importance of
I want to maintain
my position
treat the other
person with respect.
I agree their solution
is better than mine
I want to retain
my authority.
The words used

20. STAGE 1:
Adopt a position of
detached objectivity
STAGE 2:
Acknowledge the other
person’s position
STAGE 3:
Clarify understanding of
the other person’s
position
STAGE 4:
Assert your own
interests and needs
STAGE 5:
Identify common ground
STAGE 6:
Plan the next steps
Managing conflict in 6 stages

21. Don’t dwell on conflict symptoms and trace it to
its source
No gender or age effect in conflict handling
How disagreement is expressed influences the
conflict situation
Personalities affect how conflict is managed
Aggression breeds aggression
Challenging and clear goals can defuse conflict
How you handle conflict affects group satisfaction
A few bits of wisdom

22. Emotional Intelligence eLearning
Programmes
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