Best practice problem-solving and conflict resolution and management processes, tools, techniques and principles

1. 7TH ANNUAL AFRICAN WOMEN
IN ENGINEERING
CONFERENCE
PROBLEM-SOLVING
CHARLES COTTER
HILTON HOTEL, SANDTON
15 JULY 2016
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

2. MINI-WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
 Introduction
 SESSION #1: Problem-solving process
 SESSION #2: Conflict and Anger Management
 Summary and Questions

4. INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
1. How do you put a giraffe into your refrigerator?
2. How do you put an elephant into your refrigerator?
3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All
the animals attend - except one. Which animal does not
attend?
4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by
crocodiles and you do not have a boat. How do you
manage it?

5. CORRECT ANSWERS
 Question 1: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close
the door.
 This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an
overly complicated way.
 Question 2: Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the
elephant, and close the refrigerator? Wrong answer. Correct
answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the
elephant and close the door.
 This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of
your previous actions.

6. CORRECT ANSWERS
 Question 3: The elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You
just put him in there.
 This tests your memory.
 Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions
correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true
abilities.
 Question 4: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you
not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the animal
conference.
 This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

7. CONSOLATION PRIZE
According to Anderson
Consulting Worldwide, around
90% of the professionals
tested got all questions
wrong.

8. FUNDAMENTALS OF PROBLEM-
SOLVING
 Differentiating between structured and unstructured
problems
 Engineering-related examples
 What types of problems that keep Engineers awake at night?
 What are the constraints to solving engineering problems?

9. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS OF
EFFECTIVE PROBLEM RESOLUTION
 The right problem solving strategy
 Whole brain thinking – combination of left (rational) + right
brain (creative) thinking
 Sufficiency – time, information and resources
 Commitment and ownership (to the implementation of the
solution)

10. WHOLE BRAINING
THINKING
 Blue – Logical and Rational (upper left hemisphere)
 Green – Organized and Planned (lower left hemisphere)
 Yellow – Big Picture and Creative (upper right hemisphere)
 Red – Interpersonal feelings and Intuitive (lower right
hemisphere)

11. WHOLE BRAIN PROBLEM-SOLVING
PROCESS
 Step 1: Problem identification, analysis and definition
 Step 2: Search for information and generate alternative solutions
 Step 3: Evaluate alternative solutions
 Step 4: Select the most appropriate solution
 Step 5: Implement the appropriate solution
 Step 6: Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented solution

12. STEP 1: PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION,
ANALYSIS AND DEFINITION
 This means the search for facts which leads to the development of
many explanations and symptoms of the problem
 Ultimately results in the identification of the root causes i.e.
source/origin of the problem as well as the extent of the problem
 A useful technique to use during this step is the fishbone diagram

13. STEP 1: ANALYZE (BY MEANS OF
FISHBONE DIAGRAM)

14. STEP 2: SEARCH FOR INFORMATION &
GENERATE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
 This step entails the gathering of problem-related information
and other variables that may have a bearing on the identified
problem, in order to make an informed decision.
 At this step, it is important for team leaders to identify decision
criteria that will assist in the making of an objective decision
 The decision maker will have to find alternatives that could resolve
the problem and these alternatives will have to be relevant to the
problem-solving process.
 Typically team leaders may use a variety of idea/solution generating
techniques and problem solving methods e.g. Brainstorming.

15. DE BONO’S SIX THINKING HATS

16. STEP 3: EVALUATE
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
 Team leaders must critically analyze each alternative solution,
appraising each against the criteria identified in step 2.
 The comparisons will reveal the relative strengths and
weaknesses of each alternative and it will highlight the best
alternative that can maintain the most significant needs of the
criteria.
 A useful technique that team leaders can use during the evaluation
of ideas/solutions is the decision matrix.

17. STEP 3: EVALUATE (BY MEANS OF
DECISION MATRIX)

18. STEP 4: SELECT THE MOST
APPROPRIATE SOLUTION
 Once the team leader has analyzed the alternatives, the next step
is to choose the best alternative.
 Making an informed and objective decision.

19. STEP 5: IMPLEMENT THE
APPROPRIATE SOLUTION
 The team leader then puts the decision into action using the chosen
alternative accordingly.
 Develops an implementation plan – 4 W’s + H.

20. STEP 5: IMPLEMENT (BY MEANS OF
ACTION PLAN)

21. STEP 6: EVALUATE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
IMPLEMENTED SOLUTION
 The team leader monitors and evaluates the outcomes of the
decision, to see if the problem had been resolved.
 They determine whether the decision was best, and if not s/he
would need to assess what went wrong.
 Taking remedial/corrective action (if required)

22. LEARNING ACTIVITY
 Apply the first 4 steps of the Whole Brain, Problem-solving
process to an identified, engineering (unstructured)
problem.

23. 7TH ANNUAL AFRICAN WOMEN
IN ENGINEERING
CONFERENCE
CONFLICT & ANGER MANAGEMENT
CHARLES COTTER
HILTON HOTEL
15 JULY 2016
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

24. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT
 Defining conflict
 Differentiating between functional and dysfunctional
conflict
 Identifying the causes/sources of conflict
 Indicators/warning signals of conflict

25. FUNCTIONAL AND
DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT
 Functional conflict leads to open discussion, a better
understanding of differences, innovative solutions and greater
commitment.
 Functional conflict contributes to the achievement of
organizational goals and enhances relationship-building.
 Dysfunctional conflict tends be more focused on emotions than
on the goal/task at hand known as affect conflict/interpersonal
conflict, it is destructive when a solution is not reached, energy is
diverted away from the core problem and morale is negatively
affected.
 Dysfunctional conflict is detrimental to relationships within the
team and team performance.

26. CAUSES/SOURCES OF CONFLICT
 Intra-personal
 Interpersonal
 Intra-group
 Inter-group

27. INDICATORS/WARNING SIGNS OF
CONFLICT
 Signs of conflict between individuals
 Signs of conflict between groups of people

28. OPTIMAL LEVELS OF CONFLICT

29. ADVANTAGES OF OPTIMAL LEVELS
OF CONFLICT
 Co-operation from team members
 Improved performance and productivity
 Reduced stress and preserved integrity
 Solve problems as quickly as possible
 Improved relationships and teamwork
 Enhanced creativity
 Increased staff morale

30. CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES
 Shark (Competing)
 Turtle (Avoiding)
 Fox (Compromising)
 Teddy-bear (Accommodating)
 Owl (Collaborating)

31. CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

32. SHARK CHARACTERISTICS
 Sharks use a forcing or competing conflict management style
 Sharks are highly goal-oriented
 Relationships take on a lower priority
 Sharks do not hesitate to use aggressive behaviour to resolve conflicts
 Sharks can be autocratic, authoritative, and uncooperative; threatening and
intimidating
 Sharks have a need to win; therefore others must lose, creating win-lose
situations
 Advantage: If the shark's decision is correct, a better decision without
compromise can result
 Disadvantage: May breed hostility and resentment toward the person using it

33. TURTLE CHARACTERISTICS
 Turtles adopt an avoiding or withdrawing conflict management
style
 Turtles would rather hide and ignore conflict than resolve it;
this leads them uncooperative and unassertive
 Turtles tend to give up personal goals and display passive
behaviour creating lose-lose situations
 Advantage: may help to maintain relationships that would be
hurt by conflict resolution
 Disadvantage: Conflicts remain unresolved, overuse of the
style leads to others walking over them

34. FOX CHARACTERISTICS
 Foxes use a compromising conflict management style; concern
is for goals and relationships
 Foxes are willing to sacrifice some of their goals while
persuading others to give up part of theirs
 Compromise is assertive and cooperative-result is either win-
lose or lose-lose
 Advantage: relationships are maintained and conflicts are
removed
 Disadvantage: compromise may create less than ideal outcome
and game playing can result

35. TEDDY-BEAR CHARACTERISTICS
 Teddy bears use a smoothing or accommodating conflict
management style with emphasis on human relationships
 Teddy bears ignore their own goals and resolve conflict by
giving into others; unassertive and cooperative creating a win-
lose (bear is loser) situation
 Advantage: Accommodating maintains relationships
 Disadvantage: Giving in may not be productive, bear may be
taken advantage of

36. OWL CHARACTERISTICS
 Owls use a collaborating or problem confronting conflict
management style valuing their goals and relationships
 Owls view conflicts as problems to be solved finding
solutions agreeable to all sides (win-win)
 Advantage: both sides get what they want and negative
feelings eliminated
 Disadvantage: takes a great deal of time and effort

37. THE 4-STEP CONFLICT RESOLUTION
PROCESS – THERAPEUTIC MODEL
 Step 1: Identify sources of potential and actual conflict
(DIAGNOSIS)
 Step 2: Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques
(EXAMINATION)
 Step 3: Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques (REMEDY)
 Step 4: Control and review the effectiveness of the conflict
resolution strategy/technique (FOLLOW-UP)

38. STEP 1: DIAGNOSIS
 Identify the sources/causes of conflict:
 Intra-personal
 Interpersonal
 Intra-group or Inter-group
 The best approach to manage conflict effectively is to be
proactive.

39. STEP 2: EXAMINATION
 Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques:
 Shark (Competing)
 Turtle (Avoiding)
 Fox (Compromising)
 Teddy-bear (Accommodating)
 Owl (Collaborating)
• There is no one best way to deal with conflict. It is dependent on the current situation as well as
the team members involved in the conflict.
• The golden rule is that managers should take prompt action in resolving conflict.
• By failing to act, it may result in the conflict escalating beyond control and “spreading like a cancer”
negatively affecting team performance and relationships.

40. STEP 3: REMEDY
 Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques
 The key is to match strategies to situations
 Influential considerations:
 Time pressure
 Issue importance
 Relationship importance
 Relative power

41. STEP 4: FOLLOW-UP
 Managers will need to confirm whether this technique has
adequately resolved the conflict.
 In the event that this dysfunctional conflict persists, managers
may have to resort to alternative (third party) strategies:
 Mediation
 Counseling
 Organizational development (OD) interventions

42. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT GUIDING
PRINCIPLES – TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

44. ANGER MANAGEMENT
 To effectively defuse anger, keep in mind the needs of the angry
speaker:
 To vent.
 To get the listener's attention.
 To be heard.
 To be understood.

45. ANGER MANAGEMENT
 When you're listening to an angry person, apply the following
constructive behaviour:
 Be attentive and patient.
 Be sincere.
 Be calm.

46. LEARNING ACTIVITY
 Apply the 4-step, Conflict Resolution process to an
identified, conflict situation in the engineering field.

47. CONCLUSION
Key points
Summary
Questions

48. CONTACT DETAILS
Charles Cotter
 (+27) 84 562 9446
 charlescot@polka.co.za
 LinkedIn
 Twitter: Charles_Cotter
 http://www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter