Linda Laurance at the 2014 Wales Charity Law and Governance Conference

1. Linda Laurance
Linda Laurance & Associates
Conflict Awareness,
Management and
Prevention

2.  Governance specialist
 Accredited mediator
 Independent consultant
and trainer since 1993
 Established LL&A in
2002
 Formerly Chair and CEO
 Chaired steering groups
for original VCS Code of
Governance and for the
NOS for
trustees/management
committees

4.  First we need to look at disharmony – let’s
face it and not be afraid of it
 The origins of conflict
 Understanding anger
 Working relationships
 ‘Elephant traps’ – unintended consequences
 Knowing when to ask for help
 and then………

5.  Techniques for avoiding disagreements
 Maintaining trust
 Moving on

6.  Conflict can be defined as:
 people holding opposing views and aiming at
different goals
 a competitive win/lose situation
 incompatible activities and behaviours
 the outcome of perceptions and unfulfilled
expectations

7.  Disputes need not be destructive or
unproductive
 Conflict does not essentially mean that we
have to win our position at another’s
expense: there are many different ways to
handle given situations – we do have choice
 Many disputes have a positive outcome, with
long term benefits not only for those directly
involved

8. Factors present in people:
 Language/jargon
 Body language
 Written words – emails/Twitter!
 Rumour
 Misrepresentation
 Hidden agendas

9. Factors present in people:
 Lack of compatibility
 Gender and age differences
 Diversity
 Differences in values
 Spill over of stress or anger from unrelated
issues
 Harassment

10. Factors present in Boards/Committees:
 Lack of leadership
 Lack of decision making
 Poor internal communication
 Poor external communication
 Lack of resources
 Lack of motivation/training opportunities

11. Factors present in Boards/Committees:
 High levels of pressure and lack of time
 Interpretation of organisational
policy/implementation
 Prioritisation
 Organisational change
 Delegation

12. Factors present in perceptions of the situation:
 Expectations and beliefs
 Differences in opinions
 Misunderstandings
 Misplaced assumptions

13. Understanding
anger……….

14. Once anger is aroused it has several effects
that reduce an individual’s ability to deal with
conflict successfully:
 A desire to retaliate against the person perceived as
causing the harm or frustration
 A reduced ability to make rational plans of action
and to evaluate the potential outcomes of
behaviour

15.  Together these can lead to a shift away from
collaboration towards more competitive
tactics for dealing with the conflict and/or a
counter-attack on the other party, escalating
into a destructive exchange where the parties
become more concerned with hurting each
other than with solving the problems.

16.  As a general rule, therefore, anger in conflict
needs to be dealt with before the concrete
issues are addressed

17. Factors present in groups and teams:
 Pressure to conform to the group
 Formation of cliques
 Assumptions about others
 Misuse of authority
 Perceived favouritism
 Manipulation

18.  The competitive ‘marketplace’ results in
continual change and uncertainty
 Electronic communication means that
individuals may have to deal with conflicts
with people they cannot even see
 Mergers may require people to work with
others who have different values and ways of
working from those that they are used to

19.  The governing document – the what?
 Appointing good people but not thinking about skills
and experience
 Lack of clarity between governance and operational
responsibilities
 The ‘corporate mind’ v the ‘user’s angle’
 Meeting agendas!

20.  The Strategic Plan
 Conflicts of interest
 Values
 The relationship between the Chair and the
Chief Officer (if there are paid employees)

21. The role of the Chair:
 Managing
 Engaging
 Focusing
 Balancing calculated
risk and risk aversion
 Decision making
 Supporting and monitoring the CEO
 Who is supporting the Chair??

22. Board decisions are collective – the minutes
should record anyone who is opposed to a
proposal or who abstains, but that person
must comply with the majority agreement
and not take their personal view outside the
committee – and certainly not to the media!

23. It is not a sign of failure if you need to ask:
 A neutral third party
 A facilitator to help reach a consensus
 A mediator where parties are unable to find
their way forward

24. For the Board/committee:
 A Code of Conduct
 Clarify role boundaries/areas of responsibility
 Set down delegated powers in writing
 Regularly review priorities
 Respect and nourish diversity

25. For the Board/committee:
 Communication –
 Who needs
to know what, how
and by when?

26.  Time in which to get to know each other –
social time
 Time for the chair to talk one-to-one with
each Board/committee member to find out if
they have any problems/concerns about their
role
 Time to let the Chair know if you plan to raise
an issue at the next meeting

27.  Performance – how is the Board/committee
doing? - use the Good Governance Code for
the Third Sector in Wales
 Skills check – do you have the skills and
knowledge you need to be an effective Board?
 What can you learn from other similar sized
organisations?

29.  Listen with your full attention
 Be clear about your own responsibilities but
flexible in helping others
 Ask questions when a situation is unclear
 Look for the common ground when
discussing opposing views
 Avoid making judgments/assumptions
 Be aware of personal prejudices

30.  Respect confidentiality
 Resist the temptation to share details of a
disagreement with people not directly
involved: it encourages factions, and can
lead to escalation of what may be a minor
localised difficulty
 When a dispute arises deal with it
 Separate the person from the problem

31.  Resolve
 Record
 Reconcile
 Regroup
 Rejoice!