Responding to Conflict: Strategies for Improved Communication
Conflict in business is all too familiar—particularly under increased business pressures. Still, most of us lack basic conflict management skills. Rather than react to conflict on a purely emotional level, you can learn how to manage disputes and disagreements in a positive manner, or even avoid them altogether. This conflict management training will show you how to recognize the causes of interpersonal conflict. It emphasizes skills to help you critically evaluate conflict situations and then choose the appropriate strategies and tools to manage and/or resolve these conflicts. You’ll develop greater awareness of your emotional triggers and how to control them. In addition, you will learn how to continually action-plan around the implementation of your new skills.
What will you benefit
- Recognize the underlying causes of conflict
- Map conflict using a five-step approach
- Identify ways to develop flexible responses to personal and professional conflicts
- Practice applying models, techniques and strategies to manage your interpersonal communication behaviors in conflict situations
- Implement strategies to improve your communication and effectively respond to conflict
What you will cover:
Developing Conflict Awareness
- Recognizing the difference between disagreement and conflict
- Understanding the five levels of a conflict
- Exploring barriers to conflict management and resolution
Responding to Conflict
- Identifying your own feelings and actions in response to conflict
- Applying the P-U-R-R Model to demonstrate understanding
- Utilizing the validating process
- Distinguishing between listening for thoughts and listening for feelings
The Role of Trust in Minimizing Conflict
- Describing the 4 Cs as the cornerstones of building trust
- Knowing how trust is lost and regained, and how transparency validates trust
- Identifying interests behind positions
Conflict Strategies
- Identifying your preferred strategies for responding to conflict
- Understanding the five conflict strategies
- Exploring appropriate strategies to minimize/manage conflict
Moving Beyond Conflict
- Knowing why relationship conflict and content conflict should be handled differently
- Turning potential disagreements into discussion by applying the Model to Disagree
- Identifying and practicing assertiveness tools and strategies
- Detoxifying emotional statements and devising alternative ways to express the message
Dealing with Difficult Behavior
- Explaining the difference between difficult people and difficult behavior
- Understanding how to handle passive behavior
- Developing a strategy for handling passive or aggressive behavior
Mapping the Conflict
- Mapping a conflict using a 5-step approach
- Exploring a given conflict from various "viewing points"
- Separating interests from positions in a specific conflict
- Selecting a conflict strategy appropriate to addressing a specific goal
- Implementing a chosen conflict strategy
Thunderstorms
- Applying skills to address emotionally tense conflicts (called Thunderstorms)
- Using skills to address an intra-group conflict case study
- Planning for future development to effectively respond to conflict
Who Should Attend
Business professionals who want to expand their conflict management skills, understand their own emotions and behaviors when addressing conflict, and find productive ways to manage conflict.
Course Outline
LESSON ONE
Developing Conflict Awareness
- Define Conflict
- Explain the Difference Between Conflict and Disagreement
- Describe the Five Levels of a Conflict
- Describe Barriers to Managing and Resolving Conflict
Responding to Conflict
- Identify Your Own Personal Feelings and Actions in Response to Conflict
- Apply the P-U-R-R Model to Demonstrate Understanding and Application
- Apply the Validating Process Distinguish Between Listening for Thoughts and Listening for Feelings in a Conversation
- Explain That Meaning Often Comes from the Context of the Relationship Rather Than the Intrinsic Definition of the Words Used
LESSON TWO
Responding to Conflict—Part 2
- Identify Your Own Personal Feelings and Actions in Response to Conflict
- Apply the P-U-R-R Model to Demonstrate Understanding and Application
- Apply the Validating Process
- Distinguish Between Listening for Thoughts and Listening for Feelings in a Conversation
- Explain That Meaning Often Comes from the Context of the Relationship Rather Than the Intrinsic Definition of the Words Used
Conflict Strategies
- Identify Your Preferred Strategy or Strategies for Responding to Conflict
- Identify the Five Conflict Strategies
- Analyze Examples, and Recommend Appropriate Strategies to Minimize or Manage Conflict
The Role of Trust in Minimizing Conflict
- Describe the Four Cs—The Four Cornerstones of Building Trust
- Explain How Trust Is Lost and Regained and How Transparency Validates Trust
- Identify Interests Behind Positions
LESSON THREE
Moving Beyond Conflict
- Describe How Relationship Conflict and Content Conflict Should Be Handled Differently Explain the Reason the Word “Why” Should Be Avoided When Managing a Conflict
- Identify Appropriate Solutions for Managing Real-Life Conflict Situations
- Use “I” Messages and the DESC Script to Express Yourself Assertively
- Apply the Model to Disagree
- Say “No” Assertively
- Detoxify Emotional Statements, and Devise Alternative Ways to Express the Message
Dealing with Difficult Behavior
- Explain the Difference Between Difficult People and Different Behavior
- Describe an Understanding of Handling Passive Behavior Describe a Strategy for Handling Passive or Aggressive Behavior
LESSON FOUR
Mapping the Conflict
- Map a Conflict Through the Five Steps on the Template
- Explore a Given Conflict from Various “Viewing Points”
- Separate Interests from Positions in a Specific Conflict
- Select a Conflict Strategy Appropriate to a Goal Demonstrate the Implementation of a Chosen Conflict Strategy in a Role Play
Thunderstorms
- Apply a Combination of Skills, Techniques, and Ideas Presented Throughout This Seminar to Participant-Generated Conflicts (Called Thunderstorms)
- Demonstrate the Application of Appropriate Conflict Strategies to Address These Thunderstorms