Impact on the Organization
Brought out into the open, conflict can be dealt with – and even be transformed into something productive. Left unattended, however, conflict can fester, causing serious problems – and even destroying organizations. Unmanaged or badly managed conflicts lead to poor employee morale, resources wasted on “taking sides” instead of solving problems, reduced productivity, and increased turnover. Diffusing or resolving conflicts before they reach this level can increase self-esteem in the “conflict-ees” – especially when conflicts are between individuals in different hierarchical levels within the company. Resolving conflicts shows the employees that management does care what happens to them. Managers can do this by applying skills and tools that work through the steps of conflict management, resulting in agreement, or at least a cessation of hostilities. Happy, “unconflicted” employees are far more productive.
Learning Objectives
- Explore potential areas of conflict
- Identify actual sources of conflict
- Identify and apply nine proven conflict resolution approaches
- Develop a systematic process for dealing constructively with disagreement
Program Description
This module helps participants identify sources of workplace conflict, and provides tools and techniques for assessing and managing conflict. It introduces a model for managing differences that includes nine unique approaches for effectively handling conflict. Participants determine which approach will be most successful in dealing with and resolving the conflicts they personally encounter. Working through simulations, they learn better ways to handle conflict between themselves and others, and to referee conflicts between other employees. Each participant plans and practices a conflict resolution session designed to prepare them for handling a conflict they currently face at work. The module concludes by highlighting ten common conflict behavior types, and showing how to effectively deal with each.
Time Investment
Typically 4 hours.
Customization
This program can be customized to reflect your organization’s procedures, policies, cases, examples, and terminology. Please inquire about these optional consulting services.