Survival Skills for Supervisors

The Supervisor Series, Level 1

Effective Conflict Resolution

Mary Kay Williams

2016

Participant Guide

The Supervision Series1Center for Workplace Learning & Performance

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The Supervision Series1Center for Workplace Learning & Performance

Effective Conflict Resolution

Goal:

In this seminar we will work to help you create a thoughtful and systematic approach to conflict by finding ways to effectively manage conflict in the workplace.

Learner Outcomes:

In this program you will:

  • Define conflict in the workplace.
  • Identify the situations and sources of conflict.
  • Recognize how the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI) can help you identify conflict resolution styles.
  • Build and develop strategies for effectively resolving conflict in the workplace.
  • Determine what positive actions you can take as a supervisor to resolve conflicts in your workplace.

The Supervision Series1Center for Workplace Learning & Performance

About Conflict?

Write some words, descriptions, and thoughts about conflict:

Our Approach to Conflict Affects the Outcome

  • The situation and the importance of the issue(s)
  • Our skill sets for dealing with conflict (style, communication both verbal/non-verbal)
  • Our comfort zone from previous experiences
  • The politics/dynamics
  • Suggestions and/advice from others
  • Timing
  • Other factors?

What gets in your way when you approach conflict?

What do you use to your advantage to find success?

Causes of Conflict

Conflict can arise when any one or more of the following causes occur. Put a check by the ones that you have personally experienced. Work in teams to come up with some real world examples of these causes.

Resources: time, staff, money, etc.Examples:

Goals: different visions for success, etc. Examples:

Personality Differences: Extraverts/Introverts, etc. Examples:

Psychological Needs: respect, power, belonging, etc.Examples:

Values: honesty, fidelity, etc.Examples:

Rules/regulations/policies: Interpretations, etc.Examples:

Customs/habits: tapping your pencil, procrastination, etc.Examples:

Egos/competition: only one winner, I want your job, etc.Examples:

Information: too little or too much.Examples:

Physical or mental health issuesExamples:

Others?

Types of Conflict

As a supervisor, you deal with one or more of these conflicts. Work with your team to discuss examples of each of these conflicts. Make suggestions for how to effectively deal with each type.

  • Intra-personal: struggles within a person.
  • Inter-personal: conflict between two people.
  • Intra-group: conflict within a group.
  • Inter-group: two different groups in conflict with one another.

De-escalation of Conflict

A conflict will de-escalate when:

  • People focus on the problem, not the person
  • Emotions are expressed directly
  • Any threats are reduced or eliminated
  • There is a history of cooperation
  • Needs are discussed openly
  • People use conflict resolution skills

Escalation of Conflict

A conflict will usually escalate when:

  • Others get involved
  • Someone feels threatened
  • Important needs are not acknowledged and/or met
  • There is no interest in maintaining a relationship
  • There is a history of unproductive conflict
  • People don’t have or don’t use conflict resolution techniques

Conflict Resolution Styles

Responses to conflict are choices; however, these choices are impacted by our preferencesand styles. The styles are:

  1. Competing:
  • Asserting your position without considering other viewpoints.
  • High assertiveness, low cooperativeness.

Advantages / Disadvantages/Risks / When to Use
  1. Avoiding:
  • Stalling or ignoring an issue
  • Low assertiveness, low cooperativeness

Advantages / Disadvantages/Risks / When to Use
  1. Compromising:
  • Finding a middle ground by achieving some goals and conceding on others
  • Moderate assertiveness, moderate cooperativeness

Advantages / Disadvantages/Risks / When to Use
  1. Accommodating:
  • Focusing on the goals and concerns of others
  • Low assertiveness, with cooperativeness

Advantages / Disadvantages/Risks / When to Use
  1. Collaborating:
  • Desire to fully satisfy both sides of an issue
  • High assertiveness, high cooperativeness

Advantages / Disadvantages/Risks / When to Use

Other Notes, Comments and Reflections About the Thomas Kilmann Instrument (TKI)…..

Conflict Resolution Process

  1. Analyze and Plan the Conflict

Define the conflict and the possible causes.

Determine your interests, goals, needs,
concerns or fears? / Determine the other person’s interests, goals, needs, concerns or fears?

Consider the best conflict resolution strategyto use to address the conflict.

Describe the benefits/challenges of this strategy.

  1. Interact to Resolve the Conflict

List the key points to address.

Consider how to positively begin the interaction.

List the key points of the other’s viewpoints, positions, etc.

Clarify any differences you understand.

Together seek ideas for resolution(s).

  1. Follow-Up

Choose a time to either continue the resolution process and any actions suggested and/or a time to check back to build up the work relationship.

Reflections

•What have you learned about yourself and how you deal with conflict?

•What conflict resolution strategies will you use to help your team move?

•What conflict will you go back and deal with within the next two weeks?

Resources & References

Crum, Thomas. The Magic of Conflict.Touchstone Books,(1987).

Fisher, Roger and Ury, William.Getting to Yes. Houghton Mifflin, (1992).

Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. Bantam, (1995).

Kantola Productions. Conflicts in the Workplace: Sources & Solutions,(2010).

Lerner, Harriett. The Dance of Anger. Harper Perennial, (1997).

Stone, Douglas, Patton, Bruce, Heen, Sheila. Difficult Conversations. Penguin, (1999).

Thomas, Kenneth W., & Kilmann, Ralph H. Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Consulting Psychologist Press, Inc., (2002)

The Supervision Series1Center for Workplace Learning & Performance