Conflict Management

1. Conflict Management For Health Mangers Instructor Name

2. Learning Objectives Identify common causes of conflict Recognize conflicting priorities and personalities within a work team or between a manger and employee Use productive strategies to resolve conflict Describe ways to prevent conflict 

3. Session Overview • Define causes of conflict • Discuss methods of resolving conflict • Practice conflict resolution • Discuss ways to prevent conflict

4. Understanding Conflict Expression of disagreement over something important Competing interests or ideas Arises for many different reasons

5. Is conflict bad?

6. Productive Unproductive • Focuses on concepts & ideas • Supports the expression of differing opinions • Focuses on trivial issues • Frequent, repetitive, unresolved arguments • Leaves people angrier and more frustrated

7. Common Causes of Conflict Unproductive Experiences Values Moods & Personal Issues Information/Communica-tion Interests Management and Institutional Factors

8. The Cause Can Help Identify the Solution Emotional charge Disagreement Emotional charge Resolution 8 Common Techniques

9. Defuse by Agreement • Find something to agree about-if your team member is already angry and blaming you • Acknowledge different points of view to help move the situation forward • There is always truth in what your team member says • Finding the truth in the other’s point of view will make it difficult for the other person to maintain anger

10. Empathy Thought empathy: Show that you understand what the other person is trying to say Feeling empathy: Acknowledge how the other person probably feels CAUTIONSay “I know how you feel” only when you really do

11. Explore with Questions • Ask gentle questions • Show interest in understanding the other person • Focus on the other person’s: • Thoughts • Feelings

12. Use “I” Statements • Focus on your reaction • Use phrases beginning with “I” • I think… • I feel… • I want… • Avoid “you” statements

13. Show Respect • Find positive things to say about your team member or employee • Name specific things that you respect about your team member • Thoughts • Feelings • Opinions • Contributions

14. Use Alignment Acknowledge the contribution of the differing opinion Clearly state what you and the others in the conflict have in common

15. Use Reflective Listening Ensure you understand what your team member is trying to communicate State what you heard to ensure that you and your team member are on the same page Seek to understand your team member before you seek to be understood

16. Use Degrees of Agreement • Goal: Partial agreement on an aspect of the problem without complete agreement among the team members • Moves the situation forward even if the entire team is not in agreement • Caution: Focusing on achieving 100% agreement can get the team “stuck” in the conflict

17. Focus on “Interests” for Resolution • Key - consider the team members’ differing and similar underlying interests • All members will share some basic interests • Establish “common ground” • Focus on complementary or compatible solutions • Focus on the future, not the past

18. Take a breath and follow the steps • Acknowledge the problem • State the problem • Confirm understanding • Seek their perception • Summarize • Brainstorm agreements • Commit • Express remorse

19. What Prevents Unproductive Conflict? Communication • Rules governing individual and group behavior • Rapid intervention by team (and manager if necessary)

20. Summary • Practice the eight techniques for reducing the emotional charge • Focus on team members’ interests to resolve the conflict • Use communication skills and early intervention to prevent unproductive conflict in the first place • Develop a communication plan • Clearly define expectations