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USC&A - Fraternity and Sorority LifeVirginia Commonwealth University

Communication and Conflict

Purpose

The purpose of this presentation is to provide students with information on how to effectively communicate and deal with conflict within their organizations.

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Overview

What is conflict Why do people avoid conflict

situations Styles of dealing with conflict Effective communication

techniques Healthy communication in conflict Conflict scenarios Conclusion

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Communication and Conflict

What is conflict?

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Defining Conflict

Conflict is defined as: competitive or opposing action of incompatibles:

antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons)

mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands

Sometimes people equate conflict with anger and this is not necessarily the case

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Conflict

Why do people avoid conflict?

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People avoid conflict because they… may view it as an all or nothing situation. are afraid their anger may get out of control. may feel nothing will be resolved as a result. may not be able to express feelings and

viewpoints in a positive manner.

Why do people avoid conflict?

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Styles of Dealing with Conflict

Avoiding AccommodatingForcingCompromisingCollaborating

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Avoiding

Pretending that no problem exists.

Minimizing the differences between you, or refrain from engaging in what seems to be an inevitable argument.

Examples of avoiding include: stonewalling, pretending that

there is nothing wrong, and shutting downCourage = Low Consideration for

Relationship= Low

NO WAY

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Accommodating Accommodating your partner by

accepting his/her point of view or suggestion.

Make peace to get past this sticking point.

Allow others to have his/her way. Be gracious and roll with the

punches.

Courage = Low Consideration for Relationship= High

YOUR WAY

Danger: over time, it’s likely that the accommodator will become resentful of the other party

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Forcing Compete with the other party to

ensure that you will win the argument.

Argue your side and do not concede any points to the other.

It is all about winning. It requires a lot of courage and little

concern for others. It can yield quick short term gains. If overused it will destroy the

relationship.

Courage = High Consideration for Relationship= Low

MY WAY

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Compromising Meet in the middle. Finding a common ground where

both parties are satisfied. A negotiation of the small and finer

points. Both parties are concerned with

reaching greater outcome. A willingness to work together. Be careful and watch out for

passive aggressive behavior from the other party.

Courage = Medium

Consideration for Relationship= Medium

HALF WAY

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Collaborating Open and honest communication

between both parties. Goals and objectives agreed upon. A common understanding and

acknowledgement of each parties positions.

Resolving of conflicts without having to make concessions.

Respecting where each other is coming from.

Developing a course of action jointly.

Courage = High Consideration for Relationship= High

OUR WAY

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Communication Techniques Defusing Empathy Exploration Using “I” Statements Stroking

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Defusing The other person might be angry and may come to the

situation armed with a number of arguments describing how you are to blame for his or her unhappiness.

Your goal is to address the other’s anger – and you do this by simply agreeing with the person. When you find some truth in the other point of view, it is difficult for the other person to maintain anger.

For example, “I know that I said I would call you last night. You are absolutely right. I wish I could be more responsible sometimes.”

Defusing The accusation might be completely unreasonable from your

viewpoint, but there is always some truth in what the other person says.

At the very least, we need to acknowledge that individuals have different ways of seeing things.

This does not mean that we have to compromise our own basic principles. We simply validate the other’s stance so that we can move on to a healthier resolution of the conflict. This may be hard to do in a volatile situation, but a sign of individual strength and integrity is the ability to postpone our immediate reactions in order to achieve positive goals. Sometimes we have to “lose” in order, ultimately, to “win.”

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Empathy Try to put yourself into the shoes of the other

person. See the world through their eyes. Empathy is an important listening technique

which gives the other feedback that he or she is being heard.

There are two forms of empathy Thought Empathy Feeling Empathy

Thought Empathy Gives the message that you understand what the

other is trying to say.

You can do this in conversation by paraphrasing the words of the other person.

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Feeling Empathy

Is your acknowledgment of how the other person probably feels.

It is important never to attribute emotions which may not exist for the other person (such as, “You’re confused with all your emotional upheaval right now”), but rather to indicate your perception of how the person must be feeling.

For example, “I guess you probably feel pretty upset with me right now.”

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Exploration

Ask gentle, probing questions about what the other person is thinking and feeling.

Encourage the other to talk fully about what is on his or her mind. For example, “Are there any other thoughts that

you need to share with me?”

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Using “I” Statements

Take responsibility for your own thoughts rather than attributing motives to the other person.

This decreases the chance that the other person will become defensive. For example, “I feel upset that this thing has come

between us.” This statement is much more effective than saying, “You have made me feel very upset.”

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Stroking

Find positive things to say about the other person, even if the other is angry with you.

Show a respectful attitude. For example, “I genuinely respect you for

having the courage to bring this problem to me. I admire your strength and your caring attitude.”

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Things to think about…

Before I speak to the other person what do I need to know and be willing to do?

What must we have? What do we need to leave at home? How do we have a healthy conversation?

What are the things we must have... In order to move forward individuals must

be willing to: The mindset that both individuals will be

mutually gaining from the experience. Everyone must be willing to actively participate

in the conversation. There will be mutual trust and respect given.

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What needs to left at home… In order to move forward individuals must

leave at home: the feeling that the other’s position does not

matter or is minimal in comparison to their position.

Unwillingness to be a pushed away or be a pushover (sometimes it may be necessary when you’re flat out wrong).

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A model to deal with conflict

Identify the problem Develop several possible

solutions Evaluate all solutions Decide on the best solution Implement the solution Continue to evaluate the

solution

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Conflict Scenarios

Someone in your chapter felt you were doing something wrong. In an effort to help you, he/she criticized you, but did so in front of the chapter! How do you confront the critical member?

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Conflict Scenarios

One of your chapter members, Mary, feels that the group does not value her opinion. She feels that whenever she brings up a point, it is overlooked. While she seldom contributes to the conversation, the points she makes, she feels, are valid. She has come to you with her concerns. What do you do?

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Conflict Scenarios

While discussing the goals of your organization, two members, Jim and Chris, begin arguing about the relevance of a particular goal. After a few comments, other group members begin arguing as well. The whole room seems to be in chaos. How do you calm them down?

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Conclusion

Maintain cooperative approaches in all relationships

Healthy communication Identify the ways in which you contribute to

disagreements Practice improving that behavior for a week

and chart your success

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Resources Merriam Webster’s Dictionary: Conflict

http://www.drbalternatives.com/articles/cc2.html

Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (2008). “Approaches to Conflict.” (pg. 32-33) North-American Interfraternity Conference. Indianapolis, IN.

Contact Us

For more information or support please contact:

USC&A Fraternity & Sorority Life Office 907 Floyd Ave., Room 014Richmond, VA 23284Phone: (804) 828-4685Email: vcugreeks@vcu.eduWeb: www.usca.vcu.edu/greeklife

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