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CONFLICT

MANAGEMENT AND

NEGOTIATION SKILLS

Conflict Triggers:

oDifferent points of view

o Values

o Attitudes

o Needs

o Expectations

oChange

o Job responsibilities

o Workforce size

o Management

o Products or services

Conflict Triggers:

oNew Technology

o Computers

o Software

o Communications oDifferent goals

o Competition

o Quality/quantity

o Focus

Conflict Triggers:

o Stress

o Shrinking budgets

o Fewer workers

o Shorter deadlines

o Competition

o Pressure o Interdependence

o Communication

o Responsibilities

o Errors

Signs of Team Conflict:

Anger

Not Sharing Information

Lack of Results

Negative Results of Conflict:

o Unhappy with job

o Not doing best work

o Don’t work as a team

o Don’t talk well together

The High Cost of

Workplace Conflict

42% of a

manager’s time is

spent addressing

conflict in the

workplace

Health care

expenditures are

nearly 50% greater

for workers reporting

high levels of stress

Conflict accounts for up to 90%

of involuntary departures, with

the possible exceptions of

downsizing and restructuring

Positive Results of Conflict:

o New ideas

o New ways of working

o Talk together better

and work as a team

o Happier, do a better job

“Organizations that see

disagreements as

opportunities and resolve them

effectively stand out because

of their strong capacity for

innovation and success.”

Five Ways of

Addressing Conflict:

o Accommodating

o Surrendering needs and wants for the

satisfaction of another.

o Collaborating

o The act of two people creatively working

together to achieve more than they

could on their own.

o Avoiding

o The “flight” part of “fight or flight.” trying

to ignore or postpone conflict.

o Compromising

o A way to quickly end a dispute when two or

more sides agree to accept less than what

was originally wanted.

o Competing

o The “fight” part of “fight or flight.” the

process of trying to do better at others’

expense.

Five Ways of

Addressing Conflict:

ASSERTIVE

vs.

Assertive

Characteristics:

o Just “takes it”

o Holds in feelings

o May feel like a

victim

o May feel powerless

Resolution Tactics:

o Doesn’t talk back and risk

creating an argument

o Doesn’t oppose what is

being said and risk making

an angry person angrier

o Agrees with whatever is

said

o Hopes by not causing

trouble, the difficult

situation will just go away

Characteristics:

o Vents feelings—often in

anger & frustration

o May scare or “turn off”

others

o May feel like victimized

or powerless

o May have succeeded

in bullying before

o May be reacting more

than thinking

Resolution Tactics:

o Creates arguments to

“push” people

o Doesn’t listen to others

or consider their views

o Disagrees with

whatever is not

exactly what they

want

o Hopes by causing

trouble or threatening

to, the difficult

situation will just go

away

Characteristics:

o Tries to be calm and

understand

o Asks questions to get

more information

o Is more concerned with

building and keeping a

good relationship than

a fast fix

Resolution Tactics:

o Uses neutral language

that doesn’t blame or

accuse

o Doesn’t judge

o Uses empathy to try and

“tune in” to what the

other person is thinking

and feeling

o Works for a solution that is

ok for everyone

Empathy: focusing

on what the other

person is going

through or feeling in a

non- judgmental way

Assertive

YOUR

TRUE COLORS

GREEN: CURIOUS

I am curious, investigating,

and form my own ideas. I

am cool, calm, and

collected. I like to be smart

and enjoy activities that

require problem-solving. I

value intelligence, insight,

fairness, and justice. I like

to set my own standards

and I enjoy seeking

fundamental truths.

What’s great about me?

I value knowledge and ideas.

Discovering solutions and using

my brain are more important

than feelings, rules, and non-stop

excitement. I like to know how

and why things work in a certain

way. I prefer to work on my own

and also need room to think so I

can come up with new ideas and

the right answers.

FAMOUS GREENS

Eleanor Roosevelt

Benjamin Franklin

Thomas Edison

Socrates

The visionaries

GOLD:

RESPONSIBLE

People can count on me. My

actions can be predicted. I

am always ready for

tomorrow. I am loyal, giving,

and like to take care of others.

I need to be useful. I am

practical and sensible. I value

home and family and have a

strong sense of right and

wrong. I follow rules and

respect authority.

What’s great about me?

I value the traditional things in life.

I am practical and like structure.

Being responsible and following

the rules is more important than

excitement and feelings. I like

family life and saving money, and

I plan to really make something of

myself. I like to belong to groups

and want to help them run

smoothly. I enjoy learning about

things that are useful to me.

FAMOUS

GOLDS

George Washington Mother Theresa

Florence Nightingale Henry Ford

The hard

workers and

organizers

BLUE: HARMONIOUSI look for meaning in my life. I like to get along with people and

look after them. I like to express myself. I am honest and like to be

told I am doing well. I fit in well. I want to be important in people’s

lives. I think about the future, a perfect world, friends, and love.

What’s great about me?I value people. Being liked and having everyone

around me get along is more important than

facts, rules, adventure, or logic. I am sensitive to

others and get very uncomfortable when there

is conflict or competition. I like socializing and

working with people. I learn best when my

teachers really care about me and when they

give me support and feedback.

FAMOUS BLUES

Mahatma Gandhi

Wolfgang

Amadeus Mozart

Thomas Jefferson

Jimmy Carter

The artists and

peacemakers

I like action, to go for it on a moment’s notice. I am witty,

charming, and bold. I see life as a game here and now. I

act on impulse, I like adventure, I like to compete, and I am

skillful in what I do. I like fun, change, and excitement. I live

life to the limit and have a cheerful outlook. I learn by doing

and am a natural trouble-shooter.

What’s great about me?I value freedom and excitement. I think that

being skillful is more important than structure,

logic, and feelings. I like being spontaneous and

I want to enjoy what I am doing. Planning things

sometimes takes the fun out of it. I like games

and competition. I also like to learn things that I

can go out right away and put to use.

John F. Kennedy

St. Francis of AssisiAmelia Earhart

Sir Winston Churchill

The problem

solvers and

adventurers

Thoughts on True Colors:

o It’s normal to align with more than one color

o There is usually one dominant color

o Some colors will naturally mesh

o And some will naturally clash

oNo one color or personality type is better

than another

oWe can use these general ideas to better

interact with those around us

How to Resolve

Conflict

Key skills when talking:

o Listen—don’t interrupt

o Ask questions to get all the details

o Briefly repeat what you’ve heard

o Try to understand their point of view

o It shows you care

o Don’t take sides

o Speak calmly

Get all the information

o Ask questions that can’t be answered

with a “yes” or “no”

o “What did you like most and least about the

new computer?”

o Invite the person to share more

o “Tell me about working with John and

Jillian.”

Be Neutral (don’t take sides or blame)

vs.Do you know who

loaded the copier last?

Marla never cleans

up after herself!

We all need to do our

part for a clean office. vs.

What jerk loaded the

wrong copier paper?

“You” and “I” Statements

You entered the

wrong numbers.

I noticed these numbers

were entered incorrectly.vs.

You don’t know

how to use the

cash register.

There’s a trick to working

the cash register. May I

show you?

vs.

Be Calming and Helpful

Avoid:o Absolutes

o You always

o You never

o Generalizations

o No one

o Everyone

o Exaggerations

o The whole day was a waste!

o Dramatics

o This is the end of the world!

Conflict Resolution Process:

o Briefly state the issue in a

neutral manner

o Ask for the other

person’s view of the

problem

o Ask questions to learn

the other person’s

interest or issue

Conflict Resolution Process:

o Give your view and

interest in an objective

manner

o Brainstorm solutions

you can both agree to

o Agree to act

o If you are unable to

reach an agreement,

bring in a mediator

The Role of Mediators:

o Act as a neutral

third party

o Help solve conflicts

o Guide talks

between

those in conflict

CLOSING

THOUGHTSoConflict is a part of life

o You can choose to deal with it

positively or negatively

o Every person deals with conflict

differently

o The more you understand how

you deal with conflict, the

better you’ll be able to

positively interact with others

during tense times

“If we manage conflict

constructively, we harness its

energy for creativity and

development.”

Kenneth Kaye

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Works! Muskegon-Oceana

Sources:Conflict Resolution

Goodwill Industries International,

Inc. Dec. 2009, Version: 1.0

Successful Team Conflict

Management Strategies –

Laura Evans

Conflict Management and

Negotiation

Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd Edition

Understanding Conflict in the

Workplace – Julie Gatlin, Allen

Wysocki, and Karl Kepner

All Things Conflict Resolution & ADR

Workplace Conflict ResolutionHow the Millennial Generation

Is Shaking Up the Workforce

Ron Alsop – Editor

Workforce Management