mediating conflict your job as a leader. what is conflict? it is an emotional reaction to a...
TRANSCRIPT
Mediating Conflict
Your Job as a Leader
What is Conflict? It is an emotional reaction to a situation or
interaction that signals disagreement of some kind Conflict emotions can include:
Anger, Bitterness, fear, hopelessness, and sadness The reason for conflict is often to get one’s needs
met Example: You get in trouble by your parents for staying
out past curfew. The need your parents are trying to have met is not worrying about you being out late and getting into trouble.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZpDnXYIFjo
Conflict will happen…
Conflict is inevitable in the workplace, at school, in your placement, with friends, and with your family.
Wherever and whenever there is a group of people conflict is always a possibility
As leader you need to know how to recognize and deal with conflict in an effective manner
Can conflict be a good thing? Helpful if… Gets issues to the
table for discussion Encourages the team
to discuss issues and find solutions
Helps people reassess procedures and rules
Harmful if… Diverts energy from
important issues & tasks
Deepens differences in values
Weakens or destroys morale
Polarizes groups
Typical Responses to Conflict Avoid the Person Change the Subject Try to understand the
other persons POV Seek out a judge or
arbitrator Whine and Complain Apologize Give in Play the Martyr
Fight it out Pretend to agree Try to find common
ground Admit you are wrong Turn the conflict into a
joke Work towards a mutually
agreeable solution
Identify how you respond to conflict
Refer to the 4 statements posted around the class “In a conflict I…” Avoid the person Fight it out Whine or Complain Admit you are wrong
Which of the 4 options generally suits you best when involved in a conflict?
Move to that location On a sheet of chart paper, as a group list why you
respond this way and the pros and cons of your choice when responding to conflict
Triggering Conflict In your assigned groups use the chart paper
to identify the causes or “triggers”of conflict within these 3 separate groups
1. You and Friends, Peers, or Acquaintances in School
2. You and other teachers in the school3. You and family/guardians (i.e: Siblings, Parents, or
Legal Guardians)
*****Upon completion post your chart paper at the front of the room
Mediating and Solving Conflicts
Your job as a leader is to ensure that conflicts are dealt with and solved in a timely manner
Allowing conflict to continue or go unrecognized can be detrimental to your goals as a team “The slow burn”. If issues are ongoing it can
eventually explode into major problems
Creating a “How to Solve Conflicts for Dummies” Guide Now that you have identified the triggers
of conflict your task is to create a solution to an assigned conflict scenario
You must clearly create a series of steps in how you would deal with this conflict as a leader
Be sure to organize your thoughts
Solving problems before they can really start… The Pareto Principal states that roughly 80% of
effects come from 20% of the causes Example in leadership: You notice that some of the
students in your placement: Have trouble focusing Talk when they should be working Do not want to complete the assigned work Misbehave
The above actions of a student will usually lead to conflict between you and the student, or the teacher and the student
Using the Pareto Principal Poor leaders will focus on all of the above behaviours
and come up with short term interventions or punishments, but this will not solve the problem and is very inefficient as these issues are likely to resurface
On the other hand, if you can get to the source of the problem (i.e finding a subject, or way of teaching the material that interests the student) you can correct all of the behaviours with one step (This is the 20% cause - lack of interest)
Good leaders never chase the 80% instead will focus on solving the 20% causes, this is very efficient
Solving problems after they have happened…Suggestions
There is no cut and dry way to deal with conflict simply because all conflicts are different, as are the people who are involved
Here are a few best practices you might want to implement when attempting to deal with conflict
Solving Conflict Suggestions Ensure everyone involved in the conflict is
involved in the resolution process Identify why a solution is necessary Help each party see the problem from the
other’s point of view Identify the key issues and concerns. Determine what would constitute an acceptable
solution. Agree to the resolution and a follow-up meeting.