Responding To Conflict:

Creating Resolution and Cooperation

You Will Learn How To

• Effectively handle conflict using a powerful conflict resolution method
• Anticipate the causes of conflict and respond proactively
• Manage strong emotions in a conflict situation
• Deal with conflict at all levels
• Create productive outcomes and reach a final agreement
• Embrace constructive conflict as an opportunity for team and organizational growth

Course Benefits

Workplace conflict has an impact on more than the individual—it creates a ripple effect, the repercussions of which are felt throughout the team and the organization. In this course, you are fully engaged in realistic work scenarios in which you gain practical experience recognizing causes behind interpersonal conflict, targeting emotional triggers that create conflict, and applying proven techniques and strategies to build an environment of cooperation.

Who Should Attend

Managers, business professionals and anyone interested in productive solutions to conflict in the workplace.

RealityPlus™

Experiential activities, which include role-playing and video scenarios, allow you to simulate real-world situations and practice the skills presented throughout the course. Activities include: • Diagnosing the conflict
• Identifying your "hot buttons"
• Developing emotional mastery
• Using effective body language
• Enabling productive conflict in teams
• Articulating what the other person wants
• Channeling constructive conflict for innovative outcomes
• Defusing angry situations
• Beginning the conversation safely
• Identifying shared interests with active listening
• Taking different points of view
• Creating a shared vision
• Building your personal action plan

Anatomy of a Conflict

• Defining conflict • The stages of conflict
• Focusing on a collaborative approach
• Exploring your relationship with conflict and its impact
• A new way of looking at conflict
Investigating the Causes of Conflict

Why we fight

• Underlying sources of conflict
• Exposing the needs that feed conflict
• Triggers and emotional "hot buttons"
• Dealing with powerful emotions

Conflict in teams

• Recognizing conflict as a natural part of team development
• Enabling productive conflict in teams
• Applying the Quad Talk Model

Taking First Steps toward Resolution

Defining the conflict resolution model

• The life cycle of a conflict: the build-up and the resolution
• Introducing the six-step model for resolving conflict
• Developing an awareness of the role of emotions

Managing your emotions

• Applying a powerful emotional mastery model
• Exploring your thoughts, feelings and beliefs
• Acknowledging the value of your perspective
• Determining your desired outcome
• Expressing what you truly want

Unlocking the power of body language

• Reading other people's body language
• Recognizing cultural differences in body language
• Using effective body language
• Matching body language with the intended message

Setting the Foundation for Cooperation

Diagnosing the conflict

• Applying the process model
• Asking the right questions
• Identifying key factors
• Articulating the true cause
• Choosing alternate conflict resolution strategies

Establishing a collaborative environment

• Setting the stage for success
• Removing barriers to conversation
• Making it safe to cooperate
• Dealing with negative emotions
• Opening the dialog

Defusing an angry situation

• Why we get angry
• Working for a positive outcome
• How to remain calm when they're not
• What managers and employees can do

Resolving the Conflict

Creating the connection

• Establishing rapport
• Achieving powerful results with active listening
• Taking different perspectives
• Hearing both sides of the story
• Identifying shared interests

Working out the resolution

• Exploring options
• Short-term and long-term solutions
• Imagining a more cooperative future
• Creating a shared vision

Formalizing the agreement

• Why write it down?
• Defining the agreement
• Committing to resolution
• Holding one another accountable
• Establishing follow-up procedures
• What if it doesn't work?

Achieving Positive Results

Putting it all together

• Resolving interpersonal and organizational conflicts from build-up to resolution
• Working in teams to resolve conflict using the six-step process

Creating a personal action plan

• Identifying immediate action items
• Resolving conflict back at the office
• Committing to a collaborative outlook