Workplace Conflict Resolution & Management

This is a PowerPoint slide deck created in 2024 for a team meeting.

The objectives include:

-Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various types of conflicts that can arise in a leadership role, including interpersonal, team-based, and organizational conflicts.

-Participants will acquire practical skills and strategies for effectively resolving conflicts in a leadership context.

-Participants will learn proactive measures to prevent conflicts and foster a positive work environment that minimizes the occurrence of disputes.

Transcript

1. POPULATION HEALTH & CLINICAL OPERATIONS Workplace Conflict Resolution & Management
2. Confidential and Proprietary Information 2 Presenter Aimee LeCours, LMHC • Senior Curriculum Designer • BH Learning & Development • Licensed Mental Health Counselor
3. Confidential and Proprietary Information 3 One Time During Clinical Rounds… 3
4. Confidential and Proprietary Information 4 What do I wish I had done differently? 4 •Taken a moment •Identified/Recognized my own triggers •Gained support from the others around to assist •Reframed/Redirect •Not raised my voice in a clinical setting (not escalated)
5. Training Objectives Confidential and Proprietary Information 5 Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various types of conflicts that can arise in a leadership role, including interpersonal, team-based, and organizational conflicts. Gain Participants will acquire practical skills and strategies for effectively resolving conflicts in a leadership context. Acquire Participants will learn proactive measures to prevent conflicts and foster a positive work environment that minimizes the occurrence of disputes. Learn
6. Confidential and Proprietary Information 6 • How did it make you feel? • What do you wish had been different? Think about a time you had a conflict… 6 Please jot down notes. We will revisit this question at the end.
7. Identifying Conflict 7
8. Signs of Conflict in a Workplace/Team 1. Decrease in productivity 2. Quality issues 3. High turnover 4. Excessive absenteeism 5. Dysfunctional meetings 6. Anxiety and stress 7. Complaints 8. Changes in interactions with others 8 (Concordia University St. Paul, 2024)
9. Confidential and Proprietary Information 9 Check in on your own mental health, triggers • Eating or sleep issues • Lack of energy • Unexplained aches and pains • Pulling away or not connecting with others • Worry, guilt, anger, edgy, sadness, hopelessness • Trouble readjusting to home or work life • Excessive substance use • Thinking of hurting yourself or others Personal Signs that May Impact Conflict 9 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023)
10. Purpose of Identifying Conflict 10 (Concordia University St. Paul, 2024) • Understanding signs in others and yourself can allow you to mentally and emotionally prepare to communicate • Setting boundaries • Understanding conflicts styles and communication tools help us prepare
11. Conflict as a Learning Tool “I’ve found that I can only change how I act if I stay aware of my beliefs and assumptions. Thoughts always reveal themselves in behavior.” - Margaret J. Wheatley (Author, Speaker, Teacher) 11
12. Confidential and Proprietary Information 12 What are some signs of conflict in a team or place that you have worked? 12 List what you have seen from your team and within yourself. What signs happen in your mind and body when conflict is happening?
13. Understanding Conflict Resolution 13
14. Confidential and Proprietary Information 14 “The conflict resolution process can be defined as the informal or formal process that two or more parties use to find a peaceful solution to their dispute. It’s often the case that when two people or organizations try to resolve a dispute by determining who is right, they get stuck. That’s why so many people need outside help with the conflict resolution process.” Conflict Resolution 14 (Harvard Law School, 2024)
15. • Management must be involved • It must be an on-going process • We must be aware of the skills necessary 15 If we want our teams to realize the full potential of conflict resolution… (Scannel, 2010) Great Resource: The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games
16. Conflict Resolution Styles • Competing • Avoiding • Accommodating • Compromising • Collaborating 16 (Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument)
17. 17 People view interpersonal conflict resolution as win-lose games. Rather than recognizing the value of ensuring that each party walks away satisfied, disputants focus narrowly on claiming as much as they can for themselves. Competing Because dealing with conflict directly can be highly uncomfortable, many of us prefer to avoid it. An avoidant conflict style might at first appear to be the opposite of a competitive style, but in fact, it can be similarly obstructive. Avoiding Because they defer so often to others, negotiators who adopt an accommodating style can seem agreeable and easygoing. But when people consistently put others’ needs first, they are liable to experience resentment that builds up over time. Accommodating Sometimes we try to resolve conflict by proposing seemingly equal compromises, such as meeting in the middle between two extreme positions, or by making a significant compromise just to move forward. Compromising Those who adopt a collaborative conflict-resolution style work to understand the deeper needs behind other parties’ demands and to express their own needs. Collaborating
18. Confidential and Proprietary Information 18 What should you know about how you deal with conflict? 18 • Which Conflict Style Are You? • Which types of individuals/conflict styles are difficult for you to work with? • Which types of individuals/conflict styles do you work well with?
19. Conflict Management Styles Quiz • Take some time after this training to complete and find this out for yourself • https://www.usip.org/PUBLIC- EDUCATION-NEW/CONFLICT- STYLES-ASSESSMENT 19 (United States Institute of Peace, n.d.)
20. Conflict Management Skills 20
21. Confidential and Proprietary Information 21 21 Communication Skills Negotiating Skills Verbal Non-Verbal Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Planning, Value Creation, Strategy, Reflection
22. A Trauma Informed Workspace How do we ensure that our organizations have the skills and resources to navigate trauma effectively? 22 (Manning, 2022)
23. A Trauma Informed Workspace Six guiding principles for a trauma- informed approach: 1) Safety 2) Trustworthiness and transparency 3) Peer support 4) Collaboration and mutuality 5) Empowerment, voice, and choice 6) Cultural, historical, and gender issues • Acknowledgement - “I will be heard” • Support - “I can get the help I need” • Trust - “I will be treated fairly” 23 (Manning, 2022)
24. Confidential and Proprietary Information 24 24 Recognize Respond Reframe Redirect Resolve The R's of Effective Conflict Resolution
25. Confidential and Proprietary Information 25 1. Set rules for respectful communication 2. Set aside preconceived opinions 3. Engage in active listening without interruption 4. Write down the problem/ Restate the problem out loud 5. Ask each party to create a solution 6. Discuss each solution and the positive and negative Steps To Conflict Management 25 (Selim, 2019)
26. Confidential and Proprietary Information 26 26 Open-ended questions Affirming Reflective listening Summarizing Motivational Interviewing & Communication Skills (O.A.R.S.) (Miller, & Rollnick, 2014)
27. “If I can provide a certain type of relationship, the other person will discover within himself the capacity to use that relationship for growth, and change and personal development will occur.” - Carl Rogers 27
28. Workplace Conflict Examples 28
29. 29 (Tzeses, 2022) Conflict Scenario You’re in your weekly team meeting, right before lunch, deciding which marketing strategy to take on your next project. You and your colleague Greg, disagree about which is the best route. You think solution one offers the most significant benefits to your client, while Greg feels solution two mutually benefits both companies. The discussion becomes heated, and you feel frustrated. Try finding a resolution that encompasses both your points.
30. Confidential and Proprietary Information 30 1. Set rules for respectful communication. 2. Set aside preconceived opinions 3. Engage in active listening without interruption 4. Write down the problem/ Restate the problem out loud 5. Ask each party to come up with a solution. 6. Discuss each solution and the positive and negative Steps To Conflict Management 30 (Selim, 2019) Revisiting Steps Resolving Conflict
31. Confidential and Proprietary Information Breakout Room - 5 mins Conflict Resolution Please discuss these questions in your breakout room together. • What rules can you set for respectful communication? • What is the problem? • What other factors could be at play? • Mental health issues • Preconceived thoughts about each other • What are some solutions that could encompasses points. 31 • Cameras on • Say your name • How long you have been at Centene • Whoever has been the longest goes first
32. Confidential and Proprietary Information 32 It’s helpful to step back from the issue to stay calm and gain perspective. You can suggest to your colleague that you each take a five-minute break to allow everyone time to think. Since it is close to lunch, maybe grab a snack. Use this time to breathe and center yourself. Remember, you are aiming to come to a solution, not just win for your side. This creates space and time to return to the problem with a fresh outlook. You can easily prevent this type of conflict from escalating by confronting it early. A couple of solutions may be: 1) Pick one solution for this month and another for next month, or 2) Combine the solutions and do both. 32 Resolution
33. Wrapping Up 33
34. Training Objectives Revisited Confidential and Proprietary Information 34 Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various types of conflicts that can arise in a leadership role, including interpersonal, team-based, and organizational conflicts. Gain Participants will acquire practical skills and strategies for effectively resolving conflicts in a leadership context. Acquire Participants will learn proactive measures to prevent conflicts and foster a positive work environment that minimizes the occurrence of disputes. Learn
35. Confidential and Proprietary Information 35 • How did it make you feel? • Was it resolved? • After learning what you have learned, what do you wish had been different? Revisited: Think back about a time you had a conflict… 35 Look back at your notes.
36. Confidential and Proprietary Information 36 • Introduction to Trauma Informed Care (TIC) • Motivational Interviewing Refresher • De-escalation Techniques • The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games Follow Up Resources 36 Revisited
37. Closing Thought The quality of our lives does not depend on if we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them. - Thomas Crum 37
38. Thank You 38
39. Confidential and Proprietary Information 39 References Adkins, R. (2006). Conflict Management Styles Quiz. https://facultyombuds.ncsu.edu/files/2015/11/Conflict-management-styles-quiz.pdf Concordia University St. Paul. (2024). 8 Signs of Conflict in the Workplace. https://online.csp.edu/resources/infographic/signs-of-conflict-in-the- workplace/ Gunasingha, R. (2023). Conflict resolution styles and skills and variation among medical students. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10103535/ Harvard Law School (2024). Conflict-Management Styles: Pitfalls and Best Practices. https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/conflict-resolution/conflict- management-styles-pitfalls-and-best-practices/ Herrity, J. (2023). 5 Major Conflict Management Styles for Successful Managers. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career- development/conflict-management Kilmann Diagnostics LLC. (2024). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. https://kilmanndiagnostics.com/overview-thomas-kilmann-conflict- mode-instrument-tki/ Manning, K. (2022). We Need Trauma-Informed Workplaces. https://hbr.org/2022/03/we-need-trauma-informed-workplaces
40. Confidential and Proprietary Information 40 References Miller, & Rollnick, (2014). Motivational Interviewing Fourth Edition Helping People Change and Grow. https://www.guilford.com/books/Motivational-Interviewing/Miller- Rollnick/9781462552795 Ronquillo et al. (2023). Conflict Management. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470432/ Scannell, M. (2010). The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2070/2016/08/The-big-book-of-Conflict- Resolution-Games.pdf Shields, A. (2021). Reducing The Stress Of Conflict At Work Using The 3Rs. https://www.forbes.com/sites/annashields/2021/10/28/reducing-the- stress-of-conflict-at-work-using-the-3rs/?sh=592221205b40 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Warning Signs and Risk Factors for Emotional Distress. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/warning-signs-risk-factors United States Institute of Peace. (n.d.). Conflict Styles Assessment. https://www.usip.org/PUBLIC-EDUCATION-NEW/CONFLICT-STYLES-ASSESSMENT Wheatley, M. (n.d.). Bio. https://margaretwheatley.com/bio/