Responding to Conflict: Strategies for Improved Communication

Conflict in business is all too familiar—particularly under increased business pressures. Still, most of us lack basic conflict management skills. Rather than react to conflict on a purely emotional level, you can learn how to manage disputes and disagreements in a positive manner, or even avoid them altogether. This conflict management training will show you how to recognize the causes of interpersonal conflict. It emphasizes skills to help you critically evaluate conflict situations and then choose the appropriate strategies and tools to manage and/or resolve these conflicts. You’ll develop greater awareness of your emotional triggers and how to control them. In addition, you will learn how to continually action-plan around the implementation of your new skills.

• Recognize the underlying causes of conflict 
• Map conflict using a five-step approach 
• Identify ways to develop flexible responses to personal and professional conflicts 
• Practice applying models, techniques and strategies to manage your interpersonal communication behaviors in conflict situations 
• Implement strategies to improve your communication and effectively respond to conflict

Developing Conflict Awareness

• Recognizing the difference between disagreement and conflict 
• Understanding the five levels of a conflict 
• Exploring barriers to conflict management and resolution

Responding to Conflict 

• Identifying your own feelings and actions in response to conflict 
• Applying the P-U-R-R Model to demonstrate understanding
• Utilizing the validating process 
• Distinguishing between listening for thoughts and listening for feelings

The Role of Trust in Minimizing Conflict

• Describing the 4 Cs as the cornerstones of building trust 
• Knowing how trust is lost and regained, and how transparency validates trust 
• Identifying interests behind positions

Conflict Strategies

• Identifying your preferred strategies for responding to conflict 
• Understanding the five conflict strategies 
• Exploring appropriate strategies to minimize/manage conflict

Moving Beyond Conflict

• Knowing why relationship conflict and content conflict should be handled differently 
• Turning potential disagreements into discussion by applying the Model to Disagree 
• Identifying and practicing assertiveness tools and strategies 
• Detoxifying emotional statements and devising alternative ways to express the message

Dealing with Difficult Behavior

• Explaining the difference between difficult people and difficult behavior
• Understanding how to handle passive behavior 
• Developing a strategy for handling passive or aggressive behavior

Mapping the Conflict

• Mapping a conflict using a 5-step approach 
• Exploring a given conflict from various "viewing points" 
• Separating interests from positions in a specific conflict 
• Selecting a conflict strategy appropriate to addressing a specific goal 
• Implementing a chosen conflict strategy

Thunderstorms

• Applying skills to address emotionally tense conflicts (called Thunderstorms) 
• Using skills to address an intra-group conflict case study 
• Planning for future development to effectively respond to conflict

Learning Objectives

• Identify Underlying Causes of Conflict
• Identify Approaches for Developing Flexible Responses to Personal and Professional Conflicts
• Practice Various Models, Techniques, Strategies, and Approaches to Manage Your Interpersonal Communication Behaviors in Conflict Situations
• Implement Flexible Strategies to Improve Your Communication and to Effectively Respond to Conflict

Developing Conflict Awareness

• Define Conflict
• Explain the Difference Between Disagreement and Conflict
• Describe the Five Levels of a Conflict
• Describe Barriers to Managing and Resolving Conflict

Responding to Conflict

• Identify Your Own Personal Feelings and Actions in Response to Conflict
• Ally the P-U-R-R Model to Demonstrate Understanding and Application
• Apply the Validating Process
• Distinguish Between Listening for Thoughts and Listening for Feelings in a Conversation
• Explain That Meaning Often Comes from the Context of the Relationship Rather Than the Intrinsic Definition of the Words Used

Conflict Strategies

• Identify Your Preferred Strategy or Strategies for Responding to Conflict
• Identify the Five Conflict Strategies
• Analyze Examples and Recommend Appropriate Strategies to Minimize or Manage Conflict

The Role of Trust in Minimizing Conflict

• Describe the Four “Cs” as the Cornerstones of Building Trust
• Explain How Trust Is Lost and Regained, and How Transparency Validates Trust
• Identify Interests Behind Positions

Moving Beyond Conflict

• Describe How Relationship Conflict and Content Conflict Should Be Handled Differently
• Demonstrate How to Turn Potential Disagreements into Discussion By Applying the Model to Disagree
• Identify and Practice Assertiveness Tools and Strategies
• Detoxify Emotional Statements, and Devise Alternative Ways to Express the Message Behind the Emotional Statement

Dealing with Difficult Behaviors

• Explain the Difference Between Difficult People and Difficult Behavior
• Describe an Understanding of Handling Passive Behavior
• Describe a Strategy for Handling Passive or Aggressive Behavior

Mapping Conflict

• Map a Conflict Using a Five-Step Approach
• Explore a Given Conflict from Various “Viewing Points”
• Separate Interests from Positions in a Specific Conflict
• Select a Conflict Strategy Appropriate to Address a Specific Goal
• Demonstrate the Implementation of the Chosen Conflict Strategy

Thunderstorms

• Apply a Combination of Skills, Techniques, and Ideas Presented Throughout This Seminar to a Conflict Situation (Called a “Thunderstorm”)
• Demonstrate the Application of Appropriate Conflict Strategies to Address the “Thunderstorm”

Download Extended Seminar Outline PDF

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LESSON ONE

Developing Conflict Awareness

• Define Conflict
• Explain the Difference Between Conflict and Disagreement
• Describe the Five Levels of a Conflict
• Describe Barriers to Managing and Resolving Conflict

Responding to Conflict

• Identify Your Own Personal Feelings and Actions in Response to Conflict
•  Apply the P-U-R-R Model to Demonstrate Understanding and Application
• Apply the Validating Process  Distinguish Between Listening for Thoughts and Listening for Feelings in a Conversation
• Explain That Meaning Often Comes from the Context of the Relationship Rather Than the Intrinsic Definition of the Words Used

 LESSON TWO

Responding to Conflict—Part 2

• Identify Your Own Personal Feelings and Actions in Response to Conflict
• Apply the P-U-R-R Model to Demonstrate Understanding and Application
• Apply the Validating Process
• Distinguish Between Listening for Thoughts and Listening for Feelings in a Conversation
• Explain That Meaning Often Comes from the Context of the Relationship Rather Than the Intrinsic Definition of the Words Used

Conflict Strategies

• Identify Your Preferred Strategy or Strategies for Responding to Conflict
• Identify the Five Conflict Strategies
• Analyze Examples, and Recommend Appropriate Strategies to Minimize or Manage Conflict

The Role of Trust in Minimizing Conflict

• Describe the Four Cs—The Four Cornerstones of Building Trust
• Explain How Trust Is Lost and Regained and How Transparency Validates Trust
• Identify Interests Behind Positions

LESSON THREE

Moving Beyond Conflict

• Describe How Relationship Conflict and Content Conflict Should Be Handled Differently  Explain the Reason the Word “Why” Should Be Avoided When Managing a Conflict
• Identify Appropriate Solutions for Managing Real-Life Conflict Situations
• Use “I” Messages and the DESC Script to Express Yourself Assertively
• Apply the Model to Disagree
• Say “No” Assertively
• Detoxify Emotional Statements, and Devise Alternative Ways to Express the Message

Dealing with Difficult Behavior

• Explain the Difference Between Difficult People and Different Behavior
• Describe an Understanding of Handling Passive Behavior  Describe a Strategy for Handling Passive or Aggressive Behavior

LESSON FOUR

Mapping the Conflict

• Map a Conflict Through the Five Steps on the Template
• Explore a Given Conflict from Various “Viewing Points”
• Separate Interests from Positions in a Specific Conflict
• Select a Conflict Strategy Appropriate to a Goal  Demonstrate the Implementation of a Chosen Conflict Strategy in a Role Play

Thunderstorms

•  Apply a Combination of Skills, Techniques, and Ideas Presented Throughout This Seminar to Participant-Generated Conflicts (Called Thunderstorms)
• Demonstrate the Application of Appropriate Conflict Strategies to Address These Thunderstorms