Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Myths
1. Conflict shouldn’t exist
2. Conflict can be avoided
3. All conflict can be resolved
4. Conflict can only have one winner
Truths
1. Conflict always occurs
2. Conflict can be managed
3. Conflict builds relationships
Sources of conflict
• Control
• Expectations
• Information
• Role Ambiguity
• Resources
• Stress
• Personality
Types of conflict
• Personal
o Performing roles that clash with personal expertise, goals, values or ethics
o Dispute between two individuals
• Team
Conflict resolution – the process of problem-solving to satisfy the needs and desires of
both parties
Guidelines
o Never address conflict when you are not prepared.
o Address conflict in a private setting.
Encourage teamwork
o Create a comfortable climate
o Eliminate environments where team members feel they are being punished
or ridiculed.
o Keep conflict constructive
o Conflict is always 2-sided.
o Clarify goals
o Foster unity
o Encourage team-based decisions
Communication Skills
o Open-mindedness
o Ability to communicate reasons behind viewpoints
o Ability to avoid defensive messages
o Ability to keep responses descriptive – be explicit with your meaning
o Ability to appeal to a common goal
o Ability to respond, don’t react, to people
Maintaining Dialog
o Prep the participants
o Find neutral turf
o Set an agenda
o Set the timeframe – never try to rush parties into making a decision
o Referee the interaction – do not hesitate to step in and separate the parties
o Elicit reactions – avoid ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ questions
o Offer observations – interrupt the process if you feel and issue has been
overlooked.
o Restate the issues
o Plan for future dialog