When Things Don’t Work:

Recognizing and Resolving Conflict

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 2012-2013

Sponsored by the Provost’s Office
Johns Hopkins University

Catherine J. Morrison, JD
Associate Faculty
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
cmorrison@createagreement.com
 Learning Objectives
2

• Understand the fundamental concepts of conflict management

Acquire specific tactical approaches to conflict situations

Apply that understanding to more effectively assess and manage

two-party and multi-party conflicts

 
• s
 CONFLICT HAPPENS
3

Conflict is…
•a normal, inescapable part
of life
•a periodic occurrence in
any relationship
•an opportunity to
understand opposing
preferences and values
•ENERGY
How can we manage the energy of conflict?
4
 Use cognitive conflict
5

 Disagreement about ideas

and approaches

 Issue focused, not personal

 Characteristic of high
performing groups

Amason, A.C., Thompson, K.R., Hochwarter,

W.A., & Harrison, A.W. (1995, Autumn).
“Conflict: An Important Dimension in
Successful Management Teams.”
Organizational Dynamics, 24(2), 22-23.
Avoid affective conflict
6

Personal antagonism
fueled by differences of
opinion

Destructive to group
performance and
cohesion

Ibid., 24.
How can we keep conflict cognitive?
7

1. Make the approach

2. Share perspectives

3. Build understanding

4. Agree on solutions

5. Plan next steps

Mediation Services. (2003). Foundational concepts for understanding conflict. Winnipeg, MB,
Canada.
 Step 1. Make the approach
8

Reflect before you begin

Invite the other party to

a conversation
Be clear about your
intentions
State your goal - a
positive resolution
Ibid.
 Step 2. Share perspectives
9

Ask for the other person’s

perspective
Paraphrase what you
hear
Acknowledge your
contribution
Describe your perspective
Ibid.
Understand why your views differ
10

(Read from bottom to top)

I take action
I adopt beliefs
I draw conclusions
I add meaning
I select data
Observable data
Clark, W. (October 17, 2005). People Whose Ideas Influence Organisational Work
- Chris Argyris. In Organisations@Onepine. Retrieved March 8, 2009, from
http://www.onepine.info/pargy.htm
 Name the issues
11

Identify topics that the

parties view as important
to address
Use concise neutral
language
Avoid pronouns

Use issues to create the

agenda
Foundational Concepts for Understanding Conflict.
 Step 3. Build understanding
12

Discuss one issue at a

time
Clarify assumptions

Explore interests and

feelings

Ibid.
 Step 4. Agree on solutions
13

Reality test – Is this

doable?
Durability test – Is this
durable?
Interest test – Does this
meet all parties’
interests?
Ibid.
 Step 5. Plan next steps
14

 Jointly create action plan

What needs to happen?

Who needs to do what?

By when?
How will interaction take
place if problems occur?
Ibid.
 Tools for
Conflict Management
15
 16

What
doesn’t
work

That’s true but…

 17

What
does
work

That’s true and…

 18

What
doesn’t
work

BLAME
 19

What
does
work

The “third story”

 20

What
does
work

Contribution Mapping
 21

What
doesn’t
work

You get the picture…

 22

What
does
work
Match and lower,
match and raise
“Faced with the choice between changing one’s
mind and proving that there is no need to do so,
almost everybody gets busy on the proof.”

John Kenneth Galbraith

 Sources and
Recommended Reading
24
 Sources
25

Amason, A.C., Thompson, K.R., Hochwarter, W.A., & Harrison,

A.W. (1995, Autumn). “Conflict: An Important Dimension in
Successful Management Teams.” Organizational Dynamics,
24(2), 20-35.

Clark, W. (October 17, 2005). People Whose Ideas Influence

Organisational Work - Chris Argyris. In Organisations@Onepine.
Retrieved March 8, 2009, from
http://www.onepine.info/pargy.htm
 Sources
26

Garmston, R.J. (Summer 2005). “Group Wise: How to turn conflict

into an effective learning process.” Journal of Staff Development,
26(3), 65-66.

Mediation Services. (2003). Foundational concepts for

understanding conflict. Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
 Recommended Reading
27

Conger, J. A. (1998, May-June). The Necessary Art of Persuasion.

Harvard Business Review, pp. 84-95.

Eisenhardt, K., Kahwajy, L., & Bourgeois, L. J. (1997, July-August).

How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight. Harvard
Business Review, pp. 77-85.

Robinson, R. J. (1997, February 6). Errors in Social Judgment:

Implications for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Harvard
Business School Publishing, Case Note 897103, pp. 1-7.
 Recommended Reading
28

Sussman, L. (1999, January 15). How to Frame a Message: The Art

of Persuasion and Negotiation. Business Horizons, pp. 2-6.

Tannen, D. (1995, September-October). The Power of Talk: Who

Gets Heard and Why. Harvard Business Review, pp. 138-148.