MPUMALANGA DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR

CHARLES COTTER

9-10 SEPTEMBER 2014

TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

• Defining the fundamental concepts

• Optimal levels of conflict

• The manager’s roles and responsibilities as a conflict manager

• The five (5) distinctive conflict resolution styles

Characteristics Suitability and appropriateness

• Applying the 4-step conflict resolution process

• Proactively managing conflict

• Dealing effectively with anger

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

• Defining conflict

• Differentiating between functional and dysfunctional conflict

• Identifying the causes/sources of conflict

• Indicators/warning signals of conflict

FUNCTIONAL AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT

• Functional conflict leads to open discussion, a better understanding of differences, innovative solutions and greater commitment.

• Functional conflict contributes to the achievement of organizational goals and enhances relationship-building.

• Dysfunctional conflict tends be more focused on emotions than on the goal/task at hand known as affect conflict/interpersonal conflict, it is destructive when a solution is not reached, energy is diverted away from the core problem and morale is negatively affected.

• Dysfunctional conflict is detrimental to relationships within the team and team performance.

CAUSES/SOURCES OF CONFLICT

• Intra-personal

• Interpersonal

• Intra-group

• Inter-group

INDICATORS/WARNING SIGNS OF CONFLICT

• Signs of conflict between individuals

• Signs of conflict between groups of people

OPTIMAL LEVELS OF CONFLICT

ADVANTAGES OF OPTIMAL LEVELS OF CONFLICT

• Co-operation from team members

• Improved performance and productivity

• Reduced stress and preserved integrity

• Solve problems as quickly as possible

• Improved relationships and teamwork

• Enhanced creativity

• Increased staff morale

MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conflict Manager

• Coach

• Liaison

• Trouble-shooter

CONFLICT MANAGER

• Key responsibilities include:

Helping to identify the sources of conflict

Identifying the resolution options available

Evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each resolution option

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

• Shark (Competing)

• Turtle (Avoiding)

• Fox (Compromising)

• Teddy-bear (Accommodating)

• Owl (Collaborating)

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

SHARK CHARACTERISTICS• Sharks use a forcing or competing conflict management style

• Sharks are highly goal-oriented

• Relationships take on a lower priority

• Sharks do not hesitate to use aggressive behaviour to resolve conflicts

• Sharks can be autocratic, authoritative, and uncooperative; threatening and intimidating

• Sharks have a need to win; therefore others must lose, creating win-lose situations

• Advantage: If the shark's decision is correct, a better decision without compromise can result

• Disadvantage: May breed hostility and resentment toward the person using it

TURTLE CHARACTERISTICS• Turtles adopt an avoiding or withdrawing conflict management style

• Turtles would rather hide and ignore conflict than resolve it; this leads them uncooperative and unassertive

• Turtles tend to give up personal goals and display passive behaviour creating lose-lose situations

• Advantage: may help to maintain relationships that would be hurt by conflict resolution

• Disadvantage: Conflicts remain unresolved, overuse of the style leads to others walking over them

FOX CHARACTERISTICS• Foxes use a compromising conflict management style; concern is for goals

and relationships

• Foxes are willing to sacrifice some of their goals while persuading others to give up part of theirs

• Compromise is assertive and cooperative-result is either win-lose or lose-lose

• Advantage: relationships are maintained and conflicts are removed

• Disadvantage: compromise may create less than ideal outcome and game playing can result

TEDDY-BEAR CHARACTERISTICS• Teddy bears use a smoothing or accommodating conflict management style

with emphasis on human relationships

• Teddy bears ignore their own goals and resolve conflict by giving into others; unassertive and cooperative creating a win-lose (bear is loser) situation

• Advantage: Accommodating maintains relationships

• Disadvantage: Giving in may not be productive, bear may be taken advantage of

OWL CHARACTERISTICS• Owls use a collaborating or problem confronting conflict management

style valuing their goals and relationships

• Owls view conflicts as problems to be solved finding solutions agreeable to all sides (win-win)

• Advantage: both sides get what they want and negative feelings eliminated

• Disadvantage: takes a great deal of time and effort

THE 4-STEP CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS – THERAPEUTIC MODEL

• Step 1: Identify sources of potential and actual conflict (DIAGNOSIS)

• Step 2: Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques (EXAMINATION)

• Step 3: Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques (REMEDY)

• Step 4: Control and review the effectiveness of the conflict resolution strategy/technique (FOLLOW-UP)

STEP 1: DIAGNOSIS

• Identify the sources/causes of conflict:

Intra-personalInterpersonalIntra-group or Inter-group

• The best approach to manage conflict effectively is to be proactive.

STEP 2: EXAMINATION • Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques:

Shark (Competing) Turtle (Avoiding) Fox (Compromising) Teddy-bear (Accommodating) Owl (Collaborating)

• There is no one best way to deal with conflict. It is dependent on the current situation as well as the team members involved in the conflict.

• The golden rule is that managers should take prompt action in resolving conflict.

• By failing to act, it may result in the conflict escalating beyond control and “spreading like a cancer” negatively affecting team performance and relationships.

STEP 3: REMEDY

• Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques

• The key is to match strategies to situations.

• Influential considerations:

Time pressure Issue importance Relationship importance Relative power

SUITABILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS: SHARK

• When conflict involves personal differences that are difficult to change

• When fostering intimate or supportive relationships is not critical

• When others are likely to take advantage of non-competitive behaviour

• When conflict resolution is urgent; when decision is vital and when in a crisis

• When unpopular decisions need to be implemented

• Use when you have a very strong conviction about your position

• If time is precious and if you have enough power to impose your will

SUITABILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS: TURTLE

• When the stakes are not high or issue is trivial

• When confrontation will hurt a working relationship

• When there is little chance of satisfying your wants

• When disruption outweighs benefit of conflict resolution

• When gathering information is more important than an immediate decision

• When others can more effectively resolve the conflict

• When time constraints demand a delay

• Use it when it simply is not worth the effort to argue

SUITABILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS: FOX

• When important/complex issues leave no clear or simple solutions

• When all conflicting people are equal in power and have strong interests in different solutions

• When there are no time restraints

• Use when the goal is to get past the issue and move on

SUITABILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS: TEDDY-BEAR

• When maintaining the relationship outweighs other considerations

• When suggestions/changes are not important to the accommodator

• When minimizing losses in situations where outmatched or losing

• When time is limited or when harmony and stability are valued

• Use this approach very sparingly and infrequently, for example, in situations when you know that you will have another more useful approach in the very near future

SUITABILITY AND APPROPRIATENESS: OWL

• When maintaining relationships is important

• When time is not a concern

• When peer conflict is involved

• When trying to gain commitment through consensus building

• When learning and trying to merge differing perspectives

• Use when the goal is to meet as many current needs as possible by using mutual resources. This approach sometimes raises new mutual needs.

• Use when the goal is to cultivate ownership and commitment

STEP 4: FOLLOW-UP• Managers will need to confirm whether this technique has

adequately resolved the conflict.

• In the event that this dysfunctional conflict persists, managers may have to resort to alternative (third party) strategies:

Mediation

Counseling

Organizational development (OD) interventions

PRO-ACTIVELY MINIMIZING CONFLICT

• Referring (to expert staff)

• Informing

Performance expectations Changes to organizational policy and operations

• Consulting with team members

• Employee Engagement

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES – TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

DEALING WITH ANGER

• To effectively defuse anger, keep in mind the needs of the angry speaker:

• To vent

• To get the listener's attention

• To be heard

• To be understood

DEALING WITH ANGER

• When you're listening to an angry person, apply the following constructive behaviour:

• Be attentive and patient

• Be sincere

• Be calm

CONCLUSION

• Key points

• Summary

• Questions

CONTACT DETAILS

• Charles Cotter

• (+27) 84 562 9446

• charlescot@polka.co.za

• LinkedIn

• Twitter: Charles_Cotter