MANAGING CONFLICT

Delta Zeta Region 5 Officer Training 2011Ohio Wesleyan University

Amanda Means

OVERVIEW

• Facts about conflict

• Effective leadership communication

• Leadership communication strategies for working with especially difficult people

• Credibility and leadership communication

• Ground rules for airing disagreements

• Things to consider

• Application/practice

FACTS ABOUT CONFLICT

Conflict is when two or more values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory

in nature and haven't been aligned or agreed about yet, including:

1. Within yourself when you're not living according to your values

2. When your values and perspectives are threatened

3. Discomfort from fear of the unknown or from lack of fulfillment

Facts about Conflict

• Conflict is inevitable

• Conflict can be constructive

• Conflict can be managed

Leadership Objective

Maximize CONSTRUCTIVE conflict.

Minimize DESTRUCTIVE conflict.

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION

Consider what seems counterintuitive.

Consider both first-person and third-person

perspectives.

LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Establish a Culture that Curtails Difficult Behavior

• Promote a shared vision

• Make expectations clear

• Make the context clear

• Practice open communication

• Practice one-to-many communication

• Defuse sensitive issues

Manage the Immediate Situation

• Discern motivation• Separate fact from fiction• View issue and situation from

difficult person’s perspective• Reduce unnecessary

defensiveness– Stay on the issue– Language use– Timing

• Look for win-win

For Managing Personal Agendas:

• Create a shared vision

• Establish and sustain processes that support the shared vision

• Discern misguided motives

• Consider immediate and long-range context

For Containing the Troublemaker:

• Practice open communication

• Practice one-to-many communication

• Make context clear

• Anticipate pot-stirring activity

For Working with the Drama Queen:

• Stay on the issue

• Time your intervention well

• Play to the audience

• Assess underlying motives

• Keep facts straight

• Be prepared

For Working with the Confrontation Junkie:

• Resist taking the bait

• Defuse sensitive issues

• Build a firewall

• Structure the process

• Keep facts straight

• Be prepared

For Engaging the Passive and Indifferent Soul:

• Assess the motivation for indifference

• Make expectations clear

• Be transparent

• Value participation

CREDIBILITY AND LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION

Components of Leadership Credibility

• Perception of leader’s knowledge and ability to lead

• Perception of leader’s character and intentions

• Perception of leader’s trustworthiness

Important Facts about Leadership Credibility

• Leadership credibility is an assigned attribute

• Leadership credibility takes time to build, but and be quickly lost

When Credibility is Low

• Make leadership communication more transparent– Think and reason out loud

– Share facts and decision making criteria

– Employ one-to-many communication

• Demonstrate consideration for all relevant perspectives

• Demonstrate equitable treatment of others

• Live in the sunshine!

GROUND RULES FOR AIRING DISAGREEMENTS

Abusive language will NOT be tolerated.

Derogatory comments that represent personal attacks with NOT be

tolerated.

Difference in opinion will be discussed and everyone will be

heard.

Individuals can express their views without interruption or fear of

retaliation.

Unsubstantiated assertions will not influence vote or outcome.

Issues and not personalities are subject to debate.

Tears and emotional outbursts DO NOT derail discussion.

Issues will be discussed with the leaders and ONLY the leaders.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Intrapersonal Conflict – Know Yourself

• Preferred communication medium

• Preferred communication context

• Personal comfort in discussing difficult issues

• Personal skill/experience in framing communication about issues

• Personal leadership credibility with others

Interpersonal Conflict – Know Others

• Identify difficult personality types

• Use first-person participant and third-person observer roles simultaneously

• Determine the best communication medium

• Assess the issue as others perceive it

• Consider doing what may seem counterintuitive– Example: discuss the situation with the person

you will disappoint

Organizational Conflict – Know Your Chapter

• Assess the organizational culture

• Know your chapter’s priorities and the external conditions that influence them

• Know Delta Zeta policy

• Identify your strengths