Conflict Management Negotiation Rex Mitchell Fall 2011 Course

Conflict Management & Negotiation Rex Mitchell Fall 2011

Course Overview Conflict Management – Understanding & diagnosing conflicts Goals & interests Power – Evaluating & managing conflicts – Effective communication skills – Forgiveness & reconciliation

Course Overview (cont. ) Negotiation – Basic concepts – “Principled negotiation” – Preparation – Ethics – Negotiation simulation in teams

Engage with the readings What seems important here, what do I like, agree with, find useful? Why? – Highlight, make margin notes How might I apply one or more concepts in my life – now and in the future? Are there things I disagree with and/or would modify or expand on? Why? How? Is important to create your own reading notes or concept map

Creativity

Understanding & Diagnosing Conflicts

Quick, First Responses, Please When there’s a conflict, I feel. . In a conflict situation, I usually. . In a conflict situation, I would like to…

You can tell that people are in conflict by. . . When I see two people in conflict, I think. . . After a conflict, people usually…

What is conflict? What is negotiation?

Conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and/or interference from others in achieving their goals

Conflict can have both negative & positive effects Some negatives? Some positives?

Course Overview Conflict Management – Understanding & diagnosing conflicts Goals & interests Power – Evaluating & managing conflicts – Effective communication skills – Forgiveness & reconciliation

We May Differ Over… Data and information Assumptions Goals Expectations Methods and preferred solutions Values

Organizations and groups differ in how conflict is viewed and managed Make a few notes re this: – In your work group (or family) – In your company (or other organization) Share in group Note similarities & differences

Conflict Episode Model

Conflicts can escalate & deescalate

Indications of Conflict Escalation Competition Claiming righteousness, moral superiority Not listening Spreading to new issues and situations Dealing in personalities Violating social norms Intentional hurt Insults and threats

Some Ways to De-escalate Listening, trying to understand Showing concern for others’ feelings Appealing/suggesting de-escalation Goodwill gestures, concessions Expressing feelings Finding integrative alternatives “Recognizing” the other human being

Conflict Episode Model

Exercise on Attitudes About Conflict Individually, score 1 -6 (6 = strongly agree) your degree of agreement with each of the statements, applied to you In pairs: – Identify statements with largest score spreads – Discuss some of these Would you help me understand why you answered as you did? Was it like this in your family of origin? How well has this worked for you?

Goals and Interests

Course Overview Conflict Management – Understanding & diagnosing conflicts Goals & interests Power – Evaluating & managing conflicts – Effective communication skills – Moderating conflicts – Forgiveness & reconciliation

Objectives (aka Goals) “If you don't know where you're going, you might wind up somewhere else. ” (Yogi Berra) Distinguish among objectives (= goals), interests, positions, strategies, & actions Define goals in terms of results and outcomes, not actions Frame as positive results to be achieved rather than problems to be avoided

Several Types of Goals Content Relational Identity (self-esteem) Process …. CRIP (aka TRIP)

Goals and Interests Interest: underlying need, desire, or concern Goal (objective): desired outcome or result Position: stated action, result, or proposal Strategy: method for achieving a goal Action: specific steps to take

Is this an Interest, Goal, Strategy, Position, or Action? Make $60, 000 this year I need more money with the arrival of a second child I think I deserve a 7% salary increase I will first try to negotiate an increase in my salary, then, if necessary, I will search for a second part-time job

Contact the placement office in my professional society re part-time jobs Increase profits to $1. 58/share for this year We need to hire more workers Impress the division head Start work on the paper at least a week before it is due

Application (Individually) Pick a current or recent conflict situation involving you: – Should be fairly complex – Because we will return to it several times to apply different concepts

Application – Part 1 Individually: – Pick a current or recent conflict situation – Identify what are/were your CRIP goals – What are/were the CRIP goals of one or more others involved In groups of two or three: – Take turns describing your conflict situation (briefly) & your draft of CRIP goals – Group helps you probe for additional or clearer interests/goals

POWER

Power: potential ability to influence behavior, events …get people to do things they would not do otherwise Influence, politics: processes & actions through which potential power is used Leadership: art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations

Sources of Power Formal authority & reputation Resources System connections & positioning Expertise Personal

1. Formal authority & reputation Should distinguish between these Formal authority particularly important where? – – – Military Police Some government organizations Formal relatively less important where? – New organizations – High-tech, R&D organizations – Universities

2. Resources Control Acquisition Creation …giving ability to reward and punish

3. System connections & positioning Centrality Political access Visibility Relevance (alignment) Criticality Discretion Non-substitutability

4. Expertise KSAs (knowledge, skills, abilities) Performance Professional credibility Fit with organizational needs & priorities

5. Personal Charisma Attractiveness Energy, stamina Focus Determination Interpersonal skills Personal reputation Flexibility Able to engage effectively, even confront Able to let others get credit

Three Propositions I Believe Power is necessary and is neither good nor bad inherently Influence is a form of power that tends to reduce the potential for negative effects Power and love are not a dichotomy

Good to Great Companies Jim Collins “Good is the enemy of great” Identified a group of elite companies that made the leap to great results & sustained for 15 years Cumulative stock returns >7 times market One factor was “Level 5 leaders”

Level 5 Leaders… Build enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and unwavering professional resolve Are ambitious first and foremost for the company, not themselves Set up their successors for even greater success in the next generation Are more work horse than show horse Look elsewhere to give credit for successes Look in the mirror when things go poorly

Discuss in groups Discuss assigned one of: 1. Application 4. 1 p. 104 -105, discuss what you were taught or have “learned” about power from your life 2. Interests, rights, power (p. 107) 3. Denying power use (p. 112 ff), including passiveaggressive behaviors (p. 125 -126) 4. Power imbalances (p. 126 -131 & ff) Report major points to class

Let’s Process Class So Far What was useful – and should be done in the future? What could be improved in the future?