Conflict Management Strategies Agenda Introductions Conflict Resolution Exercise

Conflict Management Strategies

Agenda Introductions Conflict Resolution Exercise Activity Conflict Management & Group Think Underlying Factors/Handling Common Conflicts Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument General Tips for Preventing and Managing Conflicts with Students Final Thoughts/Action Plan

4 Word Build Activity Observations about final words selected How did you come to the decisions in your group(s) with regard to which ones to keep or drop? Were you passive in one group and more active in another? Any new insights into the original word (post activity) What did you learn from the exercise?

Conflict Management

The Truth about Conflict is inevitable; however the results of conflict are not predetermined. Conflict might escalate and lead to nonproductive results, or conflict can be beneficially resolved and lead to high quality results.

Interactions that may cause conflict You/Student Employee You/Set of Students You/Parent/Student You/Supervisor (connected to student issue) You/Employee (connected to student issue) Any that I missed? ? ?

Why is Conflict Needed? Helps raise and address problems – it can be a productive change agent Helps people learn how to recognize and benefit from differences Helps avoid “Group Think” 4 Vertical Lines Example What are some negative effects of “Group Think”?

Group Think Among Students Dispelling Group Think Growth comes through conflict Group Think Among Colleagues Working with students with a “history” How you handle the conflict

When does Conflict become a problem? When it: Hampers productivity Lowers morale Causes more and continued conflicts Causes inappropriate behaviors

Underlying Factors/Handling Common Conflicts Common underlying factors with conflict when working with students Personality differences Heightened Emotions Language barriers Age Differences Different energy levels Different opinions Practical challenges What are some ways to deal with these common conflicts?

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument Developed by Ken Thomas, Ph. D and Ralph Kilmann, Ph. D, both professors of management at the University of Pittsburgh. It has become the leading measure of conflict-handling modes, backed up by hundreds of research studies and selling over four million copies. Two basic dimensions of behavior (assertive and cooperative) define five different modes for responding to conflict situations.

Avoiding Neither pursuing your own concerns nor those of the other individual (not dealing with the conflict) Examples: Diplomatically sidestepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better time, or simply withdrawing from an intimidating situation. Advantages: Effective when an issue is trivial or when you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns Effective when the potential costs of confronting a conflict outweigh the benefits of its resolution When gathering more information outweighs the advantages of an immediate decision Allows involved parties to cool down May allow others to resolve conflict more effectively on their own Disadvantages: Hoping issues will resolve themselves is not a good long term strategy in some situations Others may develop a perception that you fear conflict, are not in control, or indecisive Can cause long term damage with student relationships

Overuse/Underuse of Avoiding Overuse could result in: Lack of input from you Decisions on important issues getting made by default Festering issues An atmosphere of “walking on eggshells” developing Signs of Underuse: Do you sometimes find yourself hurting people’s feelings or stirring up hostilities? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by a number of issues? Avoiding Example Clip from Office Space - “The Glitch”

Accommodating Giving ground as a way of maintaining harmony Advantages: Time Helps saver/Effective for meeting deadlines avoid any unnecessary argument/tension May be useful when harmony and stability are more important than the subject at hand Effective when you realize that you are wrong – to allow a better solution to be considered, to learn from others, and to show that you are reasonable Disadvantages: Concern for others overrides concern for self and empowers others to control the situation May lead to power struggles

Overuse/Underuse of Accommodating Overuse could: Work against your own goals and objectives Cause your ideas to receive minimal attention Be harmful to the relationship if staff member always gives in and the student always gets their way Lead to frustration for you Signs of Underuse: Having trouble building goodwill Being viewed as unreasonable Having trouble admitting when one is wrong Failing to recognize legitimate exceptions to the rules Refusing to give up

Competing The only way for one party to reach its goals is to overcome the other; acting in an assertive way to achieve your goals, without seeking to cooperate with the other party; Advantages: Effective when quick, decisive action is necessary Effective when dealing with important issues where unpopular actions need implementing Examples: cost cutting, discipline, enforcing unpopular rules Disadvantages: May generate ill will that is costly and unpleasant; students whose needs are ignored are likely to resent their faculty/staff and act in ways that cost the university.

Overuse/Underuse of Competing Overuse could result in: Lack of feedback Reduced Low learning empowerment Surrounded Decrease by “yes” people in engagement Others afraid to admit ignorance and uncertainties to you Signs of Underuse: Feeling powerless in situations Having trouble taking a firm stand, even when it seems necessary

Compromising Each party sacrifices something he/she is seeking to gain agreement; neither party really achieves what they want, but agree to meet in the middle, often due to time constraints; Advantages: It’s cooperative, recognizing that both parties must agree to resolve a conflict Disadvantage: It’s self-centered since the parties act in their self interest to get the best possible deal

Overuse/Underuse of Compromising Signs of overuse: Do you concentrate so heavily on the practicalities and tactics of compromise that you sometimes lose sight of larger issues? Does an emphasis on bargaining create a cynical climate of gamesmanship? Signs of underuse: Do you sometimes find yourself too sensitive or uncomfortable to engage in the give-and-take of bargaining? Do you sometimes find it difficult to make concessions?

Collaborating Working together to resolve conflicts; where you break free of the “win-lose” paradigm and seek the “win-win” Advantages: Benefits are clear; not only can the issue at hand be resolved, but the relationship between parties is improved Effective when you need to find an integrative solution and the concerns of both parties are too important to be compromised Effective when your objective is to learn and you wish to test your assumptions and understand others’ views Effective when you want to merge insights from people with different perspectives on a problem Disadvantages: Takes time and a mutually satisfactory outcome isn’t always possible

Overuse/Underuse of Collaborating Signs of overuse: Spending time discussing issues in depth that don’t seem to warrant it Failing to elicit collaborative responses from others. Signs of underuse: Is it difficult for you to see differences as opportunities for joint gain, learning, or problem solving? Are others uncommitted to your decisions or policies?

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

General Tips for Preventing and Managing Conflicts with Students

Tip 1: Think about what your office communicates. Tip 2: Practice objectivity, even if student has a “history” Tip 3: Get students out of the pinball machine that Rowan can be Tip 4: Show an investment in students and parents Tip 5: Use active listening

Tip 6: Don’t take conflict personally Tip 7: Consult, consult Tip 8: Know when the issue is above your head Tip 9: Don’t gossip about the conflict…especially when escalating Tip 10: Learn from both the conflict and the resolution

Recommendations Conflict is something we shouldn’t fear. It can improve performance and productivity when handled well. When conflict is resolved well, relationships and organizations generally improve overall. Remember that every conflict mode has value and is important. Focusing on desired outcomes and being mindful about the different conflict modes, enhances our ability to be better conflict managers.

Final Thoughts/Action Plan Which concept(s) resonated the most with you? Which concept(s) do you think would be most beneficial for you to put into practice? How can they be implemented into your daily interactions? Studies show that after one day, people forget more than 70% of what was taught in training! Information in our memories can fade over time if not accessed enough. Don’t let the information go to waste! COURSE EVALUATIONS