Supply Chain Management Unit 1 Workplace Essentials Module

Supply Chain Management Unit 1: Workplace Essentials Module 5: Counseling, Decision Making and Conflict Resolution 1 -5 -1

Learning Objectives • Examine the benefits of workplace counseling. • Identify the characteristics of an effective counselor. • Demonstrate counseling techniques through case studies and practical application. • Discuss the decision-making process. • Describe the conflict-resolution process. 1 -5 -2

What is Counseling? • A relationship in which one person helps another person to better understand solve a problem. Listening • Friends and relatives provide a type of counseling, as do clergy, academic advisors, teachers, and many others. Asking questions 1 -5 -3

A Counselor’s Job • Counselors assist people with a variety of problems, including: – Personal and family issues – Mental health concerns – Educational and career decisions 1 -5 -4

Benefits of an Effective Counseling Program • • • Reduce levels of stress in the workplace by more than 50%. Reduce levels of sickness and absence by between 25 -50%. Relieves the symptoms of both anxiety and depression. 1 -5 -5

The Counseling Process Types of counseling • Formal – Planned, scheduled and usually focused on performance or expected accomplishments • Informal – Unplanned, constitutes the majority of counseling events, usually focused on reinforcing specific aspects of performance 1 -5 -6

Elements of a Counseling Session • • • Preparation Opening Main discussion Closing Documentation Follow-up 1 -5 -7

Counseling Skills • • • Know employees Be an active listener Employ good questioning techniques Provide meaningful feedback Focus on problem solving Make referrals as necessary 1 -5 -8

Counseling Considerations • Is the person being counseled – Socially-oriented? – Self-driven? – Oriented by immediate gratification? – Goal-oriented? – Emotionally-driven? – Intellectually-driven? – Introverted? – Extraverted? ©UCKG 1 -5 -9

Case Study Counseling Exercise 1 -5 -1 • • Form teams. Review each case study. Answer the questions. Discuss results. 1 -5 -10

Case Study #1 Discussion • • • How would you approach this situation? What would you do? Why? What, if anything, could Eric have done to stop these incidents from happening in the first place? What is management’s responsibility to the other employees in the company? To Ray? 1 -5 -11

Case Study #2 Discussion • • How would you approach this situation? What would you do? Why? What could have caused Sharon’s behavior? How should Mr. Smith deal with Sharon? Could this problem have been avoided? 1 -5 -12

Decision Making • • The decision-making process Decision-making steps 1 -5 -13

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 1. Define the problem. • Define complex problems. • Prioritize the problem. • Verify your understanding of the problem. • Understand your role in the problem. 1 -5 -14

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 2. Determine potential causes. • • • Invite input from other people who notice the problem and who are affected by it. Collect input from other individuals one at a time. Write down your opinions and what you have heard from others. Seek advice from a peer or your supervisor. Write down what is happening, where, when, how, with whom and why. 1 -5 -15

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 3. Identify alternatives to resolve the issue. • • Keep others involved. Brainstorm solutions to the problem. 1 -5 -16 Photo by Fluff, modified by Sertion

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 4. Select an approach. • Which approach is most likely to solve the problem for the long term? • Which approach is the most realistic to accomplish the intended results for now? • Do you have the resources? Are they affordable? • Do you have enough time to implement the approach? • What are the risks associated with each alternative? 1 -5 -17

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 5. Develop an action plan. • What will the situation look like when the problem is solved? • What steps should be taken to implement the best alternative to solving the problem? • How will you know if the steps are being followed or not? • What resources will you need? • How much time will you need? • Who will primarily be responsible? • Write down the answers. • Communicate the plan. 1 -5 -18

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 6. Monitor progress. • • • Are you seeing what you would expect from the indicators? Will the plan be done according to schedule? If the plan is not being followed as expected, then consider: – – Was the plan realistic? Are there sufficient resources to accomplish the plan on schedule? Should more priority be placed on various aspects of the plan? Should the plan be changed? 1 -5 -19

Decision Making (Cont’d. ) 7. Verify that the problem has been resolved. • • Resume normal operations. Consider the following: – What changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future? – What did you learn from this problem solving? – Write a brief memo that highlights the success of the problem-solving effort, and what you learned as a result. – Share results with your supervisor, peers and subordinates. 1 -5 -20

Conflict Resolution/Management • Two ways to deal with conflict – Conflict resolution – Conflict management • Conflict occurs when two or more values, perspectives, and/or opinions are in opposing arenas • Conflict is inevitable • Conflict is valuable in resolving differences • Conflict is not the same as discomfort 1 -5 -21

Conflict is a Problem… • Conflict is a problem when it: – interferes with productivity – lowers morale – causes more and continued conflict – causes inappropriate behaviors 1 -5 -22

Conflict Resolution • Conflict Resolution – The process of attempting to resolve a dispute or a conflict – Aims to end conflicts before they start or lead to verbal, physical, or legal fighting – Usually involves two or more groups with opposing views regarding specific issues, and another group or individual who is considered to be neutral in their opinion on the subject 1 -5 -23

Conflict Resolution (Cont’d. ) • Conflict resolution includes the following methods: – Mediation – Arbitration – Conciliation – Litigation 1 -5 -24

Conflict Resolution: Mediation • Mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), aims to assist two or more disputants in reaching an agreement. – This agreement is determined by the parties themselves rather than being imposed by a third party. 1 -5 -25

Conflict Resolution: Mediation (Cont’d. ) • The benefits of mediation include: – – – Discovering the parties interests and priorities Healthy venting of emotions in a protected environment An agreement to talk about a set agenda Identifying roles of the constituents, such as relatives and professional advisors Knowledge of a constructive dispute resolution for use in a future dispute 1 -5 -26

Conflict Resolution: Arbitration • Arbitration is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, wherein the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons (the “arbitrators” or “arbitral tribunal”), by whose decision (the “award”) they agree to be bound. • This is a binding resolution. 1 -5 -27

Conflict Resolution: Conciliation • Conciliation is described as an ADR process whereby the parties to a dispute agree to utilize the services of a conciliator. • The conciliator then meets with the parties separately in an attempt to resolve their differences. 1 -5 -28

Conflict Resolution: Conciliation (Cont’d. ) • Conciliation differs from arbitration in that the conciliation process has no legal standing, the conciliator has no authority to seek evidence or call witnesses, and writes no decision, or makes no award. 1 -5 -29

Conflict Resolution: Litigation • Litigation: Also referred to as a lawsuit. – A lawsuit is a criminal or civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy. – If the plaintiff is successful, judgment will be given in the plaintiff's favor. 1 -5 -30

Conflict Management • Conflict management refers to the longterm management of conflicts that may never see a resolution. • It is a label for the variety of ways by which people handle grievances. 1 -5 -31

Conflict Management (Cont’d. ) • Conflict management is not the same as “conflict resolution. ” • Conflict resolution refers to resolving the dispute to the approval of one or both parties. • Conflict management is an ongoing process that may never have a resolution. 1 -5 -32

Conflict Management (Cont’d. ) When conflict arises, ask yourself these questions: 1. What is causing the conflict? 2. What do I want this conflict to accomplish? 3. How can I prevent this conflict from escalating? 4. What can I do to understand the other person’s position? 1 -5 -33

Conflict Management (Cont’d. ) 5. How will that help me solve the problem? 6. How can I get the other person to compromise? 7. How will I feel if the conflict cannot be resolved? Once you can answer these questions you will be better prepared to manage or resolve the conflict. 1 -5 -34

Summary • Counseling is part of leadership. • Practicing good decision-making techniques will promote the growth of your company. • Conflict is part of life. Knowing how to handle conflict will greatly improve your work environment. 1 -5 -35