Managing Workplace Conflict
“Healing takes place when grievances are given ample and patient space to be acknowledged, when there is transparency and honesty, when everybody is given the chance to be heard, when nobody is excluded, when people can accept the energy of the conflict and use it as a major opportunity for growth.”
Franco Santoro
“A good manager doesn’t try to eliminate conflict; he tries to keep it from wasting the energies of his people. If you’re the boss and your people fight you openly when they think that you are wrong–that’s healthy.”
Robert Townsend
A comprehensive coaching programme to empower you with the knowledge and skills to manage conflict in the in today’s dynamic and often volatile workplace.
Position yourself as an unflappable, trusted leader who is able to manage their emotions and use proven techniques to deal with workplace conflict fairly and constructively.
THE SOLUTION
The Centre for Leadership & Coaching has developed a series of workshops blended with practical coaching to cover the relevant key areas:
- Recognising conflict as healthy provided it is properly managed. Conflict can spark new ideas and ways of doing things.
- Sources of conflict in the workplace and how to address them.
- Conflict Resolution procedures including the difference between disputes of right and disputes of interest and conciliation, mediation and arbitration.
- Communicating what you want effectively including listening to understand and not making assumptions until you have all the facts.
- Problem solving and questioning techniques to gather facts and understand the issues.
- Conflict resolution strategies – planning necessary to resolve conflict.
- Assertiveness, including Transactional analysis – getting what you want or standing up for your rights without upsetting others.
- Managing Emotions including fear and anger and understanding your ‘hot buttons’.
- Various conflict handling techniques including testing assumptions and techniques to pacify an angry person.
- Strategising including how to conduct a crucial conversation.
- When and how to make a heartfelt apology.
- The value of self-reflection to learn from conflict.
Key subjects are covered via individual reading and practical assignments backed by a series of workshops, group discussions, individual and team coaching.
HOW IT WORKS
A service level agreement is entered into by the Centre’s appointed coach/facilitator, the manager to be coached and the employer for an agreed coaching period.
A blended training/coaching programme will be agreed, based on each manager’s needs.
During the coaching intervention the manager will have access to the following:
- Workshops. These will consist of a series of structured on-line workshops to be arranged at suitable times;
- Training material. User-friendly reading material, formative assessments and self-assessments will be made available;
- Group discussions. To ensure understanding, group discussions on material covered will be arranged at suitable intervals;
- Coaching sessions. To further aid learning to unlock potential to maximize performance at least two 1-hour individual or team coaching sessions per week from a COMENSA credentialed coach who is also a subject matter expert will be made available;
- Workplace assignments. The manager will be required to undertake workplace assignments aimed at both their own personal development, as well as bringing about positive changes in the workplace;
- Telephone support. Have telephone access to a coach or mentor in order to discuss problems and issues which may arise in the course of their personal development and work;
- Policy templates. Have access to templates of policies and procedures as well as working documents such as Self-Development Plans, coaching contracts various forms, etc.
FEEDBACK
Regular meetings will be arranged during the period between the facilitator/coach, managers and the senior managers to whom they report (and HR representative if desired) to discuss:
- The manager’s progress.
- Workplace conflict issues which have or could arise.
- Learning priorities – the schedule is reasonably flexible and may be adapted to suit the employer’s priorities and the current knowledge and skills of managers.
- Workplace Assignments in relation to the manager’s job requirements so they are not overloaded.
- Performance barriers and issues in the workplace that need to be addressed.
FLEXIBILITY
If clients have already done assertiveness or aspects of managing conflict, they will be free to choose what material they want covered in the Intervention. We are also able to conduct the training and coaching on-line or in a training venue.
Taking others where they need to go! Find out how we can help with leadership development.