© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Conflict Resolution and Consensus Building
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Session Objectives
Recognize the impact of workplace conflict
Identify common causes of conflict
Understand how positive communication helps prevent conflict
Resolve conflicts successfully
Build consensus among employees
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Prequiz: How Much Do You Know?
Workplace conflict is always bad.
Conflict is always based on personality clashes between employees.
There is little you can do to prevent workplace conflict.
The best way to deal with conflict is to ignore it.
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
What Is Conflict?• A disagreement or dispute
• It’s inevitable
• Between groups or individuals
• Not necessarily destructive
• All can be resolved
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
HEALTHYCOMPETITION
Benefits of Well-Managed Workplace Conflict
CREATIVITY
INNOVATIONDIVERSITY
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
• Reduced productivity
• Lower morale
• Increased absenteeism
• Greater turnover
• “Wildfire” effect
• Increased risk of violence
Damage Caused by Poorly Managed Conflict
• Reduced productivity
• Lower morale
• Increased absenteeism
• Greater turnover
• “Wildfire” effect
• Increased risk of violence
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
WORK STYLESDIFFERENT GOALSPERSONALITY TYPES
Common Causes of Workplace Conflict
POORCOMMUNICATION
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
PRESSURESDIFFERENT NEEDSFUNCTIONSPERCEPTIONS
Common Causes of Workplace Conflict (cont.)
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Five Basic Options for Addressing Conflict
Evasion
Surrender
Competition
Compromise
Collaboration
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Conflict Assessment Checklist
• Who?
• What?
• Why?
• Policy?
• Who?
• What?
• Why?
• Policy?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Conflict Assessment Checklist (cont.)
• Intervention?
• Consequences?
• Consultation?
• Solutions?
• Intervention?
• Consequences?
• Consultation?
• Solutions?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Teach Employees to Send Clear Messages
• Think before you speak
• Use first-person statements
• Avoid finger-pointing
• Practice difficult messages
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Teach Employees to Send Clear Messages (cont.)
• Be honest
• Provide information
• Use positive language
• Avoid negative patterns
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Teach Employees to Listen• Don’t interrupt
• Pay attention
• Be receptive
• Watch body language
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Teach Employees to Listen (cont.)
• Show you’re listening
• Use imagination
• Ask questions
• Restate
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Exercise
Understand the benefits and disadvantages of conflict?
Recognize common causes of conflict?
Assess conflicts accurately?
Address conflict productively?
Teach employees good communication skills?
How Well Do You Manage Conflict?Should You:
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Do you understand:• What conflict is?• Benefits of constructive
conflict?• Damage caused by poorly
managed conflict?• Basic options for
addressing conflict?• Conflict assessment checklist?• Communication skills that help
prevent conflict?
ReviewDo you understand:• What conflict is?• Benefits of constructive
conflict?• Damage caused by poorly
managed conflict?• Basic options for
addressing conflict?• Conflict assessment checklist?• Communication skills that help
prevent conflict?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Conflict Resolution Process
Call a meeting
Establish rules
Define the problem
Develop solutions
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Conflict Resolution Process (cont.)
Select the best solution
Develop an action plan
Implement and monitor the plan
Evaluate process and result
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Resolving Recurring Conflicts• Identify participants
• Speak to each individually
• Bring participants together
• Summarize conflict
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
• Recognize signs
• Break cycle
• Teach conflict resolution
• Monitor progress
Resolving Recurring Conflicts (cont.)
• Recognize signs
• Break cycle
• Teach conflict resolution
• Monitor progress
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Mediating Personality Conflicts
• Let employees know they are valuable
• Explain how work is affected
• Let them work it out
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Mediating Personality Conflicts (cont.)
• Get commitment
• Monitor the situation
• Take action if necessary
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Building Consensus: What Is It? Why Is It Important?
• Must be inclusive
• Requires facilitation
• Must be specific
• Enhances overall interaction
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
• Define issue
• Establish rules
• Get input
• Reach agreement
• Summarize
Basic Building Blocks
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
• Failing to define issues
• Not establishing rules
• Not including all viewpoints
• Bargaining with dissenters
• Pushing your own agenda
Building Consensus:Common Mistakes
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Exercise
Call a meeting
Establish rules
Define the problem
Develop solutions
Select the best solution
Develop an action planImplement & monitor the planEvaluate process & result
Identify the Steps in the Conflict Resolution Process:
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Do you understand:• Conflict resolution process?• Resolving recurring
problems?• Mediating conflicts?• What consensus is
and why it’s important?• Basic building blocks
for consensus?• Common mistakes when
building consensus?
ReviewDo you understand:• Conflict resolution process?• Resolving recurring
problems?• Mediating conflicts?• What consensus is
and why it’s important?• Basic building blocks
for consensus?• Common mistakes when
building consensus?
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1403
Key Points
Workplace conflict is inevitable.
You can create a positive atmosphere.
Building consensus leads to group success.