High Impact Leadership: Train Managers to Effectively Resolve Conflicts

High-Impact Leadership: Train Managers to Effectively Resolve Conflicts Use constructive conflict resolution to positively impact your organization. • According to a study conducted by the American Management Association, managers have reported spending 18% to 26% of their time dealing with conflicts, depending on the level of their organization (Thomas). • This is a significant investment of time. The ability to surface interpersonal and team conflicts quickly and settle them effectively is crucial to improve efficiency and productivity levels. Select the appropriate approach to manage the conflict and achieve a constructive resolution. There are five approaches to conflict – each are appropriate for specific situations. Using the correct approach at the right time is fundamental to successful resolution. Conflict does not have to be negative. The presence of conflict in an organization can actually be a very positive thing – the ability to freely express opinions and openly debate can lead to better, more strategic decision making. High impact conflict resolution is the ability to resolve conflicts while minimizing the costs or collateral damage of the conflict. • Knowing the best approach to take to resolve the conflict, given the situation. • Learning how to resolve conflict without being perceived as antagonistic, evasive, or weak. Use McLean & Company’s conflict resolution framework to effectively deal with conflict: Make the case – why train on conflict resolution? Positive outcomes of successful conflict resolution techniques include: 1. Improved efficiency and productivity Training on conflict management and improving managerial skills at surfacing conflict quickly and settling it cleanly will improve efficiency and productivity levels. 2. Improved organizational culture Poorly-handled conflicts impact organizational culture. They can interfere with positive work relationships, create stress, and polarize teams. They lead to increased absenteeism and turnover rates. 3. Improved ability to make strategic decisions Framing conflicts as collaborations that find the best solution for the organization as a whole can help generate a number of possible solutions and a more strategic selection of the best possible outcome. Conflict in the workplace may be more prevalent than you think • Feelings of co-worker backstabbing are negatively correlated with productivity. Determine your conflict resolution approach Common causes of conflict situations include: • Poor communication • Different work methods • Different goals • Personality clash • Stress • Different perspectives There are five approaches to conflict: 1. Force • “I win, you lose.” • This approach is a desire to achieve one’s own ends, at the expense of someone else. 2. Avoid • “I lose, you lose.” • This approach is an indifference towards the concerns of both parties. It involves withdraw from or neglect of any party’s interest. 3. Accommodate • “I lose, you win.” • This approach is giving in to another’s concerns without making an effort to achieve one’s own ends. 4. Collaborate • “I win, you win.” • This approach is problem-solving and integrates each party’s concerns. 5. Compromise • “I win a little, you win a little.” • Both parties give something up, yet both parties gain something. Engage in conflict constructively Before confronting the conflict, reflect on the situation.

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Use constructive conflict resolution to positively impact your organization. Your Challenge Managers have reported spending 18% to 26% of their time dealing with conflicts, depending on the level of their organization. This is a huge investment of time. The ability to surface interpersonal and team conflicts quickly and settle them effectively is necessary to improve efficiency and productivity levels. When conflict is handled inappropriately, it impacts the organizational culture. It can interfere with positive work relationships, create stress, and polarize teams. It leads to increased absenteeism and turnover rates. Our Advice Critical Insight Conflict does not have to be negative. The presence of conflict in an organization can actually be a very positive thing – the ability to freely express opinions and openly debate can lead to better, more strategic decisions being made. Selecting the appropriate approach to managing the conflict is key to achieve a constructive resolution. There are five approaches to conflict, each are appropriate for specific situations. Using the correct approach at the correct time is fundamental to successful resolution. Impact and Result Training on conflict resolution will enable managers to gain the skills they need to engage in conflict constructively and reach a resolution that benefits the team or organization. Over half of employees that feel backstabbed are more likely to have low levels of productivity. When conflict is approached and resolved in a constructive manner, it can improve efficiency and productivity. Framing conflicts as collaborations to find the best solution for the organization as a whole can help generate a number of possible solutions and enables organizations to be more strategic in selecting the best possible outcome.

Transcript of High Impact Leadership: Train Managers to Effectively Resolve Conflicts

Page 1: High Impact Leadership: Train Managers to Effectively Resolve Conflicts

High impact conflict resolution is the ability to resolve conflicts while minimizing the costs or collateral damage of the conflict. • Knowing the best approach to take to resolve the conflict, given the situation. • Learning how to resolve conflict without being perceived as antagonistic, evasive, or weak.Use McLean & Company’s conflict resolution framework to effectively deal with conflict:Make the case – why train on conflict resolution? Positive outcomes of successful conflict resolution techniques include:

1. Improved efficiency and productivityTraining on conflict management and improving managerial skills at surfacing conflict quickly and settling it cleanly will improve efficiency and productivity levels.2. Improved organizational culturePoorly-handled conflicts impact organizational culture. They can interfere with positive work relationships, create stress, and polarize teams. They lead to increased absenteeism and turnover rates.3. Improved ability to make strategic decisionsFraming conflicts as collaborations that find the best solution for the organization as a whole can help generate a number of possible solutions and a more strategic selection of the best possible outcome.

Conflict in the workplace may be more prevalent than you think• Feelings of co-worker backstabbing are negatively correlated with productivity.Determine your conflict resolution approachCommon causes of conflict situations include:• Poor communication• Different work methods• Different goals• Personality clash• Stress• Different perspectivesThere are five approaches to conflict:1. Force • “I win, you lose.”• This approach is a desire to achieve one’s own ends, at the expense of someone else.2. Avoid• “I lose, you lose.”• This approach is an indifference towards the concerns of both parties. It involves withdraw from or neglect of any party’s interest.3. Accommodate• “I lose, you win.”• This approach is giving in to another’s concerns without making an effort to achieve one’s own ends.4. Collaborate• “I win, you win.”• This approach is problem-solving and integrates each party’s concerns.5. Compromise• “I win a little, you win a little.”• Both parties give something up, yet both parties gain something.Engage in conflict constructively Before confronting the conflict, reflect on the situation. • Prior to being in a conflict situation, take some time to self-reflect, so that you are more prepared to handle your next conflict.• While in a conflict, reflect on your emotions – are you taking a reactive approach to the issue?