THE NINE STAGES OF ESCALATED CONFLICT – EXERCISE

The stages of conflict from disagreement through avoidance, faction-building and termination

THREE RESPONSES TO FRUSTRATION

Personality and situational attribution, compensating for the negativity bias of the brain

FRUSTRATION – EXERCISE

Reflective versus reflexive responses to disagreement, subsequent emotions and behavior

IN THEIR SHOES – EXERCISE

Anticipating and managing client anxiety about participating in a conflict resolution process

TWO VIEWS OF CONFLICT

Suspend the usual – that one person is “right” or “more right”

Understanding both perspectives and building empathy

CASE STUDY “THE SABOTAGED GENERATOR” – EXERCISE

How unnoticed assumptions can derail resolution efforts

WORKING WITH FACTIONS

How to establish “facts” when dealing with witnesses who are biased toward their faction leader

MANAGING ANGER IN THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS

A proven strategy

OPEN THE DIALOGUE – EXERCISE

How to move past different interpretations of the past and create shared responsibility for the future

SIX STEPS OF THE RESOLUTION PROCESS–EXERCISE

a) Managing the relationship with your clients’ supervisor–establishing confidentiality and expectations

b) Joint introductory meeting with your two clients

c) Individually preparing each client to open the dialogue on their 2 or 3 most critical issues

d) Facilitating the discussion at the table

e) Documenting effective agreements–ending destructive patterns of behaviors from the past, disarming factions, creating mutual responsibility, determining next steps if the agreements begin to fail, asking former faction members for their help in maintaining your clients’ gains

f) Reporting back to the supervisor

FIVE ROOT CAUSES OF WORKPLACE TENSION

Identifying constraints or pressures hidden from view, conflicting performance measures, poorly designed

processes, negative reciprocity, lack of skill, insight or confidence

REVIEW, COMMENTS, EVALUATIONS, CLOSING