Elevate Team Performance with Conflict Management Training
Build Skills to Resolve Disputes & Foster Collaboration in Any Setting
Conflict management and dispute resolution skills are important to high performing teams, quality customer service, timely and effective board decision-making, successful business partnerships, and productive organization management to name a few settings. Though there is a multitude of books and articles available, applicable approaches depend on the backdrop and the work goals. The approaches and techniques need to be practiced in a safe situation where experimentation and feedback are possible. Conflict and dispute resolution training explores the types of conflict, identifies a group of relevant skills reflecting the circumstances and goals, explains when and why to use a particular skill, and provides a constructive opportunity to learn and fine-tune skills.
Value and Benefits
Though some conflicts or disputes may generate creativity, lingering or destructive conflict can be a barrier to an organization or team realizing or exceeding its goals. This training is designed to:
- Create an awareness of both the positive and negative consequences of conflict;
- Provide education about typical conflict styles and help students identify their own and others’ styles. This education can be for an individual or a group experiencing disputes or lingering conflict;
- Both introduce and practice conflict resolution approaches; and
- Possibly nurture an organizational or team culture of constructively working through disputes instead of ignoring or working around them.
Outcomes
Conflict and dispute resolution training will positively impact students by:
- Becoming more comfortable with conflict;
- Developing a sensitivity to conflicts’ pitfalls and crevices so that they may be avoided;
- Developing an awareness and skill to be able to apply constructive responses and find a positive way forward;
- Managing conflict situations with more confidence; and
- Having a higher probability of achieving positive and constructive conclusions.
Explore Some Example Cases:
Navigating a Non-Profit Board Crisis Before a Major Fundraiser
The Board of a historically successful non-profit organization experienced the resignation of four of its nine members after what initially was a minor disagreement evolved into a full-blown battle. The resignations took place five days before a major two-week state-wide fund-raising event.
Managing a Passive-Aggressive Vendor: Aligning Team Approaches
After six months in business, it has become evident that a key vendor with irreplaceable technical skills has a frequent passive-aggressive style. Team members have a variety of approaches when the vendor becomes difficult but their inconsistent attempts to get along with the vendor only leads to confusion with the vendor and among themselves.
Handling Difficult High-Spending Customers: Training vs. Direct Diplomacy
A small, but very successful, boutique has a few customers that are demanding and prickly yet they spend a great deal of money. The staff tries to be patient and accommodating but their approach seems to promote the customers’ difficult style. What is the best approach? More training for the staff or, perhaps, a quiet and diplomatic sit down with the individual customers?
Balancing Creative Conflict & Team Harmony in a High-Stakes Project
A project with high stakes and a tight deadline and is being kicked-off. The project leader wants to minimize the chance of conflict among the team members yet recognizes the value of creative conflict.
