A one-to-one approach to eliminating productivity-damaging conflict.
Conflict is a part of daily life — an inevitable consequence of interacting with people. Everyone encounters situations on a regular basis that affect how one works and relates with other people.
If asked what comes to mind when they hear the word conflict, people often respond with terms such as: upset, struggle, turmoil, anger or distraction. As a consequence, many people prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible. Typically, people don’t think of differences of opinion in positive ways, but conflict can be seen as an opportunity for both growth and learning.
Coping mechanisms vary, and some employees will manage conflict better than others. While not all people are well equipped to do so effectively, everybody has the capacity to improve this skill. Workplaces that understand and accept this premise are in a position to provide tools that effectively influence the organization’s bottom line by reducing conflict and stress.
The case for dispute resolution programs
Avoiding conflict, providing perfunctory and ineffective responses or taking punitive and ill-conceived measures to resolve disputes are common but unsatisfactory attempts at resolving conflict.
In recent years, a growing number of organizations have introduced dispute resolution programs to both prevent and resolve conflict in the workplace.
The expense of litigation, restructuring, management changes, mergers and a range of other factors have resulted in the need for initiatives to resolve disputes before they escalate to immeasurable heights. The cost of conflict to organizations extends beyond legal expenses — unresolved conflict results in worker unrest, anxiety, stress, anger and other emotions that adversely affect productivity, staff and customer satisfaction. In addition, time may be lost and the reputation of the company damaged due to disputes in the workplace.
However, negative outcomes of conflict can be avoided, whether it pertains to interactions between co-workers or between management and staff.
Programs that include mechanisms such as mediation, facilitation, peer review and other forms of dispute resolution are one way to prevent and diffuse conflict, improve working relationships, increase productivity and save money.
Dispute resolution programs may also be designed to help prevent conflict. By providing systems to address conflict, organizations instil a philosophy of conciliatory problem-solving and the importance of sustaining a climate of respect.
Conflict coaching
Coaching is one tool to add to the box of methods to prevent and solve conflict.
Just as people hire a coach to be a personal trainer for an exercise regime for instance, there are coaches who can help people do a better job in their professional lives. The coaching model uses a one-to-one liaison between the participant and the coach. Coaches work directly with participants whose primary objectives are to improve their skills in conflict management and reduce the inherent negative consequences of conflict.
The role of the coach is a combination of different functions such as a personal consultant, supporter, advisor, motivator and trainer.
One unique coaching model unites the field of coaching with the field of alternative dispute resolution. Coaching conflict management, also known as conflict coaching, is a preventative form of dispute management.
This model acknowledges that resolving conflict is an ongoing part of the job that must be done as one of many tasks carried out in the course of a day.
As a primary tool for career development and effectiveness, conflict coaching should enable anyone who uses it to develop:
•insight into one’s own dispute resolution style and triggers that may be counterproductive or destructive;
•communication skills for addressing conflict and the related emotions;
•ways of identifying one’s own needs, as well as the needs of others, with respect to the issues in dispute;
•skills to resolve conflict in productive and conciliatory ways;
•the ability and confidence to consider a range of viable options to resolve conflicts;
•alternative ways to replace habitual and counterproductive behaviours;
•methods of approaching disputes constructively and effectively; and
•a sense of well-being and improved quality of life at work, due to reduced anger and stress, improved relationships and extra skills that apply to other problem-solving tasks.
The basic concept of this specialized model shares a number of aspects with interest-based mediation in which a mediator helps two or more parties resolve a dispute. For instance, the coaching model usually employs a confidential forum for facilitated communication.
Further, a staged approach is used where employees consider and identify their underlying needs and interests in a series of conflicts. They create and review options for resolving the various conflicts, and evaluate which alternative ways of dealing with the situations may be most workable and why.
Participants in conflict coaching methodically examine ways to address conflict by also considering the other party’s possible needs and concerns.
Coaching may be conducted in person or by telephone. Meetings or calls usually take place on a weekly basis for a specified period of time, usually 45 minutes to an hour.
Unlike mediation as a dispute-specific forum, conflict coaching participants should undergo a behaviour change and be able to consider many types of disputes and ways of approaching them. Coaching also requires participants to conduct self-analysis through assessment tools and to perform fieldwork tasks in preparation for coaching sessions. During coaching sessions, participants analyse a series of disputes and effective approaches to solving them.
The hands-on approach of the coach and the nature of the model require participants and the coach to work together on ways to change harmful conduct and replace it with new coping behaviours that are examined in coaching sessions through the use of role plays, discussions, review of fieldwork exercises and other methods to facilitate the process.
Conflict coaching workshops and tele-classes are also used to develop skills through experiential group programs aimed at helping people further hone their abilities to prevent and resolve conflict.
Conflict coaches support and champion participants in a non-judgemental way throughout the process of self-discovery. Coaches similarly do not judge their clients’ “opponents,” the other players in the conflict. Rather, they operate on the basis that everyone’s needs are specific to them and are respected as individual realities.
A conflict coaching approach helps people separate themselves from the dispute to the extent necessary to gain a more objective perspective. This provides significant opportunities to transform behaviour in constructive and positive ways.
Conflict coaching does not apply only to individuals. Groups of people who work together may encounter continual conflict that is destructive to morale and productivity. Accordingly, groups of co-workers also benefit from coaching and team-building that focuses on the conflict coaching model.
Coaching is not only used to resolve a specific dispute, but also to gain tools to address and prevent future conflict that may arise. This form of coaching is also of use to people about to engage in mediation and negotiation.
In many organizations there is often a tendency to sweep conflict under the rug or put Band-Aids over it. Denying its existence does not of course, make it go away. Staff will not flourish and be productive in an environment of discontent.
An organization risks losing the people it needs most as a consequence of a negative workplace. Providing people with effective ways to prevent and resolve conflict in the workplace results in a healthier and more productive work environment.
Cinnie Noble is a lawyer-mediator and a former social worker. She may be reached at (416) 686-4247 or [email protected] or visit www.cinergycoaching.com
If asked what comes to mind when they hear the word conflict, people often respond with terms such as: upset, struggle, turmoil, anger or distraction. As a consequence, many people prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible. Typically, people don’t think of differences of opinion in positive ways, but conflict can be seen as an opportunity for both growth and learning.
Coping mechanisms vary, and some employees will manage conflict better than others. While not all people are well equipped to do so effectively, everybody has the capacity to improve this skill. Workplaces that understand and accept this premise are in a position to provide tools that effectively influence the organization’s bottom line by reducing conflict and stress.
The case for dispute resolution programs
Avoiding conflict, providing perfunctory and ineffective responses or taking punitive and ill-conceived measures to resolve disputes are common but unsatisfactory attempts at resolving conflict.
In recent years, a growing number of organizations have introduced dispute resolution programs to both prevent and resolve conflict in the workplace.
The expense of litigation, restructuring, management changes, mergers and a range of other factors have resulted in the need for initiatives to resolve disputes before they escalate to immeasurable heights. The cost of conflict to organizations extends beyond legal expenses — unresolved conflict results in worker unrest, anxiety, stress, anger and other emotions that adversely affect productivity, staff and customer satisfaction. In addition, time may be lost and the reputation of the company damaged due to disputes in the workplace.
However, negative outcomes of conflict can be avoided, whether it pertains to interactions between co-workers or between management and staff.
Programs that include mechanisms such as mediation, facilitation, peer review and other forms of dispute resolution are one way to prevent and diffuse conflict, improve working relationships, increase productivity and save money.
Dispute resolution programs may also be designed to help prevent conflict. By providing systems to address conflict, organizations instil a philosophy of conciliatory problem-solving and the importance of sustaining a climate of respect.
Conflict coaching
Coaching is one tool to add to the box of methods to prevent and solve conflict.
Just as people hire a coach to be a personal trainer for an exercise regime for instance, there are coaches who can help people do a better job in their professional lives. The coaching model uses a one-to-one liaison between the participant and the coach. Coaches work directly with participants whose primary objectives are to improve their skills in conflict management and reduce the inherent negative consequences of conflict.
The role of the coach is a combination of different functions such as a personal consultant, supporter, advisor, motivator and trainer.
One unique coaching model unites the field of coaching with the field of alternative dispute resolution. Coaching conflict management, also known as conflict coaching, is a preventative form of dispute management.
This model acknowledges that resolving conflict is an ongoing part of the job that must be done as one of many tasks carried out in the course of a day.
As a primary tool for career development and effectiveness, conflict coaching should enable anyone who uses it to develop:
•insight into one’s own dispute resolution style and triggers that may be counterproductive or destructive;
•communication skills for addressing conflict and the related emotions;
•ways of identifying one’s own needs, as well as the needs of others, with respect to the issues in dispute;
•skills to resolve conflict in productive and conciliatory ways;
•the ability and confidence to consider a range of viable options to resolve conflicts;
•alternative ways to replace habitual and counterproductive behaviours;
•methods of approaching disputes constructively and effectively; and
•a sense of well-being and improved quality of life at work, due to reduced anger and stress, improved relationships and extra skills that apply to other problem-solving tasks.
The basic concept of this specialized model shares a number of aspects with interest-based mediation in which a mediator helps two or more parties resolve a dispute. For instance, the coaching model usually employs a confidential forum for facilitated communication.
Further, a staged approach is used where employees consider and identify their underlying needs and interests in a series of conflicts. They create and review options for resolving the various conflicts, and evaluate which alternative ways of dealing with the situations may be most workable and why.
Participants in conflict coaching methodically examine ways to address conflict by also considering the other party’s possible needs and concerns.
Coaching may be conducted in person or by telephone. Meetings or calls usually take place on a weekly basis for a specified period of time, usually 45 minutes to an hour.
Unlike mediation as a dispute-specific forum, conflict coaching participants should undergo a behaviour change and be able to consider many types of disputes and ways of approaching them. Coaching also requires participants to conduct self-analysis through assessment tools and to perform fieldwork tasks in preparation for coaching sessions. During coaching sessions, participants analyse a series of disputes and effective approaches to solving them.
The hands-on approach of the coach and the nature of the model require participants and the coach to work together on ways to change harmful conduct and replace it with new coping behaviours that are examined in coaching sessions through the use of role plays, discussions, review of fieldwork exercises and other methods to facilitate the process.
Conflict coaching workshops and tele-classes are also used to develop skills through experiential group programs aimed at helping people further hone their abilities to prevent and resolve conflict.
Conflict coaches support and champion participants in a non-judgemental way throughout the process of self-discovery. Coaches similarly do not judge their clients’ “opponents,” the other players in the conflict. Rather, they operate on the basis that everyone’s needs are specific to them and are respected as individual realities.
A conflict coaching approach helps people separate themselves from the dispute to the extent necessary to gain a more objective perspective. This provides significant opportunities to transform behaviour in constructive and positive ways.
Conflict coaching does not apply only to individuals. Groups of people who work together may encounter continual conflict that is destructive to morale and productivity. Accordingly, groups of co-workers also benefit from coaching and team-building that focuses on the conflict coaching model.
Coaching is not only used to resolve a specific dispute, but also to gain tools to address and prevent future conflict that may arise. This form of coaching is also of use to people about to engage in mediation and negotiation.
In many organizations there is often a tendency to sweep conflict under the rug or put Band-Aids over it. Denying its existence does not of course, make it go away. Staff will not flourish and be productive in an environment of discontent.
An organization risks losing the people it needs most as a consequence of a negative workplace. Providing people with effective ways to prevent and resolve conflict in the workplace results in a healthier and more productive work environment.
Cinnie Noble is a lawyer-mediator and a former social worker. She may be reached at (416) 686-4247 or [email protected] or visit www.cinergycoaching.com
