MANAGING CONFLICT

Andy Hockley

Importance of the topic Advantages and disadvantages of conflict Sources & causes of conflict Conflict management styles Negotiation skills Manager as participant or arbitrator Active listening Feedback Criteria for effective feedback A model for giving feedback Making feedback systematic Scenarios

AGENDA

Survey of international businesses found that supervisors spend more than 25% of their time dealing with conflicts.

Conflict significantly affects employee morale, turnover, and litigation, which affects the prosperity of a company, either constructively or destructively.Lang, 2009

HOW IMPORTANT IS CONFLICT?

Think about a (work) conflict which you have been involved in, either as a participant or as a mediator.

What was the problem? How did it arise? How did you deal with it? Did you feel it was resolved successfully?

REFLECTION

Organisations can benefit from appropriate types and levels of conflict. That is the aim of conflict management, and not the aim of conflict resolution. Conflict management does not imply conflict resolution.

Conflict management minimizes the negative outcomes of conflict and promotes the positive outcomes of conflict with the goal of improving learning in an organization (Rahim, 2002)

WHY CONFLICT MANAGEMENT?

High

LowA

B

CLevel of conflict High

Level of performance

LowDisruptiveChaoticUncooperative

DysfunctionalHighC

HighViableSelf-criticalInnovative

FunctionalOptimalB

LowApatheticStagnantNon-responsive

DysfunctionalLow or noneA

Performance outcome

Group Characteristics

Type of conflict

Level of conflictSituation

CONFLICT AND PERFORMANCE

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CONFLICTPossible Advantages Possible disadvantages Identification of issues of importance

to others Resolution of underlying problems Enhancement of group development Conflict between groups (inter group

conflict) can increase the internal cohesion of groups (intra group)

Facilitation of needed organizational change

Learning about self and others Avoidance of ‘groupthink’

Decreased performance Dissatisfaction Aggression Anxiety Wasted time Wasted energy Reduced efficiency Turnover

Substantive (task, role, performance, issue, etc)

Affective (relational)

TYPES OF CONFLICT

• Leadership: poor communication, inconsistency, inequitable treatment

• Limited resources: fighting, frustration and resultant stress

• Structure: tasks, roles, activities, interdependency

• Environmental change: fluctuations in demand, increased competition, new technologies

• Personal variables: differences in perception, different values, personality types, relationships, territory

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES

Thomas & Kilmann, 1977

• Compromise

• Competition

• Collaboration

• Avoidance

• Accommodation

Concern for own interests

(assertion)

Concern for others’ interests

(cooperation)

Moderate

High

High

Low

Low

Moderate

Low

High

Low

High

Outcome

Equal win & lose

Win-Lose

Win-Win

Lose-Lose

Lose-Win

Intention

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES

In addition to the everyday sources of conflict, "misunderstandings, and from this counterproductive, pseudo conflicts, arise when members of one culture are unable to understand culturally determined differences in communication practices, traditions, and thought processing" (Borisoff & Victor, 1989).

CROSS CULTURES

• Separate the people – their emotions, values, perceptions - from the problem (the personal vs the professional)

• Focus on interests, not positions – what are the underlying reasons – needs, desires, concerns, fears - behind the positions adopted?

• Explore all the options to enable mutual gain – brainstorm - there may be more than one solution, there may be a win-win solution. Don’t judge prematurely.

Fisher and Ury 1991 Getting to Yes Penguin

NEGOTIATION SKILLS

1. Anticipate – what conflicts might this change bring up?

2. Prevent – focus on the areas of the change that will not foster conflict (or re-plan)

3. Identify – what conflicts are arising? What underlies them?

4. Manage – build relationships and move the conflict forward

5. Resolve – once personal issues have been removed, channel opposition into creativity

Maccoby & Scudder, 2011

5 KEYS TO CONFLICT

1. Know yourself: your traits/their traits

2. Manage your emotions

3. Give the person time to let off steam

4. Listen actively, request clarification, pay attention, hear

5. Recognise where you agree and disagree

6. Focus on the issue, not the person

7. Identify actions for both parties

8. Thank the person for working with you

9. Monitor results

A PROCEDURE

Ensures you really hear what has been said Makes it clear that you have –

Paraphrasing Clarifying Repeating back important points

ACTIVE LISTENING

Key – to act fairly and without prejudice – and be seen to do so

Hear both sides of the argument Act in the best interests of the Organisation Communicate clearly why you acted the way you

did and why you took the decision you did

ARBITRATION

Go back to the conflict you thought about at the beginning of the session and ask yourself the same questions

What was the problem? How did it arise? How did you deal with it? Did you feel it was resolved successfully? Did anything change in your answers?

REFLECTION

FEEDBACK

WHAT IS FEEDBACK?Think of the classroom

In what ways do/did you give feedback to your students?

In what ways do/did you receive feedback from your students?

In groups of 3 / 4 brainstorm the ways that you give and receive feedback in the classroom

HOW OFTEN DO YOU GIVE FEEDBACK? “Supposedly once a week” “Once a year” “At the Christmas party”

JOHARI WINDOW

UnknownFaçadeNot known to others

BlindspotArenaKnown to Others

Not known to selfKnown to Self

IMPORTANCE OF FEEDBACKFeedback serves the following functions for the

receiver: Helps to form their self-concept Reduces uncertainty about whether their

behaviour is on track Signals which goals are most important Helps them to master their environment and

feel competent. Part of CPD!

CREATING A “CULTURE OF FEEDBACK” Communication is vital in the learning

organisation – by being open to feedback we are more likely to keep those channels of communication open and ensure that communication is ongoing and multidirectional.

IMMEDIATE FEEDBACKProviding immediate feedback gives: Employee an opportunity to improve Ensures that the appraisal is not a surprise Keeps the employee-manager channel of

communication open

EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK … is heard by the receiver (ie they do

not get defensive, and can actually understand clearly what is being said) ;

keeps the channels of communication open and the relationship between the giver and receiver strong (not necessarily without conflict);

ensures that feedback is not avoided in the future

PORTER'S 13 CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK1. Describes the behaviour that led to the

feedback (without judgement)2. Comes as soon as possible after the behaviour3. Is addressed directly from giver to receiver4. Is “owned” by the giver

PORTER'S 13 CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK5. Doesn't include speculation about the receiver's

motives for the behaviour6. Is checked for clarity7. Asks relevant questions which seek information

(and which the receiver knows why they are being asked)

8. Specifies consequences of the behaviour (either present or future) (no vague generalisations or “shoulds”)

PORTER'S 13 CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK9. Refers to things which the receiver has control

over10. Recognises that feedback is a process and an

interaction (not point scoring or game playing)11. Acknowledges the receiver's right to have

whatever reactions he or she has12. Addresses the fact that it is a process and if

necessary, deals with the need to improve the process while it is going on

AND FINALLY... 13. Is solicited or somehow desired by the

receiver and not imposed upon them.

Is this the case when we give our students feedback?

What about teachers after an observation?And what about feedback outside the classroom?

PRAISE? How many of you feel you get too much

praise from your boss? Too little?

WAYS TO STRUCTURE FEEDBACK“BOFF”

BehaviourOutcomesFeelingsFuture

BOF / BOFF BOF for Praise

The instructions you gave to the students were very clear [Behaviour]

That meant they were able to carry out the task without any further help from you [Outcomes]

This made them feel confident and allowed them to focus on language [Feelings]

BOFF FOR CRITICISM You were 5 minutes late for the meeting

[Behaviour]

This meant that everybody was forced to wait for you, and the meeting ended later as a result [Outcomes]

I felt frustrated by this, and it felt like you were disrespecting me and the rest of the team [Feelings]

How can we ensure that next time you arrive on time? [Future]

TASK: BOFF In groups of 3, choose an incident that you

might have to give negative feedback over (perhaps from recent experience). Think about how best to phrase that feedback using the BOFF approach Behaviour Outcomes Feelings Future

Script the feedback that you would give

BOFF EXAMPLELesson slots in your LTO are 3 hours long. There is the expectation that in the middle of that period there will be a short (no more than 10 minute) break. One teacher tends to start 5 minutes late, and the break that they take in the middle goes on for much more than ten minutes – often half an hour. This teacher also tends to finish the class ten minutes early. Some students have complained to you.

How would you give this feedback? (Use the BOFF model)

THE FAMOUS SANDWICH

El bocadillo de retroalimentación?

Negativity bias – or “The whole is more negative than the sum of its parts”

Cultural Considerations

Benefits:Employee involvementPositive reinforcement of the leader (if merited!)Increased interest in feedbackImproved communication between leaders and othersSteps towards organizational culture changeAdditional sources of input into the performance appraisal process

360º FEEDBACK

Potential pitfalls:Retribution Defensiveness and denial Conflicting ratings Lowered self-esteem Game playingTime and money Increased expectations coupled with lack of change

360º FEEDBACK

WHY DON’T WE ASK FOR FEEDBACK? Because we are afraid of the answers (or because we don’t really want the

feedback)

SOME SUGGESTIONS1. Organise training – giving and receiving

feedback are skills that need to be learned and developed

2. As the manager, walk the talk – ask people for feedback, let people know that you value their opinion, and want to hear your feedback and that you see it as an opportunity to develope.g. “What did you think of that meeting? Did we achieve the objectives we set out to? Did we stay on track?”

3. Don’t expect change to happen overnight

SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS Formalise it. Make 360 degree feedback part

of the annual appraisal. Create systems whereby people have the

opportunity and need to give and receive feedback (such as peer observation systems)

FEEDBACK1. Stand up if…

this session was enjoyable.2. Hold up 0-5 fingers if…

this session was useful.3. Shout if…

you learned something new.

Aycan, Z., Kanungo, R., & Mendonca, M. (2014) Organisations and Management in Cross-Cultural Context. Sage

Borisoff, D., & Victor, D. A. (1989). Conflict management: A communication skills approach. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Fisher, R. & Ury, W. (1991) Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In. Random House

Kilmann, Ralph; Kenneth W. Thomas (1977). Developing a Forced-Choice Measure of Conflict-Handling Behavior. Educational and Psychological Measurement 37: 309.

Kozan, M. K. (1997) Culture and conflict management: A theoretical framework. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 8, 338-360.

Lang, M. (2009). Conflict management: A gap in business education curricula. Journal Of Education For Business, 84(4), 240-245.

Maccoby, M., & Scudder, T. (2011). Leading in the heat of conflict. T+D, 65(12), 46-51.

Mullins, Laurie J. (2004) Management and Organisational Behaviour. Prentice Hall

Rahim, M. A. (2002) Toward a theory of managing organizational conflict. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 13, 206-235.

White, R.V., Hockley, A., Jansen, J. & Laughner, M. (2009) From Teacher to Manager: Managing Language Teaching Organisations Cambridge: CUP

REFERENCES