Managing Conflict

Overview

An organization improves its likelihood of success by effectively managing conflict. As a leader within your organization, you share in that responsibility. This course will help you cultivate the skills necessary to help manage conflict and ultimately to decrease the presence of conflict in the workplace. This course is intended for any business professional who encounters conflict in the workplace. In this course, you will identify the sources of conflict and how to manage conflict effectively. You will: • Recognize the impact of workplace conflict by identifying your personal reactions and developing a healthy attitude toward it. • Analyze conflict by assessing the situation and identifying its source. • Utilize effective communication techniques to manage conflict proactively. • Resolve conflict by evaluating approaches, determining the best solution, and implementing an action plan.

Syllabus

Recognizing the Impact of Conflict

Whether you've been directly involved in a conflict or witnessed coworkers engaged in one, you've encountered conflict in your work environment. In this lesson, you will recognize the impact of conflict in the workplace. Recognizing how you're personally affected and that conflict can drive change helps you to be ready to respond to a conflict effectively, increasing your chances of achieving positive results.

Analyzing Conflict

In the previous lesson, you identified your own reaction to conflict and explored how to develop a healthy attitude toward conflict. Before you can resolve conflict, you have to identify its source and gather information about the specifics of the conflict. In this lesson, you will analyze the conflict.

Dealing with Conflict

In the previous lesson, you gained tools to analyze conflict in the workplace. To manage conflict effectively, you need to understand the techniques used when responding to conflict. In this lesson, you will utilize effective communication techniques to manage conflict in a proactive manner. Conflict can escalate and cause miscommunication and an increase in stress. Knowing how to respond effectively to conflict prevents conflict escalation, minimizes stress, and promotes effective problem-solving to implement change. By using active listening skills, paying attention to the tone of your voice, and being aware of your nonverbal communication, you can better manage conflict.

Resolving Conflict

In the previous lesson, you dealt with conflict. Unmanaged, conflict can quickly get out of hand. In this lesson, you will resolve conflict by evaluating approaches, and determining and implementing the best solution. Conflict can quickly spiral out of control. An effective conflict resolution process will help you address any issues effectively and efficiently. When you evaluate, determine, and implement the best solution, you'll move forward in a manner that will benefit all of the involved parties.