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CONFLICTS IN THE WORKPLACE
Bill TaylorWyoming Agriculture & Natural
Resource MediatorUW Cooperative Extension
Community Development Area Educator
Objectives Today
Talk about an excellent workplace
Summarize some of the conflicts that occur in the workplace
Discuss strategies to overcome conflicts
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An Excellent Workplace
What are the outcomes of an excellent workplace?
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Outcomes of an excellent workplace
Achieves the business’ purpose efficiently
Positions the business for the future.
Protects, maintains, informs, and grows its workforce and leadership
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Excellent Workplace
What are the characteristics of an excellent workplace?
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Characteristics of an excellent workplace
Employees operate as a team Outcomes are accurately measured Business goals and processes
periodically reviewed and revised as necessary
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Characteristics of an excellent workplace (cont.) Leadership and productivity are encouraged
and rewarded.
A safe environment = respect, trust, communication, creativity, follow-through, completion, assessment, and recognition.
Conflicts are resolved efficiently
People want to work there
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Characteristics of an effective team A clear goal A results-driven structure Competent members Unified commitment A collaborative climate High standards that are understood by all Receive external support and
encouragement Principled leadership
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Characteristics of an effective team (cont.)
The organizational structure and environment must facilitate information sharing supply a problem-solving mechanism. seamlessly provide changes in team
membership and leadership
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Characteristics of an effective team (cont.)
What is the impact on a team if it lacks one or more of these elements?
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Alta Electronics
Please read the general information and assigned confidential information for your character
You have twenty (20) minutes to complete the role-play
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How did it go?
What was the outcome? Were you satisfied with it? Why or why not?
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Were elements of an excellent team missing?
a clear goal?
a results-driven structure?
competent members?
unified commitment?
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Were elements of an excellent team missing? (cont.)
collaborative climate? high standards that are understood by
all? external support and encouragement? principled leadership?
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Were elements of an excellent team missing? (cont.)
How did not having one or more of these elements affect this negotiation?
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For the engineers: How would you describe your character’s
negotiation style in this role-play?
Did you make any promises you did not intend to keep?
How did this negotiation feel?
Do you think the decision reached best serves the company’s business interests?
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Questions:
What facilitation tactics did Fran Meltzer use?
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For Fran Meltzer:
Who led the meeting? Why? Were you present during the
meeting? How did your presence affect the negotiation?
How would you describe your involvement in these discussions (e.g., passive, advocate, mediator, etc.)? What specific tactics did you employ? Why?
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For Fran Meltzer (cont.): How did the employees decide?
Do you think this decision was appropriate for the employees rather than you to make?
Do you think the decision is correct? Will you enforce any side agreements they reached?
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How will this negotiation impact your subsequent negotiations and interactions with others in the company?
If you could go back and restructure this meeting, what ground-rules would you suggest? Why?
For Everybody:
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Workplace Conflicts
What conflicts arise in workplaces? How were these conflicts reflected in
the role-play?
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Conflict generally involves: Interdependent people
Perceived differences in goals
Perceptions that each’s interests—substantive, procedural, values—cannot simultaneously be satisfied.
Perceived interference
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Types of conflicts in the workplace
Externally— With customers and suppliers. With outside regulators.
Internally— With fellow employees (peer conflicts). Between managers. Between managers and subordinates.
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How important are internal conflicts in the workplace? A 1998 Corp of Engineer study reported:
…30% of first-line supervisors’ time and 25 % of all management time is spent on resolving disputes. More than 85% of those leaving jobs do so because of some perceived conflict. Almost 75% of job stress is created by disputes.
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Causes of Workplace Conflict
Most conflicts arise as a result of: disagreements regarding a final outcome
(distribution of income, responsibilities, etc.).
principles or values used in making choices.
Process used in making a selection
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Causes of Workplace Conflict
Most conflicts arise as a result of (cont.): Psychological dissatisfaction with how
the person felt treated in the process employed.
Misunderstandings tied to miscommunications
Cognitive biases Personal dislikes Others?
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Workplace conflicts are more complex
. . . because parties have an on-going relationship
These conflicts often recur over time People make trade-offs Outcomes build reputation within the
organization and this impacts trust in one another
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Workplace conflicts are as much about clarifying the relationship as the facts in dispute
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What happens during a workplace conflict?
Emotions rise. Communication decreases and
becomes more indirect (triangularization)
Opponents are demonized Sides are taken; camps are formed in
the organization Issues become blurred and new
issues added29
What happens during a workplace conflict?
Differences are magnified; similarities minimized
Competitive processes (including rigid commitments and dirty tricks) are increasingly employed
Employees stop helping, attempt to avoid the workplace
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Benefits to Conflict:
identify problems that need to be solved
bring about change change the way we think about things help clarify our purpose, what’s
important to us or the organization.
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Benefits to Conflict (cont): Opportunity for personal and group
leadership development
Organizational/interpersonal growth and commitment
Creative decision making
Others?
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Responses to Conflict
People respond differently to conflict. Not acting does not necessarily mean
the person believes the conflict is not real.
Becoming frightened, angry, upset does not necessarily represent disrespect for others.
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How do you respond to conflict?
Personal Conflict Style Inventory
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Debriefing:
What was your dominant negotiation style?
Did your style differ in calm vs. storm periods?
How might you use such information (about yourself or others) in dealing with a workplace conflict?
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Potential responses to conflict
Do nothing: Yield (and change your beliefs)
Yield (and retain your beliefs)
Stonewall/Avoidance
Exit (flight)
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Potential responses to conflict (cont.)
Fight (exercise power): Guerrilla warfare: Looks like doing
nothing but isn't
Open warfare
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Potential responses to conflict (cont.)
Negotiate: Contend. Try to win; defeat the other
side
Compromise. Split the difference; find the middle
Problem Solve. Look for new solutions which address the concerns of all parties
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Potential responses to conflict (cont.)
Seek Assisted Negotiation: Use a third party to aid in finding a mutually agreeable solution to a shared problem Mediation Factfinder Ombudsman
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Potential responses to conflict (cont.)
Rely on a third party decisionmaker Supervisor Arbitrator Court
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What factors influence a person’s conflict resolution strategy?
Importance of the relationship Importance of the substantive
outcome Relative power of the parties Transaction Costs Structure surrounding the interaction Party’s values
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Do relationships create problems in workplace conflicts?
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Activity: The Ladder of Inference
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Tools to help prevent conflict in the workplace
Don’t be afraid to confront the conflict
Provide a process Educate everyone on the process
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Active Listening
Communication Blockers Advising Judging Analyzing/Diagnosing Questioning Reassuring/Minimizing
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Open Questions
Examples: Probing questions: ask for more info Clarifying: sharpen your understanding
of what has been said Justifying: ask for evidence for the view
they’ve expressed Consequential: reality testing, ask about
potential solutions or look at potential consequences
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Other Listening Tools
Paraphrase Take notes Demonstrate that you hear what they
are saying
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Reframing
Definition: responding to the speaker in a way that validates what they are feeling but also helps them move forward
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“What I heard you say…”
Positions v. Interests
Positions = statements or demands framed as solutions
Interests = what each party needs for resolution (needs, concerns, hopes, etc.)
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Examples:
“There will be no pets in this house.” “I want $250 for the damaged wall.” “I absolutely need Dani to work on
this project and no one else.”
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Why do negotiations breakdown?
Substantive problems Data problems Perception problems Dirty tricks Structural problems Value conflicts Relationship problems
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Nonverbal Cues
Eye contact Body language Space
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Definition of Mediation:
A voluntary and confidential process by which a trained, neutral third party negotiates with primary decision makers to reach mutually agreed upon solutions.
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Mediation in Wyoming
Voluntary & confidential Trained, neutral third-party Primary decision-makers Mutually-agreed upon solutions
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CONFLICT: When to bring in a Mediator
Reached impasse Both sides want to resolve the issue Tried to negotiate High emotion
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The Role of the Mediator
Help the parties overcome the substantive, relationship, structural, value, data, etc. problems that have previously prevented them from reaching an agreement.
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HOW?
Control the negotiation environment Move the parties from positions to
interests Identify which problems are
preventing agreement Look for win-win options
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The Mediation Process Intake Mediation Session Mediator asks each party three questions
Tell me about the events that have brought you here today.
What would like to see come out of today’s session?
What happens if we can’t come to an agreement?
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Mediation Process (cont.)
Identify the Issues Option generation Agreement Post Mediation:
Follow-up Evaluation
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Issues that belong in Mediation
Behaviors: How people treat each other Communicating about problems
Things & Money: Property Reimbursement Repairs Loans
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Structure & Systems: Procedures Schedules Access
Issues that belong in Mediation
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Issues that Usually Cannot be Mediated
Determining the truth of what happened
Determining fault & punishment Abusive behaviors
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Special issues in the workplace
Sexual Harassment: Misunderstanding or unwelcome
behavior results more from habits and outlook rather than malicious motives
Problem detected early on Not appropriate: cases of quid pro quo or
maliciously motivated Rules & regulations
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Special issues in the workplace (cont.)
Wide gap in power between the parties
The real decision-maker is not present Investigation and disclosure needed
before fair negotiations can take place
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Mediation in the Workplace:
CDR Associates suggests using workplace mediation when: You are concerned about the
acceptability of the decision. You want the parties to have technical
input into the decision.
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Mediation in the Workplace
CDR Associates suggests using workplace mediation when (cont.): You are willing to delegate some or all decision-
making authority regarding the issue at hand to the parties.
You have not already made a decision. You have the authority to use mediation (and
delegate authority). You have the time to allow parties to deliberate
about a decision.
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Why use Mediation? Time-saving Cost-saving Expert third parties Creative Confidential Transformative Permits participants to finally hear
each other
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Remember:
There are times that it is important that a court: Make a finding of right or wrong Establish precedent Overcome power differentials and ensure
truth
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What can Mediation accomplish?
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Realistically . . .
Resolve the conflict Improve communication Repair the relationship Allow both parties the chance to
move forward Give parties time to make a decision Give parties information to continue
with their appeal
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Final thoughts:
Mediation can be an excellent tool in some (but not all) conflicts.
One of the most important pre-meeting responsibilities of mediators is to determine if mediation is right for this conflict.
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Final thoughts (cont.):
Conflict is a natural part of life, particularly business life. Conflict is not always negative
It is important to understand how you and others deal with conflict
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