Conflict Resolution for Managers

Objective: The course aims to equip managers with the skills and tools necessary to intervene effectively in conflicts within their teams. It emphasizes intervening as little as necessary but as much as needed.

Theoretical Foundation: The teachings are grounded in Friedrich Glasl's model of the nine stages of conflict escalation, demonstrating the progression of conflicts and the importance of timely intervention.

Learning Outcomes:

• Utilizing feedback as a tool for management and conflict resolution.
• Recognizing early signs of potential conflict within the team.
• Assessing the severity of a conflict by identifying its level of escalation.
• Empowering employees to resolve conflicts independently.
• Learning mediation techniques for decisive conflict resolution.
• Understanding appropriate actions in cases of serious conflict escalation.

Course Structure:

• Why Conflict Resolution for Managers & What You'll Learn: This initial part will likely set the stage for the importance of conflict resolution skills for managers.
• Workbook on Conflict Resolution: A downloadable workbook that may include exercises, case studies, and reflective tasks to practice conflict resolution strategies.
• Conflict Resolution for Managers: The core e-learning content, probably including video lectures, interactive activities, and real-world application examples.
• Implementation Conflict Resolution: This part might focus on how to apply the learned concepts in practical scenarios, possibly including role-plays, simulations, or project work.

The first video

"Conflict Resolution for Managers" course. Based on the text, here's an overview of the key points covered:

Understanding Conflict Resolution in Teams

Manager's Role in Conflict Resolution:

• The video establishes that managers bear a certain degree of responsibility when conflicts arise within their teams.
• A balanced approach to conflict resolution is advocated, where team members are encouraged to resolve their issues independently, yet managerial intervention is necessary when conflicts escalate to the point of potentially causing lasting damage.

Guideline for Managerial Intervention:

• Intervene Minimally but Effectively: Managers should monitor conflicts and intervene only to the extent necessary to facilitate a resolution that doesn’t leave lasting negative impacts.
• Observation and Reflection: Managers need to be vigilant for early signs of conflict and should take time to understand the dynamics at play within their team.
• Acting as a Conflict Manager: There's an implication that managers may need to step into a conflict resolution role proactively if they notice signs that a conflict is brewing or escalating.

Initial Actions for Managers Facing Team Conflicts

• Notice and Monitor: Pay attention to the team's interactions and note any signs of conflict.
• Reflect: Consider the causes and the dynamics of the conflict. This reflection is key to understanding the root of the issue and the best approach for resolution.

The advice to "intervene as little as possible, but as much as necessary" is particularly striking, as it suggests a nuanced approach to dealing with team conflicts. Managers should be aware but not overbearing, allowing teams to develop their conflict resolution skills while being ready to step in when necessary to guide the process constructively.

Recap of Lateral Leadership: We discussed how lateral leadership involves guiding a team towards common goals without traditional hierarchical authority. We covered strategies like defining roles, using effective communication tools, and managing conflicts within the team.

Moving to Conflict Resolution for Managers: This new chapter focuses on equipping managers with the skills to handle conflicts within their teams effectively. The learning objectives are:

• Recognizing when a conflict is brewing in your team.
• Gauging the level of escalation that a conflict has reached.
• Empowering employees to resolve conflicts on their own.
• Learning methods for mediation and decisive action in conflicts.
• Knowing what actions to take in seriously escalating conflicts.

Course Content Overview:

1. When to Intervene: Learning the cues for when a manager's intervention is necessary in a conflict.
2. Recognizing Levels of Escalation: Understanding the stages of conflict escalation to better manage and resolve disputes.
3. Supporting Employee Conflict Resolution: Encouraging and enabling employees to resolve their own conflicts, fostering a self-sufficient team environment.
4. Intervention with Mediation: Applying mediation techniques and decisive actions when conflicts cannot be resolved by team members alone.
5. Forcible Intervention: Taking strong measures when conflicts escalate to a level where they threaten the team's productivity and cohesion.

Learning Objectives

• Recognizing Conflict Early: Being able to detect early signs of conflict within the team before it escalates.
• Understanding Escalation: Assessing the severity of the conflict by identifying its stage of escalation.
• Employee Empowerment: Enabling team members to resolve conflicts independently, fostering a proactive approach to conflict resolution.
• Mediation Techniques: Learning and applying methods for mediating conflicts, including strategies for decisive action when needed.
• Managing Serious Conflicts: Gaining knowledge on what actions to take when faced with conflicts that are escalating beyond control.

Course Content

1. When to Intervene: Understanding the triggers that require a manager's intervention in employee conflicts.
2. Recognizing Levels of Escalation: Identifying the stages of conflict to better manage and resolve them.
3. Supporting Employee-led Resolution: Strategies for helping employees develop their own conflict resolution processes.
4. Intervention Techniques: How to step in with mediation and decisive actions to resolve conflicts effectively.
5. Forcible Intervention: Knowing when and how to apply stronger measures to resolve conflicts that have severely escalated.

Accompanying Material

• Workbook: This practical component complements the theoretical learning, offering exercises and scenarios to practice conflict resolution strategies.

This introduction to your e-learning course on conflict resolution for managers provides an excellent framework to maximize your learning experience. Here are the key points and suggestions outlined:

How the Course Works:

• Video Lectures: These are the core of the course, supplemented by exercises, hints, and transfer tasks.
• Skills Development: Transfer tasks are designed to help you apply new knowledge to practical, real-life situations.
• Knowledge Assessment: Some chapters include questions to test your understanding of the material.

Seven Tips for Effective Learning:

1. Set Learning Goals: Define what you want to achieve and allocate specific times for learning.
2. Minimize Distractions: Ensure a quiet environment by silencing phones and other potential interruptions.
3. Take Notes: Jot down important points from the lectures to reinforce your memory and understanding.
4. Engage with Transfer Tasks: Apply what you learn to your work context to solidify new skills.
5. Reflect and Act: After completing the course, identify the most useful takeaways and plan how to implement them.
6. Collaborate: Share insights with colleagues also taking the course to enhance collective understanding.
7. Revisit Material: Review key concepts after a break to ensure long-term retention.

Transfer Tasks for New Perspectives:

• These tasks encourage you to think creatively about how to integrate the course content into your day-to-day activities. Collaboration with peers is encouraged to foster different viewpoints and solutions.

Inclusive Learning:

• The course is designed for a diverse audience, emphasizing inclusivity across various demographics.

Summary of Conflict Management Approach

• Intervention Balance: In employee conflicts, intervene as little as possible, but as much as necessary. This approach allows employees to take ownership of the resolution while ensuring that the conflict does not escalate to a damaging level.

Conflict Recognition

1. Symptoms of Conflict:
• Observe for verbal attacks, condescending or sarcastic remarks.
• Watch for negative body language such as folded arms or eye rolling.
• Note if any team members are withdrawn or avoiding meetings.
• Sense the overall mood for signs of irritability.

If these symptoms are present, it’s important to investigate further.

2. Incidents Analysis:
• Identify the parties in conflict and recurring issues.
• Determine the typical incidents and opposing positions.
• Analyze each conflict situation distinctly for a thorough understanding.
3. Observation Commitment:
• Commit to actively observing hints of conflict.
• Analyze past conflicts for insights to improve future conflict management.

Managerial Responsibility in Conflicts

• Ensure the conflict does not have a long-term negative impact.
• Support staff in finding the best resolution.
• Create a conducive environment for a positive outcome.

Conflict Resolution Questions

Question 1/2: In a conflict between employees, the resolution will probably have a better outcome if … the employees are able to resolve the conflict on their own.

Question 2/2: As a manager, when a conflict arises between employees, your responsibilities include (Multiple answers are correct):

• To ensure that the conflict does not cause lasting damage.
• To create the conditions for the best possible resolution.

Summary and Explanation of Conflict Escalation and Management

Conflict Escalation Model:

• The model developed by Friedrich Glasl is a framework for understanding how conflicts intensify over time.
• It emphasizes that conflicts escalate through a series of nine distinct steps, from initial tensions to potential annihilation.

Nine Steps of Escalation:

1. Tension: Differences in opinion start affecting the atmosphere.
2. Debate: Parties become inflexible, trying to prove their point.
3. Actions: Talking seems futile, and parties see each other as competitors.
4. Coalitions: Negative stories circulate, and outsiders are drawn in for support.
5. Loss of Face: The conflict assumes a moral dimension, with one party seen as evil.
6. Threats: Ultimatums are made, showing a refusal to back down.
7. Limited Destruction: Parties engage in forceful attacks to disarm the other.
8. Fragmentation: Efforts to destroy the other’s legitimacy and power.
9. Together into the Abyss: A drive to annihilate at any cost.

Conflict Management Tools:

• Early Stages (1-2): Parties can often resolve the conflict themselves; the manager facilitates rather than proposing solutions.
• Mid Stages (3-6): Manager or higher authority needs to intervene, possibly as a mediator or decision-maker.
• Late Stages (7-9): Forcible intervention is necessary, either by the manager or a higher authority.

Managerial Approach:

• Assess the conflict's stage of escalation.
• Choose the appropriate intervention method based on the conflict's intensity.
• Facilitate resolution in early stages and intervene decisively in later stages.

Key Takeaways:

• Early intervention can prevent conflicts from reaching irreparable levels.
• Not all conflicts require the same managerial response.
• Understanding the escalation stage is crucial for effective conflict resolution.

The following chapters will delve into the specifics of how to manage each level of escalation effectively.

OVERVIEW

The stages of conflict escalation

Click on the cards to read how a conflict escalates stage by stage, as explained in Friedrich Glasl's model of stages of conflict escalation.

Summary and Task Guidance on Conflict Escalation Levels

Overview of Conflict Escalation Stages:

1. Difference of Opinion: Conflict begins with a difference in opinion without the acknowledgment of a conflict.
2. Debates: The conflict progresses to debates with attempts to convince the other party, both believing they are right.
3. Actions Over Words: The emphasis shifts from discussion to actions aimed at provoking the opposition.
4. Relationship-Level Conflict: The conflict affects the immediate social environment as no party yields ground.
5. Hurtful Blows and Insults: Morality is sidelined, and insulting behavior becomes justified.
6. Civil Instruments of Power Exhausted: Open threats are used in an attempt to gain control.
7. Obsession with Victory: Parties only focus on triumphing over their opponent by any means.
8. Destructive Acts: Individual acts of destruction are not enough; the party aims to remove the other completely.
9. Annihilation and Abyss: Parties are willing to risk their own downfall to eliminate the other.

Transfer Task:

• Assess the degree of escalation in team conflicts using Glasl’s model.
• Determine if actions have overtaken discussions.
• Check if other colleagues are involved or if it's escalated to personal insults and threats.
• Reflect on whether the conflict has reached a point where parties want to remove each other.

Questions for Managers:

1. Intervention Levels:
• You need to intervene with mediation or a decision at the levels of:
• Debates
• Actions
• Coalitions
• Loss of face
• Threats
2. Forcible Intervention Levels:
• Forcible intervention becomes necessary at the levels of:
• Loss of face
• Threats
• Damage
• Annihilation
• Abyss
💡
Video
1. Self-Responsibility in Conflict Resolution: Emphasizes the importance of encouraging team members to independently resolve conflicts, utilizing their creativity and problem-solving skills. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment within the team.
2. Development of Competence: Highlights the need for continuous training and skill development in conflict resolution. It suggests that managers should set an example of constructive conflict management, which employees are likely to emulate. Proper training and role modeling by the manager are crucial in this aspect.
3. Facilitation by the Manager: Focuses on the manager's role in subtly guiding conflict resolution. While employees should attempt to resolve conflicts independently, the manager should be available to offer support and guidance when needed, without overtly taking over the problem-solving process.
4. Foundation of Trust: Stresses the importance of trust between team members and the manager. An approachable, transparent, and respectful managerial style is essential in creating an environment where team members feel comfortable addressing conflicts.
5. Business-Related Conflict at Early Escalation Levels: Describes a situation where the conflict is still focused on business-related issues and the parties involved are communicating. This is an ideal stage for resolution as the parties are likely to reach a consensus without significant intervention.
6. Impact of External Commitments on Team Responsibilities: Discusses the challenges arising when team members take on additional responsibilities (like new projects) that might impact their primary duties. It highlights the need for clear communication and understanding of priorities within the team.

Summary: Conflict Resolution and Managerial Facilitation

• Self-Responsibility in Conflict Resolution:
• Team members are encouraged to independently handle conflicts, tapping into their inherent creativity and problem-solving abilities.
• This empowers the team and instills a sense of ownership over the resolution process.
• Development of Competence:
• Continuous skill development in conflict resolution is key.
• Managers should exemplify constructive conflict management behaviors for team members to replicate.
• Facilitation by the Manager:
• Managers play a supportive role, offering guidance and assistance subtly.
• The goal is to ensure team members are the primary problem-solvers, with the manager as a facilitator.
• Foundation of Trust:
• Trust between team members and managers is critical for a healthy conflict resolution environment.
• A managerial style that is approachable, transparent, and respectful is vital for building this trust.
• Business-Related Conflict at Early Escalation Levels:
• Conflicts that are business-related and still in the communication stage are ideal for early resolution.
• The focus is on reaching a consensus with minimal intervention.
• Impact of External Commitments on Team Responsibilities:
• Additional responsibilities outside the team's primary duties can create conflicts.
• Prioritizing and clear communication within the team are essential to manage these challenges.

Summary: Empowering Self-Resolution of Conflicts

• Fostering Self-Responsibility:
• Encourage teams to tackle conflicts themselves, reinforcing the development of their problem-solving skills.
• Creating a Supportive Environment:
• Establish a workplace culture that views conflicts as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles.
• Offering Managerial Support:
• Provide guidance and recognition for employees who take the initiative to resolve conflicts.
• Communication:
• Make it clear that proactive steps towards conflict resolution are expected and valued.
• Recognition:
• Acknowledge and reward the successful independent resolution of conflicts by employees.
• Non-Interference:
• Initially, allow employees to handle tensions without immediate managerial intervention to empower them.
• Resource Development for Conflict Resolution:
• Reflect on the conflict's nature and devise specific measures to support self-resolution at lower escalation levels.
• If the conflict is at a higher escalation level, retrospectively consider how escalation could have been prevented and when managerial intervention would have been appropriate.

For the questions:

• Meaningful Support for Team Members:
• Speak to employees about the conflict and offer support.
• Correct Answers:
• Speak to employees about the conflict.
• Offer support.
• Building Conflict Management Competence:
• Provide additional training on conflict resolution.
• Set a professional example by resolving your own conflicts early.
• Encourage viewing mistakes as learning opportunities.
• Correct Answers:
• Offer further training on the subject of conflict resolution.
• Set an example and resolve your own conflicts with other colleagues in a professional manner at an early stage.
• Encourage employees to use mistakes as opportunities for learning.

Conflict Resolution at Mid-Escalation Levels

In the corporate context, conflicts can reach a point where the involved parties struggle to find a resolution independently. In such scenarios, the role of a manager is to utilize tailored techniques to facilitate constructive dialogue and foster agreements. The methodologies discussed in this chapter are:

• Conflict Moderation: Applied when parties are open to dialogue and seek a mutual agreement. The manager or a neutral party facilitates the conversation, aiming to guide the disputing employees towards a collaborative solution.
• Mediation: This structured, multi-phase process is led by a trained mediator and is appropriate for long-standing and intricate conflicts. It requires voluntary participation from the conflicted parties.
• Decisive Action: Used when mediation is unsuccessful or the conflicting parties are unable to engage in constructive dialogue. The manager collects information, conducts separate discussions, and imposes a resolution which the parties have agreed to respect.

Deep Dive: Goal-Oriented Moderation

The process of conflict moderation unfolds through seven steps:

• Creating a Secure Framework: Establish a supportive and confidential atmosphere conducive to open discussion.
• Clarifying Goals and Expectations: Understand and document what each party hopes to achieve from the discussion.
• Identifying Issues and Setting Priorities: Summarize the conflict's topics, find common objectives, and prioritize the issues based on their contentiousness.
• Presenting Points of View: Allow each party to express their perspective and needs, facilitating empathy and identifying shared interests.
• Developing Ideas: Collect and discuss potential solutions, ensuring they address the needs of both parties without dismissing any proposal prematurely.
• Developing Solutions: Review all ideas, discuss their feasibility and resources required, then strategize a specific solution.
• Agreeing on Actions: Finalize the action plan detailing responsibilities, deadlines, and success metrics, ensuring mutual comfort with the agreement.

Implementing Conflict Moderation:

As a manager facilitating conflict moderation, it is imperative to:

• Build a neutral, secure space for discussion.
• Encourage self-expression and mutual understanding.
• Steer the conversation towards common goals.
• Foster creativity in finding resolutions.
• Ensure clarity and commitment to the agreed action plan.

This academic-style summary encapsulates the essence of conflict resolution techniques at mid-escalation levels, focusing on moderation, mediation, and decisive action. It offers a structured approach to conflict resolution that empowers managers to effectively address and resolve disputes within their teams

In situations of high-level conflict escalation:

where conventional conflict resolution methods are no longer effective, forcible intervention by management becomes necessary. The video and chapter content suggest a range of options that can be employed by a manager to contain and address the conflict. These range from mild actions like reallocation of duties to more severe measures such as dismissal.

Forcible Intervention Options:

• Reallocation of Duties: To reduce contact points that may lead to conflict.
• Managerial Work Planning: Ensuring that a manager is involved in task planning to avoid further conflict.
• Binding Rules Establishment: Setting clear rules to limit personal interactions that could escalate tensions.
• Managed Meetings: Holding meetings only in the presence of a manager to maintain order.
• Physical Separation: Placing conflicting parties in separate rooms or areas.
• Transfer: Moving one of the conflicting parties to a different department or team.
• Warning/Suspension: Implementing disciplinary measures as a warning or temporary measure.
• Dismissal: As a last resort, terminating employment to resolve the conflict.

Considerations Before Forcible Intervention:

• Legal and Managerial Requirements: Understand and adhere to labor laws, and assess the level of authority required for intervention.
• Impact Assessment: Consider the wider impact on the team and the organization.
• Consultation: Engage with HR or higher management before taking severe actions.
• Containment vs. Resolution: Recognize that forcible intervention aims to contain the conflict rather than resolve the underlying issues.
• Fairness and Necessity: Act as gently as the situation permits, but as firmly as necessary.

The key takeaway for managers is that forcible intervention should be approached with caution, fairness, and a clear understanding of the potential repercussions. It's essential to act decisively to contain the conflict while minimizing harm to the team dynamics and maintaining a productive work environment. Additionally, it's advised to always consult with legal or HR departments before implementing drastic measures to ensure compliance with workplace laws and policies.

Chapter Test:

Q) When successfully moderating a conflict, you ...

a) ... clarify everything in individual discussions.

b) ... steer the discussion towards an agreement that your employees reach for themselves.

c) ... propose a solution in your capacity as a manager.

Q) Which methods of forcible intervention are comparatively mild?

(Multiple answers are correct)

• Issuing warnings to the antagonists
• Establishing binding rules for collaboration
• Transferring a team member who is strongly embroiled in the conflict
• Reallocating duties

Q) What is your responsibility, as a manager, when a conflict arises between employees?

(Multiple answers are correct)

• To inform your own superiors and turn over the responsibility to them
• To make a clear statement as the deciding authority, right at the outset
• To ensure that the conflict does not cause lasting damage
• To create the conditions for the best possible resolution

Q) What should you check before you proceed with forcible intervention?

(Multiple answers are correct)

• The viewpoints of higher or similar-ranking colleagues
• Labor regulations
• Your level of authority
• Impact on the team spirit

Q)