This presentation focuses on conflict in a school environment. The session was delivered to OCSB employees taking the Leadership Journey Part 1 course.

1. Conflict Management
Do I really want to get involved?
October 2014
T. D’Amico

2. Do people go to you for advice?

3. Our Schools/Departments are
Happy places...
Conflict Management

4. But not all the time!

5. Define “Conflict”

6. Conflict is part of being human...

7. Dysfunctional Conflict

8. Share examples of conflicts between adults in a school/department...

9. Your Answers

10. School adult Interactions

11. How is this related to conflict?

12. The Happy staff member...

13. “I live under a black cloud” staff member...

14. Mental and Physical
Reactions to Conflict

15. How do most people deal with conflict?
Avoidance

16. Others – make a quick decision! Winner and a Loser

17. How do you deal with
Conflict?
Crash and
burn
strategies

18. Pray that an Angel
Will make it go away!

19. Is Conflict always a bad thing?

20. Discuss: “Is Conflict always a bad thing?”

21. Your Answers

22. “Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.”
Dalai Lama XIV

23. Some Benefits of Conflict
Innovative strategies
New knowledge
Different perspectives

25. Discuss: “What are some causes of conflict?”

26. Your Answers

27. Causes of Conflict

28. Source: Centerforworklife.com
Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
An inability to recognize and respond to the things that matter to the other person
The capacity to recognize and respond to the things that matter to the other person
Explosive, angry, hurtful, and resentful reactions
Calm, non-defensive, and respectful reactions
Withdrawal, Judgement, resulting in rejection, isolation, shaming, and fear of abandonment
A readiness to forgive and forget, and to move past the conflict without holding resentments or anger
An inability to compromise or see the other person’s side
The ability to seek compromise and avoid punishing
The fear and avoidance of conflict; the expectation of bad outcomes
A belief that facing conflict head on is the best thing for both sides
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

29. Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
An inability to recognize and respond to the things that matter to the other person
The capacity to recognize and respond to the things that matter to the other person
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

30. Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
Explosive, angry, hurtful, and resentful reactions
Calm, non-defensive, and respectful reactions
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

31. Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
Withdrawal, Judgement, resulting in rejection, isolation, shaming, and fear of abandonment
A readiness to forgive and forget, and to move past the conflict without holding resentments or anger
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

32. Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
An inability to compromise or see the other person’s side
The ability to seek compromise and avoid punishing
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

33. Unhealthy responses to conflict:
Healthy responses to conflict:
The fear and avoidance of conflict; the expectation of bad outcomes
A belief that facing conflict head on is the best thing for both sides
Healthy and unhealthy ways of managing and resolving conflict

34. Resolving Conflict
In your school / department

35. Do you talk more or listen more when trying to resolve conflict?

36. Understand the type of conflict
Listen to understand both perspectives Determine the needs of each person...
•
Work or Job function needs
•
Process / structure change needs
•
Relationship needs

37. Don’t sweat the small stuff!

38. Confront the issue not the person
Keep the Dignity of the Person in mind

39. You can be Professional without being Friends
Avoidance may help with value based differences

40. Compromise
Look for win – win solutions

41. Collaborate
See each other’s side in a conflict to come to an agreement on how to proceed

42. Mediation
Skill development
Help the parties come to a solution
Identify Issues Determine interests
Storytelling
Brainstorming

43. Keep Learning
•
Leadership courses
•
Coaching courses
•
Mediation workshops

44. Conflict Quotes
Activity – See handout
Source: John Brandon

45. Remember some conflicts...
Need to be referred to Human Resources!

46. Questions