Recognizing Conflict Styles and Their Results

Transcription

1 Facilitator Notes Purpose: Have participants try to identify different conflict styles and how different styles can impact the outcomes of a conflict situation. Materials: A copy of both scenarios for distribution to participants. (See following pages). Optional: A copy of the answer sheets for each participant provided only after the debrief. Set Up: After presenting information discussion on the 5 identified conflict styles, the two scenario sheets should be distributed to each of the participants. The different options in conducting the scenario include: 1. Whole Class Discussion Either give participants time to write down their answers privately, before starting class discussion, or let the full class work on it collectively by immediately going down the list of questions after providing time to read the scenarios. 2. Small Group Discussions Divide the class into groups of 3-5 people each. Depending on how much time is available, you can either have each group discuss both scenarios or give half the groups one scenario and the other half the second scenario. After giving the groups minutes to discuss, have a group volunteer their answers. Ask the other groups to share any different thoughts or answers they came up with. A variation is to provide each participant time to answer the questions individually before breaking them up into groups to share their results and work on a consensus. Debrief: One of the primary values of this activity is to generate discussion on conflict styles and the possible impact each style might have in a specific situation. It is best if the participants do most of the talking during the debrief. However, answers are provided below that can be used if groups are uncertain about the answers, or start going down the wrong path on any of the scenarios. The answer sheets do not need to be distributed, but can be used by the facilitator to make sure important issues are discuss, and that the participants are accurately identifying the proper conflict styles.

2 Scenario One TWO PEERS SHARING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT In a recent effort to trim the fat in your company, management decided that you and Stephanie, another supervisor in your department, would need to share an administrative assistant. This was made possible by assigning more of the administrative duties back to both of you to handle yourselves. In the beginning you weren t thrilled with this new way of doing things, but you have since learned how many steps can be eliminated now that you actually have to perform these tasks. Stephanie has not been receptive to the new system of sharing administrative support. She had the same reservations as you did about the changes, but instead of adapting and working with the new system, she has regressed to the old way of doing things. This has created a log jam with the assistant, and your work is often delayed because of Stephanie s extensive demands. Tension between the two of you has developed, and the assistant is trapped in the middle, not wanting to take sides. You realize that this is affecting the morale in your department and hurting the company. You decide the best thing to do would be to: A. Go to your department manager and report Stephanie s blatant disregard for the new policies. You will explain how much it is hurting the company and suggest immediate disciplinary action. B. Be more friendly in your interactions with Stephanie, and hopefully she will want to do more of her own work in order to maintain the friendship and make things run more smoothly for everyone. C. Meet with Stephanie and try to determine why she has not accepted the new work arrangement. You plan to share your experiences of how you have successfully made the change to the new system and explore how the new system could be useful to her. D. Request that you be reassigned so that you can share administrative support with another supervisor with whom you might be more compatible. E. Tell Stephanie that it is up to her whether or not to abide by the new company policies, but you are instructing the assistant to split her time 50/50 between the two of you.

3 Scenario Two LONG-TERM PROJECT WITH MARY During the course of working on a long-term project with Mary, you and she have overcome the initial difficulties of getting oriented to each other and establishing the basic set-up for the project. Now, however, you face a more difficult dilemma. Confronted with the first real instance of conflict, the two of you cannot seem to move past decisions about the marketing plan of this project. You and Mary each feel strongly about the position the company should take. Mary feels that the company should stay with the traditional, conservative approach that has worked for this type of product for years. You, on the other hand, feel that now is the time to break old ways of doing things, and this project is the perfect opportunity. You re concerned that if you don t get past this impasse soon, it will end up delaying the project and perhaps have an irreversible effect on it. In your opinion, the best thing that you can do now would be to: A. Have a discussion with Mary to review the original goal of the project. Work together to design a marketing plan that combines the key attributes of both suggestions and that will best serve the company s goals. B. Suggest to Mary that you try a split marketing plan, targeting some areas conservatively and others more aggressively. C. Tell Mary that the current situation has to change. You will inform her that if she isn t willing to compromise, you will go to your supervisor and request a new partner for this project who isn t so stuck in the past. D. Keep going the way that you are, knowing that this type of conflict is normal and will eventually lead to something beneficial. E. Recognize that you will not be able to work together, split up, and hope that somebody else can take over the project.

4 Scenario One Answer Sheet TWO PEERS SHARING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT In a recent effort to trim the fat in your company, management decided that you and Stephanie, another supervisor in your department, would need to share an administrative assistant. This was made possible by assigning more of the administrative duties back to both of you to handle yourselves. In the beginning you weren t thrilled with this new way of doing things, but you have since learned how many steps can be eliminated now that you actually have to perform these tasks. Stephanie has not been receptive to the new system of sharing administrative support. She had the same reservations as you did about the changes, but instead of adapting and working with the new system, she has regressed to the old way of doing things. This has created a log jam with the assistant, and your work is often delayed because of Stephanie s extensive demands. Tension between the two of you has developed, and the assistant is trapped in the middle, not wanting to take sides. You realize that this is affecting the morale in your department and hurting the company. You decide the best thing to do would be to: A. Go to your department manager and report Stephanie s blatant disregard for the new policies. You will explain how much it is hurting the company and suggest immediate disciplinary action. Conflict Style: Competing Potential Result: Increase tensions between Stephanie and her peer. Put s Stephanie s department manager in an awkward position of having to choose sides the department manager won t be too happy with Stephanie, nor impressed with her leadership/conflict skills. Put s the shared administrative assistant even more in the middle. Won t help morale, nor does it help the company. B. Be more friendly in your interactions with Stephanie, and hopefully she will want to do more of her own work in order to maintain the friendship and make things run more smoothly for everyone. Conflict Style: Avoiding (some might argue it is Accommodating, but has Stephanie really given in, or just avoiding the situation, hoping it will resolve itself? Stephanie is still hoping for a change and has not agreed to let the peer win.) Potential Result: Not likely that Stephanie s peer will reduce her demands. Stephanie is likely to become more frustrated, hurting morale even more. Stephanie s work will continue to be delayed (maybe even more so). It doesn t help administrative assistant, who is still trapped in the middle.

5 C. Meet with Stephanie and try to determine why she has not accepted the new work arrangement. You plan to share your experiences of how you have successfully made the change to the new system and explore how the new system could be useful to her. Conflict Style: Collaboration Potential Result: A win-win situation could occur. Each could get their work done better and faster, with the peer benefiting from Stephanie s experience. The company wins by having better productivity. Removes the administrative assistant from the middle. D. Request that you be reassigned so that you can share administrative support with another supervisor with whom you might be more compatible. Conflict Style: Accommodation Potential Result: Stephanie is letting her peer win (so it is not just avoiding). It doesn t enhance Stephanie s reputation as a leader in the eyes of her department manager. It will cost the company money by having to set up a new sharing relationship. There is no guarantee the new sharing situation would end up any better. Tensions between Stephanie and her peer won t be improved. E. Tell Stephanie that it is up to her whether or not to abide by the new company policies, but you are instructing the assistant to split her time 50/50 between the two of you. Conflict Style: Competing Potential Result: Tensions between the two supervisors will get even worse. The administrative assistant is put in an even more awkward situation. Morale will get worse. Maybe the peer will go along with the demand, but they won t be happy about it and Stephanie better watch her back.

6 Scenario Two Answer Sheet LONG-TERM PROJECT WITH MARY During the course of working on a long-term project with Mary, you and she have overcome the initial difficulties of getting oriented to each other and establishing the basic set-up for the project. Now, however, you face a more difficult dilemma. Confronted with the first real instance of conflict, the two of you cannot seem to move past decisions about the marketing plan of this project. You and Mary each feel strongly about the position the company should take. Mary feels that the company should stay with the traditional, conservative approach that has worked for this type of product for years. You, on the other hand, feel that now is the time to break old ways of doing things, and this project is the perfect opportunity. You re concerned that if you don t get past this impasse soon, it will end up delaying the project and perhaps have an irreversible effect on it. In your opinion, the best thing that you can do now would be to: A. Have a discussion with Mary to review the original goal of the project. Work together to design a marketing plan that combines the key attributes of both suggestions and that will best serve the company s goals. Conflict Style: Collaboration Potential Result: Encourages creativity. Builds a better relationship. Benefits the company by focusing on goals. B. Suggest to Mary that you try a split marketing plan, targeting some areas conservatively and others more aggressively. Conflict Style: Compromise Potential Result: Might improve relationship, but doesn t ensure best marketing plan, so company might suffer. While both sides get something, they will probably not be completely happy. C. Tell Mary that the current situation has to change. You will inform her that if she isn t willing to compromise, you will go to your supervisor and request a new partner for this project who isn t so stuck in the past. Conflict Style: Competing Potential Result: Increase tensions between you and Mary. Put s your supervisor in an awkward position of having to choose sides they won t be too happy with you, nor impressed with your leadership/conflict skills. Won t help morale, nor does it help the company.

7 D. Keep going the way that you are, knowing that this type of conflict is normal and will eventually lead to something beneficial. Conflict Style: Avoiding Potential Result: Doesn t resolve anything, so the marketing plan will be delayed until there is a resolution. Wastes time since planning really can t move forward until the impasse is broken. The relationship won t improve making it harder to come to an agreement. E. Recognize that you will not be able to work together, split up, and hope that somebody else can take over the project. Conflict Style: Avoiding (some might argue it is Accommodating, the person is sort of giving in, but is really just abandoning the project altogether. Accommodating would be to agree to use the conservative approach, and abandoning the new marketing ideas.) Potential Result: Delays the development of a marketing plan. You won t look very good in the eyes of your supervisor, or others who will question your leadership skills. Will most likely make your relationship with Mary even worse, as she will be frustrated that you walked out on the project, making her look bad