Handling conflict with confidence
This programme provides a challenging and stimulating insight into the nature of confidence and how to handling conflict by managing self and others assertively.
Level
Programme is appropriate for learners at entry, intermediate and advanced levels
Objectives
- To understand conflict and its effect on self and others
- To define assertive and non-assertive behaviours
- To appreciate the need for self-management before managing others
- To develop capability in engaging conflict assertively
- To build confidence through demonstrations & practical simulations
Process
Your Experiences – Share experiences of dealing with conflict. Identify common themes – high emotional state, not able to reason, repetitive, not wanting to listen, etc – different for different character types.
Behaviour Styles – Define 4 behaviour styles – assertive, aggressive, submissive and passive-aggressive. Demonstrate behaviour styles using practical examples. Predispositions towards one or more of the styles. Depth of understanding of the styles – verbal, vocal, visual signals. Benefits and barriers to assertiveness.
Self-Management – Appreciate the effect of non-assertive behaviour on oneself – become emotional / thinking becomes unclear. Assertiveness begins with self-management first, then managing others. Transactional Analysis (TA) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a means to manage one’s state and relationships.
Communication Styles – Appreciate different styles / preferences in behaviour. Communication Styles – doer, actor, friend, thinker. Self-assessment. Impact of style on self and others. Flexing and matching styles.
Behaviour Change – Appreciate how we learn and the difficulties associated with changing one’s behaviour towards behaving more assertively – comfort zones, habit, need for conscious choice through increased self-awareness.
Experiential Exercise – Reds & Blues – fun, interactive experience of conflict.
Conflict Management – Defining conflict. Conflict as positive / negative. Different perceptions of conflict. Causes. Conflict handling styles – competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromise, collaboration (Thomas Kilmann). Self-assessment – Thomas Kilmann Inventory. Feedback and discussion.
Effective Relationships – Impact of relationships on our ability to deal with conflict. Transactional Analysis (TA) – parent, adult & child. Experiential exercises in TA.
Emotional Intelligence – Impact of emotions on self and others. Understanding emotional intelligence. Competencies in emotional intelligence.
Personal Drivers – Impact of personal drivers on conflict handling. TA Drivers questionnaire – be strong, be perfect, try hard, hurry up, please people.
Making an Impact – Confident communication. 3Vs – verbal, vocal and visual. Congruent vs. incongruent communication. Advocacy vs. enquiry. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
Practice – Demonstration to model conflict handling behaviours. Practice learning through a range of simulations.
Options
Programme can be adapted as a 1 or 2 day workshop for approx. 8 to 10 learners, with 1 or 2 facilitators, with the possibility of using professional role players.