Leadership Institute

Working Through Conflict

Learning Format: Classroom, Web-Based

Order No. WD73

When differences cause people to become angry and closed-minded, the resulting conflict has a negative effect on quality, productivity, cooperation, and communication.

This course discusses how to manage conflict by dealing with differing ideas, interests, or perceptions.

Do You Face Any of These Issues?

  • Do discussions in your organization sometimes become deadlocked or turn into personal attacks?
  • Do people avoid situations where they feel they can’t manage the conflicts that might arise?
  • Do people have trouble being objective in the face of conflict?

Performance Objectives

Helps associates:

  • Approach conflict as a process.
  • Reduce the potential cost of conflict to themselves and their organization.
  • Minimize the negative consequences of unresolved differences.
  • Improve productivity by effectively handling conflict on and off the job.
  • Contribute to an open, collaborative work environment.

Primary Competency Developed

  • Managing Conflict

Secondary Competency Developed

  • Communication

Course Overview

  • Chance or Choice?: A video debrief has participants discussing the cost of conflicts. They learn the conflict process and participate in a group activity that focuses on the benefits and drawbacks of using resist, retreat, and resolve to handle conflict.
  • Keys to Defusing Conflict: Participants explore how words and actions can trigger conflict. They use a scripted conflict situation to identify conflict resolution techniques. This activity is debriefed with a focus on Key Principles and how they de-escalate heated situations.
  • Skill Practice Process: Learners read a case study, review a discussion planner, view a video on how to handle a conflict discussion, and conduct a skill practice.
  • Practice Makes Perfect: Participants identify how they would handle three challenging conflict situations. They next work through a conflict in a second skill practice round.
  • Next Steps: Learners discuss how to use their new skills in conflict situations.

Video Segment Summaries

  • A video illustrates two associates discussing whether they can meet a customer’s due date.
  • Three segments illustrate one worker’s different approaches to handling conflict (resisting, retreating, and resolving).
  • Positive model illustrates team members working through a conflict situation.

Course Details

  • Target audience: All employees through frontline leaders.
  • Course length: 3 hours, 30 minutes, or 1 hour, 55 minutes Fast Track.
  • Facilitator certification: DDI-certified facilitator required.
  • Prerequisites: Interaction Skills for Success or Essentials of Leadership.
  • Series: Suitable for all environments. Skill practice includes manufacturing and service/professional versions.
  • Group size: 10 to 20 people.
  • Prework: No.

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