Angela, Lauren, Matt Change Engagement Presentations

You are working with a team to consider a new approach to the existing statement process. The team has worked diligently on the proposal for the past few months. One team member, Marie, is obsessed with minor details, and is holding up the submission of the proposal despite the team covering those details multiple times. Marie starts to get in a heated debate with other members on the team, who feel the hold up is unnecessary and looks bad for the team as a whole. You engage with Marie to help her understand the team’s perspective and now she is debating with you. The outcomes of continuing a debate may not yield fruitful results for the team and Marie is not in a position of authority. Conflict Scenario…

Back down Argue Compromise Other Options? What would you do in this situation?

ALEC 640 Effectively Managing Conflict and Change

 Determine strategies to deal with conflict  Discuss when to use and when not to use specific strategies  Apply conflict handling strategies to scenarios Objectives

 It’s a part of life, a part of work.  It occurs when… interdependent parties perceive interference from each other in achieving their respective goals. What do we know about conflict? When have you experienced conflict?

 Assesses individual preferences or inclinations in handling conflict  Compares individual styles to those of other managers who have taken the assessment  Suggests ways to most effectively use and expand your repertoire of conflict management skills Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

Five Modes of Conflict Resolution (TKI)

 You try to satisfy your own concerns at another's expense. You win and they lose.  Some people think competing is bad.  I counter that it's not bad; competition is necessary at times, based on the situation.  However, if you only manage conflict through competition, then you are ineffectively managing situations and people. Competing

 When quick decisive action is needed  On important issues when unpopular action must be taken  When the issue is vital, and the right course is clear  To protect against people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior Competing Competing is Effective When: When is it ineffective?

 You are willing to sacrifice your own needs and desires for other people involved in the conflict.  You lose and they win.  Some people think accommodation equates to being a doormat.  I often hear "Only wimps accommodate; I have a business to run." This is untrue.  Accommodation is the best tool to use when you are not the subject matter expert or when the outcome is not that important to you. Accommodating

 When you are wrong, when learning is important, or when demonstrating reasonableness is critical  When creating goodwill is paramount  To build social credits for later use  To stop unproductive or damaging competition  When harmony is important  When it’s important for others to learn from experience Accommodating Accommodating is Effective When:

 You don't try to satisfy yourself or other people involved in the conflict.  Instead, you stay away from the situation entirely.  This mode is used when emotions are running high.  To be honest, Avoiding is a Band-Aid for the conflict situation; nothing is resolved and the topic is put into a parking lot until later.  The fact is you will have to eventually deal with the conflict. Avoiding

 When the issue is relatively trivial  When you know you can’t be satisfied  When the costs of conflict outweigh the benefits of resolution  To allow “cooling off”  When it’s important to have more information  When others can resolve the issue more effectively  When the conflict is tangential to something more important Avoiding Avoiding Is Effective When:

 You try to find a solution to conflict that satisfies all concerned--a win-win.  Collaboration takes a lot of time, resources, energy and bandwidth.  Though many leaders encourage collaboration, it is often difficult for both parties to get exactly what they want, which is why it is often used in high risk situations.  Often, when people say "collaborate" they actually mean either "compromise" or just "work together." Collaborating

 When it is important that both sides be integrated  When you want to learn and fully understand others’ views  To merge different perspectives and insights  To gain commitment through consensual decisions  To work through hard feelings that have interfered with interpersonal relationships Collaborating Collaborating Is Effective When:

 Your solution only partially satisfies each member in the conflict.  There are no winners and no losers.  Compromise is an acceptable solution; however, be aware that if you are a leader who only compromises, the team may start to game the system and ask for more than what they truly need as they know their leader will compromise during the negotiations. Compromising

 When goals are less important than avoiding the disruption caused by more assertive conflict resolution styles  When opponents have equal power and commitment to mutually exclusive goals  To temporarily settle complex issues  To quickly achieve an expedient solution  As a backup style when collaboration or competition fails Compromising Compromising Is Effective When:

There is No RIGHT WAY to Handle All Situations

Effective leaders need to understand all five conflict-handling modes, and be able to identify the best mode to use for various situations. Look at your cheat sheet… Can you think of a time where you used one of these styles when you should not have?

You are working with a team to consider a new approach to the existing statement process. The team has worked diligently on the proposal for the past few months. One team member, Marie, is obsessed with minor details, and is holding up the submission of the proposal despite the team covering those details multiple times. Marie starts to get in a heated debate with other members on the team, who feel the hold up is unnecessary and looks bad for the team as a whole. You engage with Marie to help her understand the team’s perspective and now she is debating with you. The outcomes of continuing a debate may not yield fruitful results for the team and Marie is not in a position of authority. Conflict Scenario…How might you approach this conflict differently?

Case #1, Case #2, Case #3 For each case study, Identify the following: Conflicts, Possible Solutions, Conflict Handling Techniques

As you read the case studies, keep this in mind: Five Modes of Conflict Resolution (TKI)

 Determined strategies to deal with conflict  Discussed when to use and when not to use specific strategies  Applied conflict handling strategies to scenarios Overview

 Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (2009) An Overview of the Thomas- Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI). Retrieved from Kilmann Diagnostics Website: thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument-tki  Loeher, A. (2014, May 15). Leadership guide for handling conflict. Retrieved from loehr/leadership-guide-for-hand_b_ html References

 November 24, Tuesday – No Class  November 29, Sunday – Research Review Paper is due (uploaded to Ecampus)  November 30, Monday (3:00-5:00 p.m.) – On The Border – Evaluations – Take Home Final Exam Discussion  December 16, Wednesday – Take Home Final Exam is due (uploaded to Ecampus) Reminders