This document discusses strategies for effective conflict resolution in the workplace. It aims to help participants understand the costs of unresolved conflict and the benefits of collaboration. The summary provides techniques like understanding different perspectives, creating solutions, and expressing emotions constructively. Unresolved conflict is shown to reduce productivity and increase stress. Managing conflict effectively can improve an organization's financial performance by reducing costs.

1. Dr. Heather M. Brown, JD, MBA, PMP

2.  To heighten participants’ understanding of the costs of
conflict in the workplace and the benefits of actively
pursuing a collaborative approach to resolving conflict.
 To provide participants with collaborative tools and
techniques to assist them in resolving and/or
managing workplace issues and disagreements more
effectively and productively.
 To instill confidence in participants that conflict can be
managed effectively and their outcomes can have a
positive impact on employees and the work
environment.
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4.  The condition in which people’s concerns—the
things they care about—appear to be
incompatible.
 Conflict does not always equate to fighting,
arguing, blaming, and name-calling.
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5.  Conflict is the emotional, verbal, written or physical
expression of differences regarding wants, needs or
expectations between two or more individuals.
 Conflict directly impacts behavior, decision-making
and the ability to complete assigned tasks.
 Conflict is inevitable in the workplace; it cannot be
eliminated.
 The key to a functional workplace is the ability to
minimize the escalation of conflict and ultimately
resolve the differences.
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6. 1. Competition over needs or perceived needs.
2. Difference in methods or process understandings;
3. Personality and behavioral style
4. Communication style, tone and body language
5. Competition over resources
6. Differences of opinions
Others:
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7. 1. What is the lowest
form of conflict known
to mankind?
2. What is the most
severe form of conflict
known to mankind?
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8. 8Professional Solutions, Inc. © 2010

9.  The total value of lost work time due to stress is
estimated to be $1.7 billion. (WarrenShepel online],
Health &Wellness Research Database, 2005)
 The rate of presentee-ism is estimated to be up to
three times higher than absentee-ism.
 Conflict accounts for up to 90% of involuntary
departures (Dana, Dan, [online] The Dana Measure of
Financial Cost of Organizational Conflict, 2001)
 42% of a Manager's Time is spent addressing conflict
in the workplace. (Watson, C & Hoffman, R, Managers as
Negotiators, Leadership Quarterly 7(1), 1996)
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10.  "Bullied employees take, on average, seven days
per year more sick leave than others." (Knight, Julian,
Bullied workers suffer 'battle stress". BBC News Online, Tuesday
Aug. 04)
 In 2009, over 93,000 EEOC claims were filed; the
second highest number of claims in a year.
 In 2009, over 21,000 disability claims were filed;
an increase of 10% over the previous year.
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12.  Understanding the dimensions
Assertive
Non-Assertive
Cooperative
Uncooperative
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13.  Competing
 Accommodating
 Avoiding
 Collaborating
 Compromising
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14.  Unassertive
 Cooperative
 Yielding to another’s point-of-view
 Self-sacrificing
 Obeying without agreeing
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15.  Unassertive
 Uncooperative
 Sidestepping the issue
 Not addressing the conflict
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16.  Assertive
 Cooperative
 Finding an agreeable solution for both parties
 Fully satisfy both concerns
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17.  All parties are partially satisfied
 Intermediate assertiveness
 Intermediate cooperativeness
 Middle of the Road solution
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18. Perspective Taking
Creating Solutions
Expressing Emotions
Reaching Out
Winning at All Costs
Displaying Anger
Demeaning Others
Retaliating
Reflective Thinking
Delay Responding
Adapting
Avoiding
Yielding
Hiding Emotions
Self Criticizing
Constructive Destructive
PassiveActive
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19. People or situations which may irritate you
enough to provoke conflict by producing
destructive responses.
The “hotter” the hot button, the more likely it is to
produce:
Strong negative emotionsStrong negative emotions
Feelings of personal provocationFeelings of personal provocation
Automatic and impulsive respondingAutomatic and impulsive responding
Increased tensionIncreased tension
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20. 1. __________________________
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
6. __________________________
7. __________________________
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21.  Addressing conflict is a mission-critical component of
increasing organizational effectiveness and productivity.
 The ability to effectively manage and resolve conflict in
organizations will improve the financial “bottom line”.
 Chronic patterns of unresolved conflict are costly and
lead to a dysfunctional organization.
 Conflict represents the largest reducible cost in many
businesses, yet it remains largely unrecognized (Dana
1999, Slaikev and Hasson 1998).
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