Course Description

The course raises participants' understanding of the background to conflict and the contribution they can make to either calming or escalating the confrontation.

During the training day participants learn and practice key skills to build their confidence to maintain composure whilst de-escalating customer conflict.

Target Student

Any employee who wishes to improve their personal effectiveness.

Prerequisites

None.

Delivery Method

Instructor led, group paced.

Performance-Based Objectives

By the end of today, delegates will be able to:

• Give an understanding of what lies behind conflict so that people can effectively address some of the unspoken issues.
• Enable participants to clarify the ethical stance they wish to take when dealing with conflict.
• Improve the use of assertion when dealing with conflict.
• Develop the ability to utilise a range of ways of dealing with conflict.

Course Content

The workshop style is informal, designed to draw on, and supplement, the skills and experience of the participants. It is a mixture of discussion, exercises, case studies and presentation.

Understanding what causes conflict

• Unspoken issues
• Emotional intelligence for yourself and others
• The psychological contract
• Background, culture and beliefs

Behaving ethically

• Ethics as the basis of behaviour
• Ethical problems between people
• What goes around, comes around
• The politics of conflict within an organisation
• Building positive relationships which can withstand and address conflict and grow stronger

Using assertion

• The difference between assertion and aggression
• Recognising and dealing with destructive behaviours such as blaming, sarcasm and the put downs
• Choosing when not to be assertive
• Understanding what others really want as an outcome in resolving the conflict

Dealing with conflict

• Dealing with disagreement and aggression
• Different ways of dealing with conflict depending upon the desired outcome
• Assertive negotiation and ensuring win-win
• Giving people feedback on their behaviour and empathetically helping them to deal with it

Resources

• A Guide to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace