Conflict Resolution - Prevent, De-escalate, Resolve

Description

Does it seem like there are conflicts brewing left and right? Do you see this too? We are not alone. Unfortunately, many business leaders are realizing this negative issue is not just knocking at but is already inside their doorsteps, creating counterproductivity.

Behaviors like gossiping, stonewalling, belittling, passive aggressiveness, finger-pointing, and hypercriticism are causing unhealthy, unhappy, and unproductive work environments and proving costly to organizations. According to CPP, Inc., conflicts in the workplace cost American businesses billions of dollars. For example, one increased expense is paid leave. Their research found that 25% of workers admitted that conflicts have caused them to call in sick to work at least once, without really being sick.

On top of affecting workers negatively, conflicts also cause managers to spend countless hours dealing with them. The Washington Business Journal calculated that managers spend an average of 25-40% of their time dealing with workplace conflict. Doing the math, for a normal 40-hour-a-week schedule, that is 43-69 hours per month. Wow!

Conflict comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be between you and another, between two of your employees or co-workers, or even involving customers and outside individuals. You will benefit by gaining a general knowledge of how to spot conflict brewing, how to best nip it in the bud, and what to do if it gets out of hand.

This topic was developed into a team training due to a client request as they were anticipating conflict upon re-opening their business doors after the COVID-19 pandemic. They had concerns that their customers would not like the changes they had made, be frustrated with waiting time to be served, and take it out on their employees. There was also concern that the employees would need to re-learn how to work side-by-side again in a cooperative, patient, and kind way.

Building and maintaining healthy relations between employees, employers, and business partners is essential for your organizational success. Employers must promote and encourage their employees’ positive self-identities, job satisfaction, feelings of inclusion, and general well-being in order to maximize staff motivation and increase overall productivity. Keeping morale high usually means resolving issues and avoiding conflicts that arise out of, and influence, the work environment. Conflict is a normal and natural part of our workplace and everyday lives. In the right setting and handled in the right way, conflict can actually be beneficial. Often, it is through conflict that we become aware that change is necessary. If left unresolved however, it may be costly to your business, causing employee turnover, absenteeism, stress, and a decline in productivity. Instead of ignoring the conflict, learning some tools to help deal with it will improve communication and preserve an organization’s most valuable resource – happy and productive employees. Providing a healthy and safe work environment, a feeling of involvement and commitment for all employees, incentives for motivation, and an effective communication system within your organization can make the difference between “so-so” business and success.

Does workplace conflict take up a lot of your time and energy? Now is the time to give yourself, your leadership team, and all of your employees the tools to help minimize conflict.

With this resource-loaded, fast-paced, and relatable course, you will receive tools, tips, and techniques to use to successfully lead your team. By the conclusion of this training, you will have actionable items and tools to implement the learning objectives and achieve sustained success.

This is a PowerPoint instructor-led presentation that includes lecture, audience participation, key takeaway action plans, and is qualifiable for 1.0 CEUs/instruction hour.

Course Objectives:

• Identify and know how to respond to various levels of conflict behavior.
• Recognize our own natural responses to adversity.
• Explore conflict prevention measures.
• Learn how to strengthen verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
• Gain de-escalation strategies for safe interventions.
• Determine resolution options.
• Explore best practices.
• Learn tips and techniques.
• Determine expectations and responsibilities.

Course Outline:

1. A closer look at conflict
2. 1. Burning questions
   2. Underlying Causes
   3. Conflict Behaviors
   4. Common Conflict Strategies
   5. Misconceptions
   6. Remote Workers
   7. Affects
3. Conflict prevention
4. 1. Awareness of self and others
   2. PEKs
   3. Actions
   4. Graham’s Hierarchy of Disagreement
   5. The Gray Rock Method
   6. Self-Reflections
5. Conflict resolution with de-escalation tips and techniques
6. 1. The power of one word
   2. Heated arguments
   3. Finding compromise
   4. Mental health emergency
   5. A T.E.A.M. approach
   6. Mediation
   7. Back to Basics 1-2-3

Why Attend:

Attending this training will help you and your team grow professional skills and discover how to work towards continued success for yourself, your team, and your organization. It will help you to advance your current success, boost your chances to meet your future goals and aspirations, and to inspire others to follow your lead. Further, this course will help your team better understand company-wide expectations of individuals and teams to achieve desired results. When workplaces incorporate these cultural principles, the work environment becomes a place to look forward to coming into with enthusiasm.

If developing your skills aren’t prioritized by you or your organization, you risk individual, team, department, and organizational failure without everyone reaching their full potential.

Who Will Benefit:

Everyone that interacts with others and aspires to continue their professional development will benefit from this training. That includes anyone from front line workers to the leadership team. It is also general information that is relevant to all industries including human resources, medical, legal, hospitality, transportation, government, sales, communications, education, insurance, science, engineering, banking, non-profit, fitness, investment, realty, marketing, construction, and more. Human Resource Professionals, Supervisors, Managers, Business Owners, CEOs, COOs, CHROs, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Employees.

Speaker Profile:

Deborah Jenkins has over twenty years of experience as an Accounting and Human Resources (HR) Professional. She has served in senior leadership roles as well as supporting businesses as an HR generalist, payroll specialist, training and development provider, and benefits administrator. The variety of industries she has contributed to spans the public, private and non-profit sectors. From this, Deborah has derived a broad understanding of the challenges facing business leaders, HR professionals, and all personnel. After having spent years broadening her skills, knowledge, and experience, Deborah now serves her clients as a Human Resources Consultant, Leadership Development and Workforce Training Expert, Motivational Speaker and Executive Coach through her business, HR Solutions, LLC.

To prepare her for these opportunities to serve her clients, Deborah earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management and an Associate’s Degree in Accounting. She further is a certified Human Resources Professional from leading associations in the world, including a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute, a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), and a Toastmaster’s Competent Leader (CL). To offer additional valueadded tools to her services, Deborah has completed training and is an Authorized Partner and Trainer with Wiley’s Everything DiSC®.

Deborah believes that learning is a lifelong adventure, and she continually pursues personal and professional development. She also believes in giving back to her community and has been an active board member for several non-profit organizations including local Toastmaster’s Chapters and both the local Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter as well as the Montana State Council SHRM.

By sharing knowledge, inspiring others, and continually pursuing personal growth, Deborah aspires to ignite both individual and corporate success, thus enhancing overall well-being and shared fulfillment. Her goal is to assist others to develop more effective communications, supportive collaboration, and harmonious concord to reach superior streamlined, successful, and enjoyable results. Starting her own business in 2013 allows her to allocate her energies to accomplish this mission and focus in the areas she’s most passionate about: Leadership Development, Workforce Training, Motivational Speaking, and Human Resource Management Consulting.

When Deborah is not working, learning, or volunteering her time, she enjoys hanging out with family and friends, spending time outdoors with Mother Nature, and taking in the arts and entertainment offered in her home state of Montana and beyond.