Constructive Conflict
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
April, 2013
Introductions
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
 Your Name
 What you hope to gain from this session?
 On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your constructive
conflict skills?
 What is your favorite hobby?
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What is Constructive Conflict?
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Conflict Management
vs
Constructive Conflict (Proflict)
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The Cultural Revolution of Enron
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
 Enron created an environment of:
 Trust =  Processes +  Speed +  Cost
a.k.a. “The Trust Tax” on an Organization
a.k.a. “The Age of Process Re-Engineering”
 Xcution’s objective is to:
 Trust =  Processes +  Speed +  Cost
a.k.a. “The Trust Dividend”
* Adapted from Stephen M. R. Covey’s, Smart Trust
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Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Think for a moment and write
down three recent conflict
situations you have
experienced.
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Alignment. Accountability. Results.
What is Constructive Conflict?
Proflict!
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What is a Constructive Conflict?
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
According to Dr. Thomas-Kilmann…
Conflict is not just aggressive confrontations or arguments.
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What is a Constructive Conflict?
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Conflict is..
any situation in which one’s views are different from another's.
“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.”
~ George S. Patton
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Constructive Conflict
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Artificial
Harmony
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Constructive
Conflict
Personal
Attacks
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Proflict
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
External Conflict has the potential for both positive and negative outcomes.
Positive Conflict results in:
• Innovation
• Stronger relationships
• Group cohesiveness
Proflict
Negative Conflict results in:
• Deadlocks with little to no results
• Discouragement
• Indifference
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Implementation Skill
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Constructive Conflict involves implementing strategies to:
 Limit the negative aspects
 Increase the positive aspects
We do this be implementing the SOLVETM method.
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.





Sacrifice Emotions
Open the Dialogue to all Involved
Look into Options
Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
Escalate
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
 Sacrifice Emotions
 Self Awareness: Your Own Emotions
 Value: Others’ Emotions
 Skill: Listening/Validating/Empowering
 Open the Dialogue to all Involved
 Look into Options
 Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
 Escalate
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Issue Simplification
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Emotions can be sacrificed if the issue can be simplified into some
combination of the follow:
 Miscommunication
 Missed expectation
 Thwarted intention
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
 Sacrifice Emotions
 Open the Dialogue to all Involved
 Self Awareness: I Do Not Know Everything
 Value: Different Viewpoints
 Skill: Listening/Envisioning/Delegating
 Look into Options
 Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
 Escalate
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
 Sacrifice Emotions
 Open the Dialogue to all Involved
 Look into Options
 Self Awareness: My Idea May Not Be Best
 Value: Creativity & Abundancy
 Skill: Listening/Intruding/Seeding
 Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
 Escalate
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.




Sacrifice Emotions
Open the Dialogue to all Involved
Look into Options
Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
 Self Awareness: It’s Not About Me
 Value: Transparency & Win-Win
 Skill: Listening/Empowering/“Agree to
Disagree”
 Escalate
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SOLVETM
Alignment. Accountability. Results.





Sacrifice Emotions
Open the Dialogue to all Involved
Look into Options
Vote (It is OK to Agree to Disagree)
Escalate
 Self Awareness: It’s Ok To Ask For Help
 Value: Others’ Strengths and Roles
 Skill: Empowering
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Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Teach to Learn!
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Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Final Thought:
If you want to be on
the cutting edge,
practice Proflict!
Thank You
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Contact Information
Alignment. Accountability. Results.
Reid Henry
Xcution, Inc.
Phone: 713.524.2985
Email: Reid@Xcution.com
Website: www.Xcution.com
Certification #2005114533
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