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K&R
Kuest & Robinson
Association of
Washington
Public Hospital
Districts
MAKING THE MOST OF
CONFLICT
K&R LLC
Kuest&Robinson LLC
2

Background:

Ron Kuest, Principal
rdkuest@comcast.net
(360)280-1513

Lloyd Robinson, Principal
robinson2002wa@aol.com
(206)406-4604
Association of
Washington
Public Hospital
Districts
Definitions
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 Conflict:
A disagreement at work when the
individuals involved believe there is a threat to
their needs, interests or concerns.
These disagreements often involve
misunderstandings or misperceptions of facts,
are often emotional and affect many aspects of
work.
Definitions
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 Unproductive
conflict: Conflict among
individuals that interferes with safe and
productive work.
 Productive
conflict: Disagreements in a safe
environment marked by trust, openness, respect
and mutuality.
 Conflict
competency: The ability to engage in
disagreements and tension with others and
produce results of the effort while
building trust and amity.
Life Process of a Conflict
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Looking for a
way out--to cut
Deadlock--two
Early
Growth--no
Beginning--a
difference of
opinion, view or
belief
method or skills
to deal with
dispute. Hostility
is expressed.
sides at war. A
mutually hurting
stalemate waiting
to break out into
violence.
losses or gain time
to rebuild. Both
parties become
open to negotiation
and mediation.
Settling
dispute or
resolving
conflict--both
sides too weak to
continue to fight.
Open to resolution
but so much hurt is
on the table.
Working
together—
both sides realize
a new order is
necessary for
economic/
organizational
survival.
Cost/losses are
huge at this
point
.
Why is This Important?
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 85% of employees have to deal with
conflict in some way in their working lives.
 Conflict at the senior level is found in
many organizations and can have a
significant cultural impact on the
organization.
Source: OPP Study 2008
Why is This Important?
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"Unresolved conflict represents the
largest reducible cost in many
businesses, yet it remains largely
unrecognized."
(Dana, Daniel (1999). Measuring the Financial Cost of Organizational Conflict. MTI
Publications and Slaikev, K. and Hasson, R. (1998). Controlling the Cost of Conflict. JosseyBass)
What is the Cost & Impact?
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BY THE NUMBERS
$700,000: is the average jury award in wrongful termination
80,000: number of discrimination charges filed annually with
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
$38,000: average claim paid on a sexual harassment case
15,500: number of sexual harassment cases filed annually
70: percent of jury trials in which employees win
55: percent of claims in which damages are awarded
$6.4: the average amount, in millions, of punitive damages
awarded in racial discrimination cases
$2.7: average amount, in millions, of punitive damages
awarded in employment cases
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What are the Potential Impacts of
Conflict?
 Excessive employee turnover
 Loss of efficiency and
effectiveness
 Disputes, grievances and litigation
 Stress, frustration and low morale
 Damaged labor relations
 Sick leave and disability claims
 Damaged community/patient/physician
relations
Conflict in a Hospital Setting
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
Question: What does conflict look like in a
hospital setting?

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CEO differences of focus and priorities with:
Commissioners, Doctors, Employees, Community
Tension between mission and margin
Greater workloads by everyone with diminishing and/or
inadequate resources
Doctors are looking for more compensation for services
Conflict-Joint Commission’s View
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 “Conflict
commonly occurs even in wellfunctioning organizations and can be productive
for organizations. However, conflict among
[leadership groups] with regard to
accountabilities, policies, practices, and
procedures that is not managed effectively by
the organization has the potential to threaten
health care safety and quality.”
The Joint Commission 2009, Leadership Chapter
Conflict-Joint Commission’s View
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“Further, it is important that organizations
identify an individual skilled in managing
conflict who can help the organization
implement its conflict management process.”
“Conflict management skills can be acquired
through various means, including experience,
education, and training.”
The Joint Commission 2009, Leadership Chapter
What are the Impacts?
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
Question: What are the impacts of
unproductive conflict in a hospital setting?

Wasted time (who pays?)

Momentum killer
Labor disputes/litigation
Costs good people (leave, won’t come, burn out)
Slows strategic planning
Loss of the time margin
Patients feel the stress, anxiety, “edginess”
Patients have less attention/time
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What Can Be Done?
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
Ways to address unproductive conflict and
create a conflict competent workplace
Assess
Build
Resolve
Sustain
What Can Be Done?
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
ASSESS
 1.
Understand the culture of your workplace.
 2.
Know your vulnerable patient risk and
cost/profit touch points affected by `
unresolved and unproductive conflict.
What Can Be Done?
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
ASSESS
 3.
Have an evidenced-based bias for action.
 4.
Understand the basic causes.

5. Assess Conflict NowTM

6. May 2010 Executive Retreat – Results of ACN
What Can Be Done?
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
BUILD
 Conflict
resolution skills training
 Personality/communications skills building
 Organizational and personal value-values
clarification
 Intergenerational valuing/appreciation
 EEO and hospital policy training
What Can Be Done?
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
RESOLVE
 Alternative
internal dispute resolution processes
 Facilitation and resolution
 Mediation
 Arbitration
What Can Be Done?
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
SUSTAIN
 Look
at how the organization communicates.
 Build
intentional conflict competency skills into
the orientation/training process at every level in
the organization.
 Be alert to how staff routinely deals with tension.
 Utilize
an EAP (employee assistance
program)
Questions?
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