Get Constructive!
Exploring conflict to drive results
A UQ Leadership Community event
Your response to conflict…
Which animal represents you? Why?
Which animal would you like to be more like? Why?
CONFLICT
……….
RESOLUTION
Your turn first…
Think of examples of workplace conflict or
disagreement you have been involved in.
At least one that went well…
One that could have gone better…
What causes
conflict/
disagreement
?
(Some) Causes of conflict
different perspectives/information
personality styles
scarce resources (or perception)
opposing goals (or perception)
different value systems
misunderstandings
incomplete or inaccurate data
power imbalances or (perceived) injustice
unclear/overlapping roles or responsibilities
………
Causes of conflict
Relationships
External
- mood
- personal
- outside factors
- negative behaviour
- communication
Values
Data/
- misperceptions
- stereotyping
Information
- emotional
- different value
issues - misinformation
systems, ideologies,
worldviews
- lack of information
- different criteria for
- different perspectives/
decisions
interpretations
Structures
Interests
- constraints or inequities:
- ‘why’/motivations
resources, time, other
- competing goals
- unclear responsibilities
(perceived or actual)
- power imbalances
- ‘how’/procedure
- systems
‘Circle of conflict’ model – Christopher Moore
Why are some
disagreements easy and
others are hard?
Why is it important
and beneficial to
disagree?
Potential benefits of conflict
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Better information
Fosters awareness of problems
Can lead to better solutions and decisions
Challenging old assumptions can lead to
improved practices and processes
Requires creativity to find the best outcomes
Opens up more possibilities
Builds commitment to mutually created
outcomes
Managing conflicts appropriately helps build selfesteem and encourages personal growth
Why is conflict healthy for teams?
• Shows people are engaged / care
• Shows that people have a voice – and are
willing to use it
• Increases participation in decisions
• Builds mutual understanding – what’s
important to others
• Strengthens relationships and collaboration –
if it’s kept constructive
• Well-managed conflict is a sign of maturity
What keeps conflict constructive?
Type of
conflict
Task-focused
(what, when, how
to do things)
Relationship
Early (idea
generation,
development)
“Teams that engage in unfiltered conflict are
able to achieve genuine buy-in around
important decisions, even when various
members of the team initially disagree …
they ensure that all opinions and ideas are put
on the table and considered,
giving confidence to team members that
no stone has been left unturned.”
- Patrick Lencioni
Relationships
External
Values
Relationshipfocused
Structures
Aim to shift to
task-focused
elements, or build
understanding
Data/
Information
Interests
Task-focused
Focus energy
on these areas
to maintain
constructive
outcomes
What keeps conflict constructive?
Type of
conflict
Level of
trust
Task-focused
(what, when, how
to do things)
High trust
Relationship
Early (idea
generation,
development)
Willingness to be
open/vulnerable
No “intention
invention”
Safety is key
“Teams that trust each other are not afraid to
engage in passionate dialogue around
issues and decisions that are key to the
organization’s success.
They do not hesitate to disagree with,
challenge, and question one another, all in the
spirit of finding the best answers, discovering
the truth, and making great decisions.”
- Patrick Lencioni
What if there’s no trust?
Start with empathy: the effort to understand others’ points of view
Identify a
shared purpose
& expectations
Accept mistakes
without blame;
resolve them
together
Communicate
openly & regularly,
including about
trust & teamwork
Get to know
people as people:
explore values,
personalities,
backgrounds
Create shared
experiences &
history
Lead by
example, no
matter your
role
Adapted from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/building-trust-team.htm
http://dharmaconsulting.com/2009/how-to-reduce-conflict-a-14-second-tutorial/
Relationships
External
Values
With trust
comes more
sharing, more
Structures
understanding,
benefit of the
doubt, willingness
to agree to disagree
Data/
Information
Interests
What keeps conflict constructive?
Type of
conflict
Level of
trust
Task-focused
(what, when, how
to do things)
High trust
Relationship
Early (idea
generation,
development)
Willingness to be
open/vulnerable
No “intention
invention”
Safety is key
How
people
engage
Fairly
Factually
Info shared
Feelings and
needs expressed
Agree to move
forward
http://www.crnhq.org/files/66138/files/Handouts%20and%20Posters/FightingFairposter.pdf
What keeps conflict constructive?
Type of
conflict
Level of
trust
Task-focused
(what, when, how
to do things)
High trust
Relationship
Early (idea
generation,
development)
Willingness to be
open/vulnerable
No “intention
invention”
Safety is key
How
people
engage
Fairly
Factually
Info shared
Feelings and
needs expressed
Agree to move
forward
There are limits!
Uh-oh… A disagreement!
Relationships
Values
Structures
Data/
Information
Interests
Let’s talk about … us.
• What’s your response? What would you like to
be different?
• Why do we respond like this?
Pause
• What are your hot buttons?
Break
• What happens in your body
Breathe
(and brain)?
Responses to conflict
Active constructive
Passive constructive
Perspective taking
Expressing emotions
Creating solutions
Reaching out
Reflective thinking
Adapting
Delay responding
Active destructive
Passive destructive
Winning at all costs
Demeaning others (e.g. sarcasm)
Displaying anger
Retaliating
Avoiding
Hiding emotions
Yielding
Self-criticising
When do you tend to use each type of response?
How could you do more/do something different?
Davis, Capobianco & Kraus (2010)
Balancing advocacy & inquiry
Advocacy
Inquiry
State your assumptions
Explain your reasoning/thinking
Share your data
Explain your context
Test your thinking – ask for reactions,
flaws, different views
Reveal areas which lack clarity
Here’s what I think and how I got
there. Can you see any gaps?
Do you see it differently?
Ask others to describe their thought
process/reasoning
Explore their data; ask for context
Explain your reasons for inquiring
Use probing, non-aggressive language
Check your understanding
Explain reasons for inquiring
What leads you to conclude that?
Can you help me understand your
thinking? What are the
implications of this?
Adapted from https://www.solonline.org/?page=Tool_InquiryAdvocacy
What comes next?
What will you do to:
- Improve your
response to conflict
situations
- Build trust within
your relationships
- Establish conflict
ground rules
- Something else?
UQ Leadership Community
www.hr.uq.edu.au/leadership-community
www.hr.uq.edu.au/leadership
Credit where it’s due
• Circle of Conflict model
Moore, C. The mediation process: Practical strategies for resolving conflict.
• Responses to conflict
Davis, M.H., Capobianco, S., Kraus, L.A. (2010). Gender differences in responding to
conflict in the workplace: Evidence from a large sample of working adults.
• Advocacy & Inquiry
https://www.solonline.org/?page=Tool_InquiryAdvocacy