Dealing With Conflict At Work

A Practical Introduction to Workplace Conflict Management for Managers and Supervisors

Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.4

- Recognize the signs of conflict early
- so you have a chance to stop it
- Reduce the incidence of conflict
- by listening well
- Understand how conflict escalates
- so you can stay calm and stop the escalation

What you'll learn

Recognize the signs of conflict early
so you have a chance to stop it
Reduce the incidence of conflict
by listening well
Understand how conflict escalates
so you can stay calm and stop the escalation
De-escalate conflict
so you bring your relationship back to normal
Resolve conflict
using a variety of strategies and tactics
Develop your resistance to being drawn into conflict

* Requirements

* No pre-requisites. If you're in the world of work
* or soon to enter it
* you're ready for this course.

Description

Conflict is an inevitable part of working life. And it's not always bad.

But, often, it is. It can be stressful, harm productivity, spoil working relationships, and lead to damaging behaviors.

And, if you have any level of responsibility as a team leader, supervisor, or manager, fixing it may well be down to you.

As a manager or a leader, conflict management is a part of your job!

So you need the tools to deal with conflict at work.
And this course will give you them.

More than that, you'll learn how and why conflict arises, and how to minimize it before it takes hold.

Here are the main conflict management topics you'll cover:

  • The sources of conflict

  • How to listen

  • The effect of personalities on conflict

  • The ways people resist imposed ideas

  • The signs and stages of conflict escalation

  • The steps for de-escalating conflict

  • Strategies for resolving conflict

  • Five ways to handle conflict 

  • How to recover a broken (workplace) relationship

Ongoing Project: Your Conflict Log
During the course, your project will be to keep and share aspects of your Conflict Log. You will create a record of your observations, successes, and struggles. Other students and your tutor will support you, endorse your successes, and help you with your questions.  

Prior Experience
The only prior experience you need is daily life. If you’ve been a hermit or in long-term peaceful coexistence with all your fellow human beings, you won’t need this course.

  However, the people who may find this most valuable are those who experience conflict in the workplace, and especially those in supervisory or management roles. 

Your Tutor
Your tutor is Dr. Mike Clayton. As a senior manager at international consulting firm, Deloitte, Mike had to deal with conflict among staff, and with clients, and even among clients. But more important, as a senior representative of his firm and a program leader, he needed to avoid escalation of conflict.

Now, as a trainer and facilitator, he has been applying what he learned and teaching it to others. This course represents 15 years' experience of what tools students find most helpful, and 25 years experience in business, managing conflicts large and small.

We have you covered
However, it's not all been plain sailing. Three times in 25 years, Mike has had to use his own 'Breakdown Routine' to the breakdown of a professional relationship. Three times it worked. And managers and leaders he has coached have used it with equal success.

So, you see, we have you covered. This course will give you the tools to:

  • Prevent conflict

  • Reduce and reverse its escalation

  • Handle full blown conflict

  • and... recover from the effects of a conflict-induced relationship breakdown.

Your Unconditional, No-questions, 30-Day Guarantee
The best way to assess how valid this material is in you culture is to try it out. I am so confident that this course will change your life that I offer you an unconditional, no questions asked, full 30 day money-back-in-full guarantee. If you don't think this will give you the tools to do more with your time, then just ask for your money back.

And What if you have questions?
I will be on hand to answer your questions if you get stuck, puzzled, or just want to know more. As a professional trainer, this is what I do, and I promise to respond within 24 hours of your question arriving with me from Udemy. 

Enroll Now
Enroll for this course now, so you can start to regain control of your life straight away.

Who this course is for:

  • Managers and supervisors at all levels

Course content

7 sections • 35 lectures

Welcome to the Course Preview 02:55

Welcome to the course:

  1. Your course tutor, Dr Mike Clayton
  2. What you will be able to do at the end of your course
  3. The main topics you'll learn
  4. Practicing your skills: Your Conflict Log

Your Workbook for the Course Preview 00:11

This is your course workbook.
We recommend you download it and either:

  • Print it out 
  • Work from your preferred PDF reader

There is space in the workbook for you to add your own notes, so keep it with you as you work through the videos.

What are Conflict and Conflict Management? Preview 03:08

Before we get started, we need to define our terms.

What are conflict and conflict management?

Your Conflict Log Preview 00:14

This is your Conflict Log. 

We recommend you download it and either:

  • Print it out 
  • Work from your preferred PDF reader

At various points in the course, we will set you exercises (there are ten in total). This log will give you all the details of what to do, along with space to record your work and learning.

Exercise 1: Conflict Behaviors: Self-Assessment Preview 00:07

Do exercise 1 in your Conflict Log. It consists of two parts:

  1. A short self assessment quiz (c. 5mins)
  2. Four questions to help you reflect on the quiz (c.20 mins)

Exercise 2: What Behaviors Trigger Conflict? Preview 00:09

There is no such thing as difficult people…
           There are just unhelpful behaviours

Do exercise 2 in your Conflict Log. It asks you:

  • What are some examples of unhelpful behaviors?
  • What strategies do you know of, for dealing with them?

The Rational and Irrational Sources of Conflict Preview 03:13

We will look at the rational and irrational reasons why conflict occurs.

Exercise 3: Notice the Sources of Conflict in Yourself and the People around You Preview 00:06

Do exercise 3 in your Conflict Log. It consists of two parts:

  1. Noticing the sources of conflict in yourself
  2. Noticing the sources of conflict in others

The Effects of Respect on Conflict Preview 03:56

One of the principle keys to conflict is respect.

It will help you understand:

  • why conflict starts
  • why it perpetuates
  • how to avoid it
  • how to de-escalate it

Exercise 4: Recognizing Assertive, Passive, and Aggressive Behaviors Preview 00:12

Do exercise 4 in your Conflict Log.

It asks you to consider seven short scenarios, and then:

  1. Assess whether they represent aggressive, passive, or assertive behavior
  2. Provide a better response if you think one is needed

Only when you have completed it...

You can download suggested solutions from here.

How to Use Respect to Help Resolve Conflict Preview 04:50

The way you respond to conflict signals your levels of respect.

Here is some simple-to-apply guidance on:

  • what to focus on
  • simple language choices

How Communication Works Preview 05:17

When you understand how human communication works, you'll start to see its role in causing or reducing conflict.

How we Listen: The Four Listening Levels Preview 04:47

Listening is the primary skill of a great communicator. It is also the main tool for avoiding or e-escalating conflict.

In this lesson you'll learn the four levels of listening.

How to Listen Well Preview 04:25

In the last lesson, you learned about the levels of listening and what good listening means. Now it's time to learn how to listen well, and transform the quality of your listening.

Exercise 5: Practice your Listening Preview 00:05

Do exercise 5 in your Conflict Log. It consists of two parts:

  1. Practice calming the voice in your head
  2. 2. Practice excellent listening

How Personality Types Conflict Preview 02:11

Opposites don't attract. They clash.

Here, you'll learn about some examples.

How Specific Personalities Clash at Work Preview 04:25

In this lesson, we'll go into personality clash in greater detail. You'll learn a simple model of personality styles, and how they create clashes.

How to Avoid Personality Clash Preview 02:01

Following the last lesson, we'll look at a third dimension to personality styles, and how you can use it to avoid personality clashes.

Resistance: It's Not Conflict... yet. Preview 01:41

Resistance isn't conflict... yet.

Here we'll look at what it is and start to understand a framework for handling it well, before it turns into conflict.

The Onion Model of Resistance Preview 06:45

In this lecture, you'll learn the Onion Model of Resistance.

This will allow you to recognize the type of resistance you are getting, and then respond in an appropriate way.

The Signs of Conflict Escalation Preview 02:44

You'll learn to spot the body language that indicates tensions are rising and conflict is imminent.

When you can do that, you'll be able to start the de-escalation process earlier, and so be more effective. 

You'll also learn about the stages of escalation.

Exercise 6: Notice the Signs and Stages of Conflict Escalation Preview 00:06

Do exercise 6 in your Conflict Log. It consists of two parts:

  1. Notice the signs of conflict escalation in yourself
  2. Notice the signs of conflict escalation in others

The Strategies for Handling Conflict Preview 05:42

We're at the core of the program now.

Here are seven strategies for handling conflict.

Conflict De-escalation Process Preview 03:06

This is another key lesson. 

You will learn the process for de-escalating from full conflict, back to a resolution.

Exercise 7: Practice De-escalating Conflict Preview 00:05

Do exercise 7 in your Conflict Log.

When you encounter conflict, try to de-escalate it, and notice the effects of what you try.

Conflict Handling Modes - The Thomas-Kilmann Model Preview 01:58

When you respond to conflict, you can adopt five distinct modes. In this lesson, you'll learn what they are. In the next one, you'll learn when each one is most suitable.

The Five Thomas-Kilmann Modes Preview 06:13

In the last lesson, you learned about the  five distinct modes. In this lesson, you'll learn when each one is most suitable.

Exercise 8: Applying Conscious Choices to How You Respond to Conflict Preview 00:05

Do exercise 8 in your Conflict Log.

Become mindful in choosing your approach to handling conflict, and record your experiences.


Getting Help from a Third Party Preview 05:08

Two of our seven strategies for dealing with conflict involve engaging a third party. In this lesson, you'll learn more about each one.

How to Recover from a Broken (Professional) Relationship Preview 05:26

I hope you'll never need this. But, over a long career, you almost certainly will.

If a working relationship breaks down, this ten-step Breakdown Routine will give you a roadmap to follow, for restoring it.

Good Conflict and Bad Conflict Preview 03:36

Conflict isn't always bad, and in this lesson, I'll remind you why not, before you finish the program.

The Secret to Avoiding Conflict Preview 03:12

To end the program, I'll do more than wish you well and say goodbye. I'll share my secret to avoiding conflict.

Exercise 9: End of Program Reflection Preview 00:08

Do exercise 9 in your Conflict Log.

You have been through the whole program now…

Use your log to reflect on:

  • What you learned
  • What changes you plan to make
  • How you plan to monitor your progress


Exercise 10: Course Follow-up Preview 00:05

Do exercise 10 in your Conflict Log.

There are extra pages in your log, for you to record further experiences, and lessons learned.

Bonus Lecture: Did you enjoy this course? Preview 00:13