Conflict Management: Recognizing and Resolving Conflicts

As long as there are people, there will be disagreement and conflict, and not every dissent needs to be addressed and settled immediately. However, longer-lasting, underlying tensions can grow to real crises that deplete energy, and create high costs for companies and organizations (e.g., ineffectiveness, sick leaves, fluctuation).

It is essential to catch problems and the deterioration of the work climate at an early stage to find real solutions and to prevent further escalation.

During the seminar, participants learn to recognize conflicts, to become active, to address and clarify situations, and to solve problems. In a small group, students can share their specific conflict situations and receive support in reflecting, analyzing, and resolving them. Additionally, the seminar provides participants with the opportunity to prepare and simulate difficult dialogues and negotiations.

Seminar Contents (2 days):

• Conflict Analysis – Definition of conflict, characteristics and signs of conflict, factual and personal level of conflicts, conflict sources and consequences
• System Analysis – Sources for conflicts, structure and dependencies, responsibilities, making use of resources
• Self-Analysis – Emotions, values, attitudes, behavioural patterns, stress tolerance, goals and motives, preferred style of dealing with conflicts
• Conflict Dynamics – Development of conflicts, steps of escalation
• Psychological Games – The Drama Triangle, common games: “Yes…, but”, “Stupid”, “Now I've got you”, etc.
• Preparing Conflict Resolutions – Becoming active, ownership of problems and accountability for solutions, change of perspective, preparation of conflict resolution negotiations
• Conflict Resolution – Addressing problems and conflicts,  dialogue and blockades of dialogues, compromise and consensus, Harvard Principles of negotiation, contracts and clear agreements, apologies
• Conflict Prevention – Control of emotions, adopting a positive basic attitude,  recognizing needs and different contexts, showing positive recognition

Trainer: Beatrix Stahlberger (Psychologist / Coach)