This document discusses conflict management in organizations. It begins by introducing the presenter and their background. The goals of conflict management are then outlined as recognizing, analyzing, developing a strategy, and using tools to mitigate conflict. Signs of conflict and when to intervene are described. Techniques for analyzing conflict including meetings and understanding individual identities are covered. The document provides guidance on developing problem definitions, resolving versus managing conflict, tools for conflict management including expectations and training, and developing trust and fairness. Resources for additional information are listed at the end.

1. Conflict Management in
Your Organization
Kelley Y. Durham, MNA, CAWA
June 2012
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2. About the Presenter
 Recent Notre Dame Master of
Nonprofit Administration graduate
 ED (former) Second Chance Center for Animals—
Flagstaff, AZ
 ED (former) Brazos Animal Shelter—Bryan, TX
 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator
 Master’s project on coalitions to reduce conflict
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3. Our goals
 Recognize conflict
 Analyze the conflict
 Develop a strategy to handle conflict
 Use tools to mitigate conflict
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4. What is your role?
Are you a:
 Board member
 CEO or Executive Director
 Manager or Supervisor
 Service-level employee
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5. Not all conflict is bad
 Constructive vs. Destructive conflict
◦ Destructive: Is the conflict:
 Interrupting productivity?
 Diminishing morale?
 Involving customers, volunteers, donors, or other
external groups?
◦ Constructive: Is the conflict
 Including all interested parties?
 Providing a chance for all parties to tell their
story, share their feelings, and account for the
individuality of all the parties?
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6. Recognizing conflict
 Identifying the signs of conflict
◦ Type in some of the signs you see in your
organization.
◦ When to intervene
 If the conflict has already become destructive.
 Before the conflict becomes destructive.
 If the people involved aren’t experienced at
conflict management.
◦ Parties to involve in the problem solving
 Anyone who has a stake in the outcome
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7. Analyze the conflict
 Face to face meetings of all stakeholders
 Think about what’s at stake
◦ Before problem-solving or brainstorming:
 Each person needs to tell their story
 Each person needs to express their feelings on
the subject
 Each person needs to think about their own
identity and the identity of others in the conflict:
“saving face”
 Difficult Conversations, Stone, Patton, and Heen, 1999
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8. Develop a problem definition
 Formal or informal depending on the level
of the conflict
◦ Between 2 people
◦ Between 2 departments
◦ Organization-wide
 Techniques
◦ Brainstorming
◦ Small group work
◦ 5 most important words
 Need a consensus of all the stakeholders
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9. Resolution vs. Management
 Not all conflicts can be solved
◦ Some people don’t make an honest effort
◦ Some people are afraid to trust
◦ Dynamics change such as new employees
joining the organization
◦ Other
 Brief participant story of a conflict that
might not be resolved but only managed.
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10. At the problem-solving table
 The role of the facilitator. Ensure that:
◦ expectations and rules are set at the beginning
 all parties have a chance to tell their story.
 all parties are respectful.
 all parties are encouraged to speak up.
◦ she guides possible ways to defines the problem.
◦ she brings up possible input to the problem
definition.
◦ she guides what is possible/allowable for the
solution developed by the parties.
◦ accountability is established.
◦ deadlines are set.
◦ progress/follow-up meetings are
planned.
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11. Conflict management tools
1. Expectations.
a) Specific
b) Clear
c) Uniformly communicated
2. Training—management and staff
a) Job training
b) Conflict resolution training
c) Stress relief training
d) Coaching and counseling (management)
3. Realistic, not overinflated, employee evaluations
4. Grievance policies
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12. Developing trust and fairness
 “By behaving in ways that building trust, you
make deposits. By behaving in ways that
destroy trust, you make withdrawals.”
◦ The Speed of Trust: The one Thing that changes Everything, Covey,
Steven M. R., 2006.
 “Only 1% of ex-employees who felt that they
were treated with a high degree of process
fairness filed a wrongful termination lawsuit
versus 17% of those who believed they were
treated with a low degree of process fairness.”
◦ Why It’s So Hard to Be Fair,” Brockner, Joel, Harvard Business Review, March
2006.
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13. Resource list
 Brinkman, Rick, and Kirschner, Rick. 2002. Dealing with People You Can’t Stand. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
 Davenport, Noa; Schwartz, Ruth Distler; and Elliott, Gail Pursell. 2005. Mobbing:
Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace. Collins, Iowa: Civil Society Publishing.
 DelPo, Amy, and Guerin, Lisa. 2003. Dealing with Problem Employees: A Legal Guide. 2d
ed. Berkeley, California: Nolo.
 Eichinger, Robert W.; Lombardo, Michael M.; and Ulrich, Dave. 2007. 100 Things You
Need to Know: Best People Practices for Managers & HR. Vol. 1. Minneapolis: Lominger
International.
 Furlong, Gary T. 2005. The Conflict Resolution Toolbox: Models & Maps for Analyzing,
Diagnosing, and Resolving Conflict. Mississauga, Ontario: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
 Stone, Douglas; Patton, Bruce; and Heen, Sheila. 1999. Difficult Conversations: How to
Discuss What Matters Most. London: Viking Penguin.
 Stone, Florence M. 2007. Coaching, Counseling, & Mentoring: How to Choose & Use the
Right Technique to Boost Employee Performance. 2d ed. New York: AMACOM.
 Patterson, Kerry; Grenny, Joseph; McMillan, Ron; and Switzler, Al. 2005. Crucial
Confrontations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
 Scott, Susan. 2002. Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One
Conversation at a Time. New York: Viking Penguin.
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14. Yours CAN become a model organization for
conflict resolution.
Be willing to take the first step
and never turn back.
Keep practicing
and learning.
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15. Kelley Y Durham, MNA, CAWA
k.y.durham@mac.com
979.574.4456
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