Course objectives:
- How to deal with aggressive, insulting or manipulative behaviour
- Ways of saying 'no' without feeling guilty or causing offence
- How to deal confidently with criticism and how not to feel nervous when challenged
- How to win round the most negative of people
- Identify the causes of conflict
- Listen effectively & respond in a manner that reflects their ability to see issues from the other persons perspective
- Understand their preferred Influence Style and be able to use the Weapons Of Influence
- Confront Constructively
Who should attend?
- Need to manage conflict at work or in their personal lives
- Seek resolution of intractable problems
- Avoid conflict because of a feeling of inadequate skills
- Feel powerless to deal with difficult people
Course Outline:
Causes of Conflict:
- Sources of potential conflict:
- Differentiating between Attitudes, Beliefs & Behaviours
Communication Skills:
- Listening Skills & Response Style
- Invoking the ‘seek first to understand’ rule
- Establishing Empathy
- Taking Stress out of Stressful conversations
- The DNA of Conversation Management
- The Gap between Communication & Intent
- Absolute & Signal Language
- Body Language
Influencing:
- Push / Pull styles of Influencing
- General Blocks to Influence
- Weapons of Influence & their use:
- Giving Praise effectively
- Encouraging Valued Behaviour
Constructive One to One Confrontation:
- Rationales for avoiding the confrontation
- The downside of Avoidance
- Objectives of Constructive Confrontation
- Elements of the Constructive Confrontation Message
- Managing the Emotional Thermometers (yours & theirs)
- Giving Space to Respond
- Don’t ‘You should…….’
Differentiating Wants from Needs:
- The other persons Needs Framework
- Differentiating between Wants & Needs
- ‘Why does that matter to you’
- Searching for the Need behind the Need
- Brainstorming of possible solutions
- Choosing Options
- Commitment to Re-negotiation
- 4 Approaches to Conflict Enquiry
Conflict Management Styles:
- Conflict resolution Strategies
- Your Preferred Conflict Management Style
- Exercises - Thomas Killman Conflict Style Questionnaire
Conflict Resolution Process:
- Negotiating Interpersonal Conflicts
- Group Role Negotiating Process
- Exercises:
Difficult Individual Behaviour:
- One or more individuals dominating the discussion
- Inserting personal agendas
- Becoming emotional
- Repeating the same point over & over
- Talking off the subject
- Making Side Conversations
- Being constantly negative or antagonistic
- Presenting a hostile demeanour
- Interrupting others
- Non-participation
- Attacking, criticising or picking an argument
- Clowning
- Attendance problems
The Art of Creative Fighting:
- Establishing the legitimacy of fighting
- Deal with one issue at a time
- Choose the arena carefully
- Avoid reacting to unintentional remarks
- Avoid resolutions that come too soon or too easily
- Avoid name calling
- Avoid cornering an opponent
- Agree to disagree
- Focus on what is needed rather than why it is wanted
- Maintain a sense of humour
Tactics for Conflict Resolution:
- Change ‘But’ to ‘And’
- Bargaining ‘If you…… then I …..’ sequence
- Debates, Signals & Concord
- Recognising / using Absolute and Signal language
- Questions – sensible Do’s & Don’ts
- Concession Patterns
- Behaviours of Skilled Negotiators
- Negotiating with really tough guys
Assertiveness:
- What is assertiveness?
- Understanding other people
- Handling difficult situations
- Understanding yourself
- Assertiveness techniques
- The communication process
WORKSHOP STYLE:
This will be a participative workshop with a mix of interactive learning sessions, exercises and discussions aimed to provide maximum impact and learning retention for all delegates.