Conflict among Healthcare Workers

Conflict among Healthcare WorkersConflict Resolution

Upper Peninsula Healthcare ConferenceNovember 12, 2009

CoachingCoaching for Resultsfor ResultsSusan Roll

[email protected]

Conflict: The Basics

Upper Peninsula Healthcare Conference, 12 Nov. 2009 2

Definition of Conflict:

What are the benefits of raising conflict in the workplace? To the individual? and the organization?

What are the costs of ignoring conflict in the workplace? To the individual? and the organization?

What causes conflict?

Characteristics of conflict?

Health Care: Special influences on Conflict Resolution

Workforce

Environment

Hot Topic =


Conflict Modes: Decoded


Pay-Off: Helps preserve relationships

Penalty: Conflicts go unresolved

Pay-Off: Helps preserve relationships

Penalty: Not very productive

Pay-Off: Relationships are maintained while conflicts are

resolved

Penalty: Solution are often less than ideal

Pay-Off: Fast and if “winner” is correct it’s a good

choice

Penalty: Breeds hostility and resentment

Pay-Off: Everyone gets what they want (win-win)

Penalty: Time consuming and a great deal of effort

Conflict Styles


____

____

__( ) __________( )

___________( ) ____

____

____

(

)

• Candid• Acknowledges tough issues• Make it clear why you’re upset• Ask people to be up front

• Provide reassurance• Acknowledge emotions• Express feelings• Communicate empathy

• Give people space• Focus on facts• Determine the root of the problem• Sort out all issues

• Find a compromise• Look out for people’s feelings• Communicate tactfully• Show flexibility

Style Strengths Challenges

Candid; Straightforward Sensitivity

Expressive; Reassuring Too emotional

Tactful; Flexible Speaking up

Objective; Reflective Detachment

Conflict Resolution Actions

Listening

Thinking

Speaking


The Power of Questions

Guidelines for use of questions: Ask only essential or necessary questions Have a reason beyond curiosity for asking Be aware of how many questions you ask Avoid beginning questions with “why” Avoid double or grouped questions so the

responder can focus on clear answers We’ll just avoid “leading” questions, won’t we? Watch your tone of voice (try for neutral)

Question Types: Open: “What happened?” Focused: “What happened last night?” Closed/Direct: “Did you sign this order?” Leading Questions: “You already knew the

answer when you asked the question, didn’t you?”


Open Questions

Focused Questions

Closed/Direct Questions

Leading Questions

Sender Control

Low Equal High High

Receiver Control

High EqualLittle/none

Low

Information gathered

High amount

SpecificLimited, narrow

Little/none

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Individual

Manager

Organization


Consider Your Environment Behaviors in any organization tend to

reflect the organizational culture – something that is built on the behavior of senior managers, executives and owners

In my organizations, the senior managers, executives and/or owners resolve conflict through….

Tally up observations of conflict in your department for a day (then analyze)


Conflicts handled well

Conflicts that went

nowhere

Conflicts handled poorly

Appendix

Self-Assessment: Preferred Conflict Mode

Be Specific: Acknowledge the wide ranges of human emotion

Resources


My Conflict Mode

a. I argue my case with peers, colleagues and coworkers to demonstrate the merits of the position I take.

b. I try to reach compromises through negotiation.

c. I attempt to meet the expectation of others.

d. I seek to investigate issues with others in order to find solutions that are mutually acceptable.

e. I am firm in resolve when it comes to defending my side of the issue.

f. I try to avoid being singled out, keeping conflict with others to myself.

g. I uphold my solutions to problems.

h. I compromise in order to reach solutions.

i. I trade important information with others so that problems can be solved together.

j. I avoid discussing my differences with others.

k. I try to accommodate the wishes of my peers and colleagues.

l. I seek to bring everyone's concerns out into the open in order to resolve disputes in the best possible way.

m. I put forward “middle” positions in an effort to break deadlocks.

n. I accept the recommendations of colleagues, peers, and coworkers.

o. I avoid hard feelings by keeping my disagreements with others to myself.


Instructions: Listed below are 15 statements. Each strategy provides a possible strategy for dealing with a conflict. Give each a value (i.e., 5=Always, 4=Very often, 3=Sometimes, 2= Not very often, 1= Rarely, if ever.)

My Conflict Mode Scoring:

The 15 statements you just read are listed below under five categories. Each category contains the letters of three statements. Record the number you placed next to each statement. Calculate the total under each category.

Style Total

Competing a. _____ e._____ g. _____ ______

Collaborating d. _____ i. _____ l. _____ ______

Avoiding f. _____ j. _____ o. _____ ______

Accommodating

c._____ k. _____ n. _____ ______

Compromising b. _____ h. _____ m. _____ ______


Results: My primary style is _________________________________ (Your HIGHEST score)

and my secondary style is_______________________________ (Your second Highest score)

Be SpecificGroup the following words into their relevant emotion group and order them from least intense to most intense.


anguished

annoyed

anxious

blue

confused

dazed

delighted

distracted

ecstatic

enraged

flustered

frustrated

giddy

gloomy

happy

irritated

joyous

let down

low

mad

miserable

mystified

pleased

puzzled

rejected

ticked

upset

Resources

The Conflict Resolution Toolbox by Gary T. Furlong, Wiley, 2005 (especially for mediators & managers)

The Coward’s Guide to Conflict by Tim Ursiny, Sourcebooks, Inc., 2003

Crucial Confrontations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, McGraw-Hill, 2004

Crucial Conversation by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, McGraw-Hill, 2002

Zapping Conflict in the Health Care Workplace by Dr. Judith Briles, Mile High Press, 2003

www.minurses.org

www.vitalsmarts.com (newsletter has insights in how to say things/difficult conversation suggestions and analysis)

www.workplacebullying.org

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, an assessment tool to understand your preferred conflict mode


Conflict among Healthcare Workers

Documents

Transcript of Conflict among Healthcare Workers