Conflict Management (Management for Professionals)

This book draws on a wide range of practical examples to describe how conflicts within organisations are traditionally managed and the complementary conflict management methods that can be employed. Stephan Proksch clearly explains these innovative methods and their potential applications. The central focus is on mediation as an effective form of conflict resolution. Discussion and questioning techniques as conflict management tools are explained in simple and concise terms. Preface 6 Contents 8 1: Recognising and Resolving Conflicts 13 1.1 Rift Between Company Founders 13 1.2 What Is a Conflict? 14 1.3 Conflicts Often Approach Quietly 14 1.4 Conflict Analysis 15 1.4.1 Setting Objectives in a Conflict Situation 16 1.4.2 Types of Conflict 16 1.4.3 Parties to the Conflict 18 1.4.4 Conflict Progression and Escalation 19 1.5 How to Conduct a Clarifying Conversation 20 1.6 Conflicts in the Workplace: Curse or Blessing? 21 1.6.1 Risks Arising from Conflicts 21 1.6.2 Uses of Conflicts 22 1.7 Excursus: Mobbing 23 1.8 Rift Between Company Founders: What Happened Next 23 2: Traditional Methods of Conflict Management 25 2.1 Differing Leadership Styles in the Management Team 25 2.2 The Traditional Approach to Conflicts in Organisations 26 2.2.1 Conflicts as Opposition Between Employer and Employee 26 2.2.1.1 The Development of Polarity Between Capital and Labour 26 2.2.1.2 The ``Industrial Conflict ́ ́ from Today ́s Perspective 28 2.2.1.3 Conflicts as Disruptive Factors in the ``Organisational Machine ́ ́ 29 2.2.2 Traditional Methods of Conflict Management 30 2.2.3 Conflicts as Manifestation of Power Struggles and Micro Politics 32 2.2.4 Excursus: Forms of Power Usage 33 2.2.4.1 Positive and Negative Aspects of Power 34 2.3 The Four Basic Forms of Conflict Management in Organisations 35 2.3.1 Separative Measures 36 2.3.2 Issue-Related Measures 37 2.3.3 Individual-Related Measures 38 2.3.4 Integrative Measures 38 2.4 How Do Corporations Deal with Conflicts Today? 39 2.4.1 Uses and Limitations of the Traditional Methods 40 2.5 Conflict Management: The Holistic View 40 2.6 Differing Leadership Styles in the Management Team: What Happened Next 41 3: Complementary Forms of Conflict Management 43 3.1 The Difficult Boss 43 3.2 Basic Complementary Forms of Conflict Management 44 3.2.1 Mediation 44 3.2.2 Moderation 45 3.2.3 Supervision 45 3.2.4 Coaching 46 3.2.5 Team Development 47 3.3 Organisational Development Versus Mediation? 47 3.3.1 Organisational Development and Conflict Management 48 3.3.2 Mediation Is Complementary to Organisational Development 49 3.4 Integrative Forms of Conflict Management: Used too Rarely? 52 3.4.1 Mediation Costs Time and Money 52 3.4.2 Conflict Aversion 53 3.4.3 Loss of Power and Control 53 3.4.4 Fear of Discovery and Exposure 54 3.4.5 Loss of Image Among Colleagues 54 3.4.6 Lack of Know-how in Dealing with Conflicts 54 3.5 Consequences of the Rare Usage of Integrative Forms of Conflict Management 55 3.6 The Difficult Boss: What Happened Next 56 4: Mediation 57 4.1 The Performance Appraisal 57 4.2 Mediation: The Origins 58 4.3 The Mediation Phase Model 60 4.3.1 Pre-mediation Phase 61 4.3.1.1 Preliminary Talks 61 4.3.1.2 Conflict Analysis 62 4.3.1.3 Implementation Planning 63 4.3.2 Parameter Definition Phase 63 4.3.3 Issue Compilation 64 4.3.4 Conflict Discussion 65 4.3.5 Search for a Solution 66 4.3.6 Agreement 66 4.3.7 Post-mediation Phase 67 4.4 The Performance Appraisal: What Happened Next 67 5: Mediation Techniques 69 5.1 Conflict in the Sales Team 69 5.2 Tensions Often Turn into Real Conflicts 70 5.3 Which Forms of Communication Cause Conflicts to Escalate? 71 5.4 Which Discussion Techniques Defuse Conflicts? 73 5.4.1 Active Listening 73 5.4.2 Paraphrasing 74 5.4.3 I-Messages 74 5.4.4 Meta-dialogue 75 5.4.5 Goal Orientation 75 5.4.6 Change of Perspective 76 5.4.7 Feedback 76 5.4.8 (Constructive) Reformulation 77 5.5 Emotional Intelligence 77 5.6 Conflict in the Sales Team: What Happened Next 78 6: Questioning Techniques 80 6.1 When Is One Allowed to Smoke? 80 6.2 The Answer Depends on the Question Formulation 81 6.3 The Three Levels of Mediation Questioning Techniques 82 6.3.1 Mediation Approach 82 6.3.2 Question Forms 84 6.3.3 Questioning Methodology 87 6.4 When Is One Allowed to Smoke? What Happened Next 88 7: Conflict Prevention 89 7.1 Everyday Disputes in the Office 89 7.2 Productive and Unproductive Conflicts 90 7.3 Conflict Prevention Through Communication Structure Configuration 91 7.3.1 Formal Communication Structures 91 7.3.2 Other Structural Forms of Communication 93 7.4 Conflict Prevention Through Discussion and Expectation Management 93 7.5 Conflict Prevention Through Self-Reflection and Personal Development 95 8: Setting Up an Inhouse Conflict Management System 98 8.1 A Pharmaceutical Company Improves Internal Cooperation 98 8.2 What Is the Purpose of an Inhouse Conflict Management System? 98 8.3 The Core Elements of an Internal Conflict Management System 99 8.3.1 Internal Conflict Managers 100 8.3.2 The Role of Management 100 8.3.3 Information and Internal Marketing 101 8.4 Guidelines for the Implementation of Cooperative Conflict Management 102 8.4.1 Concept Phase 103 8.4.2 Steering Committee 104 8.4.3 Analysis 104 8.4.4 Training of Internal Mediators and Executives 106 8.4.5 Information and Internal Marketing 107 8.4.6 Putting Mediation and Peer Group Supervision into Effect 107 8.4.7 Establishment in the Organisation 108 8.4.8 Ongoing Monitoring 108 8.5 A Pharmaceutical Company Improves Internal Cooperation: What Happened Next 109 9: Establishment of Mediation Facilities Within an Enterprise: Two Case Studies 110 9.1 Establishment of Mediation Facilities in a Bank 110 9.1.1 Project Background 110 9.1.2 Concept Phase 111 9.1.3 Steering Committee 112 9.1.4 Analysis 113 9.1.5 Training of Internal Mediators and Executives 113 9.1.6 Information and Internal Marketing 114 9.1.6.1 Example: Article in the Employee Newsletter 115 9.1.7 Putting Mediation and Peer Group Supervision into Effect 116 9.1.8 Establishment in the Organisation 116 9.1.9 Ongoing Monitoring 117 9.2 Establishment of Mediation Facilities in a Hospital 117 9.2.1 Project Background 117 9.2.2 Concept Phase; Steering Committee; Training of Internal Mediators 119 9.2.3 Analysis 119 9.2.4 Information and Internal Marketing 120 9.2.5 Putting Mediation and Peer Group Supervision into Effect 120 9.2.6 Establishment in the Organisation 122 9.2.7 Ongoing Monitoring 122 10: Check Lists, Mediation Agreement, Codes of Conduct 125 10.1 Key One-on-One Interview Questions for Assignment Clarification 125 10.1.1 Questions About the Problem 125 10.1.2 Organisational Questions/Framework Conditions 125 10.2 The Mediation Process 126 10.3 Debriefing and Quality Control 126 10.4 Mediation Agreement (Sample) 127 10.5 Ethical Guidelines of the Austrian Mediation Network 128 10.6 European Code of Conduct for Mediators 132 10.6.1 Competence, Appointment and Fees of Mediators and Promotion of Their Services 132 10.6.2 Independence and Impartiality 132 10.6.3 The Mediation Agreement, Process, Settlement and Fees 133 10.6.4 Confidentiality 134 Summary 135 Glossary 137 References 140 Front Matter....Pages i-xi Recognising and Resolving Conflicts....Pages 1-12 Traditional Methods of Conflict Management....Pages 13-30 Complementary Forms of Conflict Management....Pages 31-44 Mediation....Pages 45-56 Mediation Techniques....Pages 57-67 Questioning Techniques....Pages 69-77 Conflict Prevention....Pages 79-87 Setting Up an Inhouse Conflict Management System....Pages 89-100 Establishment of Mediation Facilities Within an Enterprise: Two Case Studies....Pages 101-115 Check Lists, Mediation Agreement, Codes of Conduct....Pages 117-126 Back Matter....Pages 127-134