Conflict Management Training Course

Participants can recognise their default conflict style and regulate unhelpful reactions.

• Thomas-Kilmann modes: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating
• Selecting conflict modes according to stakes, relationships, urgency and authority
• Personal triggers mapped through physical cues, thoughts, emotions and behaviours
• Pause techniques for preventing reactive language during tense exchanges
• The ladder of inference used to test assumptions before responding
• Separating intent, impact and accountability when interpreting another person's actions

Participants can prepare a focused, evidence-based plan for a difficult conversation.

• Conversation purpose defined through desired outcomes, boundaries and decision rights
• Facts separated from interpretations, rumours, assumptions and personal judgments
• Interest-based preparation identifies each party's concerns, constraints and options
• BATNA considered when agreement cannot be reached through direct discussion
• Opening statements drafted using neutral language and observable evidence
• Meeting logistics chosen for privacy, safety, timing and appropriate participation

Participants can use listening and questioning to understand concerns without conceding their position.

• Active listening demonstrated through attention, paraphrasing, summarising and checking
• Open questions uncover concerns, criteria, impacts and possible solutions
• Closed questions confirm facts, commitments, timelines and decision authority
• Reflecting feelings without agreeing with accusations or inappropriate behaviour
• Clarifying statements distinguish observable events from conclusions and labels
• Strategic silence creates space for reflection after difficult questions

Participants can raise performance and behaviour concerns clearly, fairly and constructively.

• SBI feedback links situation, observable behaviour and resulting impact
• DESC statements express concerns, specify needs and state consequences
• Behavioural evidence collected from dates, examples, standards and commitments
• Direct language replaces vague hints, labels and third-party commentary
• Balancing candour with respect when addressing repeated performance problems
• Requests framed as specific future actions, measures and review dates

Participants can respond constructively when conversations become defensive, emotional or hostile.

• Fight, flight and freeze responses recognised during workplace conflict
• Emotional labelling reduces intensity without diagnosing another person's motives
• Defensiveness redirected through acknowledgement, clarification and shared problem definition
• Broken-record technique maintains boundaries during repeated pressure or diversion
• Time-outs agreed when productive discussion cannot continue safely
• Threats, harassment and discriminatory conduct distinguished from ordinary conflict

Participants can move opposing parties from fixed positions toward workable agreements.

• Positions separated from interests using the Fisher and Ury method
• Shared problems defined without assigning blame to either party
• Option generation deferred from evaluation to widen possible solutions
• Objective criteria used to assess fairness, feasibility and organisational requirements
• Trade-offs negotiated across scope, timing, resources, quality and risk
• Mutual-gains agreements recorded with actions, owners and review points

Participants can structure an impartial conversation between colleagues in disagreement.

• Facilitator role distinguished from manager, advocate, investigator and decision-maker
• Ground rules establish respectful dialogue, confidentiality and speaking order
• Separate pre-meetings identify concerns, readiness and procedural risks
• Balanced airtime managed through agenda control and neutral summarising
• Reframing accusatory statements into needs, facts and future-focused requests
• Joint agreements tested for clarity, consent, feasibility and accountability

Participants can address conflict arising from cross-functional work, projects and virtual communication.

• RACI analysis clarifies disputed responsibilities, approvals and decision ownership
• Team working agreements define response times, escalation routes and meeting norms
• Cross-functional conflicts examined through competing objectives, metrics and dependencies
• Email conflict contained through channel choice, tone review and direct contact
• Remote meeting interventions prevent interruption, exclusion and unresolved disagreement
• Cultural differences explored without stereotyping communication preferences or authority expectations

Participants can decide when to escalate conflict and sustain agreements after difficult discussions.

• Informal resolution compared with managerial, HR, grievance and disciplinary routes
• Escalation thresholds assessed for safety, legal risk, policy breaches and impasse
• Conflict records distinguish facts, agreed actions, concerns and confidential information
• Follow-up conversations review commitments, progress, obstacles and changed circumstances
• Repair actions rebuild trust after damaging behaviour or failed communication
• Personal application plans identify one conversation, preparation steps and support needed