5/18/2018 Conflict Resolution and Clerks May 18, 2018 John Stephens, - - PDF document

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Conflict Resolution and Clerks

May 18, 2018 John Stephens, School of Government

Learning Objectives

• Participants identify the options, strategies and best practices

for handling sources of conflict affecting clerks’ duties

a) Relations with board members b) Relations with manager

• Practice using conflict management concepts to assess and

respond to situations

• Identify steps which may prevent or minimize workplace

conflicts

Sa Safety and and Partici rticipatio ion: n: Yo Your Si Situa tuation ions Sa Safety and and Partici rticipatio ion: n: Con Confidentia tialit ity

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Sa Safety and and Partici rticipatio ion: n: Gr Group Learni ning ng Sa Safety and and Partici rticipatio ion: n: Hone Honesty

Quiz Focus – Just one piece

Pr Principl ples fo for Han Handlin ling Di Difficult icult Situ Situatio ions

• Identify your goals and strategies before acting
• Give yourself time to think
• Whenever possible, get help
• Focus on interests; acknowledge the other person’s interests
• Whenever possible, give choices.

Be creative: even “poor choices” are better than none at all

5/18/2018 3 Who, What, Where Survey of Clerks and Conflict

• Table discussion
• Survey results from 2015

THE CIRCLE OF CONFLICT

Drawn from Conflict Resolution for Managers and Leaders. The CDR Associates Training Package. John Wiley and Sons, 2007, used with permission Substantive Interests

Relationship Problems Data Problems Values Differences Structural Problems

THE TRIANGLE OF SATISFACTION

Drawn from Conflict Resolution for Managers and Leaders. The CDR Associates Training Package. John Wiley and Sons, 2007, used with permission

Substantive Interests

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

Situation 1: Fighting over Two Lemons

Two daughters, Cindy and Etta, come into the living room to see their mother. They are bickering, fighting over two lemons. Each daughter wants to have both lemons. What should the mother do?

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

Situation 1: Fighting over Two Lemons

Two daughters, Cindy and Etta, come into the living room to see their mother. They are bickering, fighting over two lemons. Each daughter wants to have both lemons. What should the mother do?

Answer: Compromise! Give one lemon to each daughter and tell them to stop fighting! But: The mother can do better by asking what their interests are, not their positions.

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons!

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons! Etta: I NEED both lemons!

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons! Cindy: needs juice to make lemonade Etta: I NEED both lemons!

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons! Cindy: needs juice to make lemonade Etta: I NEED both lemons! Etta: needs rinds to bake a cake

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons! Cindy: needs juice to make lemonade

Etta gets both lemons first and scrapes the rind

• ff…

Etta: I NEED both lemons! Etta: needs rinds to bake a cake

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Cindy: I NEED both lemons! Cindy: needs juice to make lemonade

Etta gets both lemons first and scrapes the rind

• ff…

Etta: I NEED both lemons! Etta: needs rinds to bake a cake

Then Cindy gets the pulp and squeezes out the juice.

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

Situation 2: Window open, or window closed?

In the age before air conditioning, two friends, Jim and Juanita, are in a library, sitting at the same table. Jim is hot, so he opens the nearest window, on Juanita’s side of the table. The breeze from the window scatters Juanita’s papers, so she closes the window. Window closed or window open, what should be done? One shared interest: to be at the same table.

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open Juanita: I want the window closed

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open

Jim:

a)

To be cooler

b)

To remain at the table

Juanita: I want the window closed

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Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open

Jim:

a)

To be cooler

b)

To remain at the table

Juanita: I want the window closed

Juanita:

a)

To not have papers scattered

b)

To remain at the table

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open

Jim:

a)

To be cooler

b)

To remain at the table Jim opens a window in an adjoining room. There is a cool breeze for him…

Juanita: I want the window closed

Juanita:

a)

To not have papers scattered

b)

To remain at the table

Getting at the Interests Behind Positions

POSITION INTERESTS SOLUTION Jim: I want the window open

Jim:

a)

To be cooler

b)

To remain at the table Jim opens a window in an adjoining room. There is a cool breeze for him…

Juanita: I want the window closed

Juanita:

a)

To not have papers scattered

b)

To remain at the table but the breeze does not disturb Juanita’s papers.

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Steps to Prevent or Minimize Workplace Conflicts

 Practice Example –

“Nasty Blogger”

 Your Situations

(will keep confidential in this room)