Conflict Management Training - Essay Example

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TRAINING Conflict Management Training Background Information of the conflict Medical care professionals have got an abundance of knowledge, they are excellent problem solvers. They are trained to care for patients by analyzing the problem, developing a strategy, locating resources and implementing the plan (Gerardi, 2003). Despite this, they lack basic skills that are necessary for resolving conflicts. Clinical training does not provide them with skills to work collaboratively with each other, running care conferences or working effectively in committees. Their few hours on skills of facilitation, mediation, dialogue or negotiation, which are essential in conflict resolution are only geared towards therapeutic outcome and cannot be transferred to non-therapeutic scenarios. As such core training is essential to impart the essential skill of conflict resolution into this group. Causes of conflict It is inevitable that conflict will occur in the workplace. However, learning how to deal with such conflict is essential in order to ensure that the outcome of such conflict is positive (Craig, 2010). Conflict in the healthcare workplace may arise from various quarters such as conflicting goals and priorities. When there is a lack of shared goals within the hospital, there are bound to be individuals or departments who will conflict on the best way to undertake a particular task. Differing values have also been linked to the heart of conflict (Craig, 2010). The type of values that a hospital places at the fore front will determine how it relates with its staff. If a health care system is patient care oriented but the staff does not identify with this then there is likely to be conflict within the system. Personality is a leading cause of conflict in every organization in which people interact (Craig, 2010). Each individual has been created with a personality of their own which is bound to conflict with those of others as they seek to interact. If individuals have not understood these different personalities and figured out means of handling them in order to ensure co-operation then there is bound to be conflict. Mutual understanding is thus essential in avoidance of conflict. Resources have since eternity been at the center of conflict (Craig, 2010). Competition for these resources has led to conflict of enormous proportions as individuals seek to gain access to these resources. Within the health care system, resources such as operating rooms among other health care equipment are often at the heart of such competition. As one health care professional seeks to get the best care for their patient in the use of operating rooms and other resources, they may get into conflict with another health care professional who may be trying to accomplish the same. Thinking styles and communication methods are also different (Craig, 2010). Within the health care system, this may be a potential source of conflict as professionals seek to relay their information to other members. Health care professionals often face the daunting task of communication. Their training and work schedules are hectic and do not allow them ample time to develop these skills. Time that would have otherwise be spent on communicating is perceived as wasted time that could have otherwise have been spent undertaking a delicate operational procedure. As such their communication styles are subtle and left to a lot of interpretation which may cause conflict in the case where instruction as not properly followed. This is common in the case of nurses and doctors who are in constant conflict because of poor communication styles by doctors leading to indecision on the part of the nurses. Conflict is a part of everyday life because of some of the factors above. However, it is essential that persons and institutions learn to manage such conflict so that they can make the most of every situation (Wilmot, 1995). With clear analysis and understanding of some of the various sources of conflict within an organization, it is essential that healthcare systems identify them. Upon identification, measures should be put into place to ensure that such conflict becomes an opportunity for learning. Each conflict situation should be used as an opportunity to transform the situation into something better that can be used for future reference. Conflict management styles According to the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument; there are various ways of handling conflict within an organization (Alberta Human Services, 2007). Parties involved in the conflict can choose to be accommodating. In this case, individuals will seek to co-operate to the highest possible level while ignoring their own personal goals, objectives and desired outcomes. This approach is however best employed when one of the parties is older or better experienced at the subject matter. In addition, this approach seeks to humble one party at the expense of another especially while seeking favor with the other as would be realized in an employee-employer situation. Complete avoidance and assumption of the issue is another way of handling conflict. Adopting a situation whereby one has completely no interest in the situation can be beneficial in the case where there are a lot of stakes in question. Costly issues which have got particular emotional bearing may be effectively handled in this manner. However, this is often considered a short term means of handling conflict and other more long term solutions should be explored. A more effective means of handling conflict has always been the method of collaboration that is sure to work in most situations (Wilmot, 1995). Both members within the conflict work together to achieve bother individual and group goals. This form however takes a substantial amount of time and is often rigorous because it involves the consideration of everybody’s ideas before they can be merged into one. Mutual agreement is often costly taking up plenty of time and emotions with the expectation of a high degree of mutual trust. However, its results are almost always sure to resolve the conflict and ensure smooth running of operations in an organization. During periods of emergency, one can also resolve conflict by acting in a competing manner. In this case, individuals within the conflict scenario will only work to achieve their own goals at the expense of the other party (Wilmot, 1995). This approach is effective and will be understood by the other parties within the conflict scenario is the situation is dire and requires quick and decisive action. Healthcare professionals have been known to particularly employ this method of conflict resolution in cases where they are faced with patient emergencies in the operating room where they have to make quick decisions. Compromise is another way of managing conflict whereby the parties within the conflict scenario co-operate to ensure the other parties gets the best out of the situation (Wilmot, 1995). Neither party within this conflict really presses the situation instead seeking to compromise their own needs for those of the other party. This method is often considered “safe” but is however care should be taken to ensure that other methods of conflict management such as collaboration have been explored in the case where it would be a better solution. This method also takes a long time to implement with neither party wanting to press the situation. Some of these approaches to conflict management cannot be used in entirety and must be merged with other methods to ensure success of the entire situation. However by being aware of some of the possible alternatives, parties are better able to handle the situation by testing the effectiveness of a particular method to a situation before fully implementing it. Objectives of training Conflict resolution has an important place in the health care system. A shift from the methods of communication that involved minimal communication in a means of “survival for the fittest” is required (Gerardi, 2003). Dispute resolution is slowly finding its place in this set up to provide unique opportunities for better collaboration in hospitals and clinics. However, these opportunities can only be achieved through a simple method of education and professional direction that ensure all staff understands the various opportunities that are available for conflict resolution. A means of offering this direction is through the use of staff training programs meant to raise the level of awareness on conflict management skills. In the long term, members of staff are also meant to not only apply these methods to their everyday lives but to also impart the very same skills onto other members of staff. This will ensure continuity of learning of some of these concepts from the older to the younger generation medical staff. The target audience will include all staff members within the hospital who may be involved in patient care. In addition both managers and ordinary staff members will be included in the training schedule. The training will take place in the hospital board room in the form of a workshop. Conceptual Information and activities In order to effectively undertake this training, it is essential that the theory within which conflict is based on is effectively put into context. First, the audience needs to understand these theories before they can put them into perspective (Gerardi, 2003). Hence the definition of conflict has to be established with examples of some of the encounters that are considered as conflict in the work place environment. In addition, the rules perspective also has to be established to analyze some of the misunderstandings that could occur because of communication differences. According to Wood (2008), there are regulative rules and constitutive rules that determine rules about “when it is appropriate to talk about what” and “what counts as what in communication” respectively. Setting the climate for this workshop would require a mutual understanding of some of the elemental aspects of communication in respect to “what counts” and “what is considered as what” in communication in order to prevent misunderstandings. In addition, rules should be established during the workshop to ensure staff members understand that they will not be victimized for any input they may provide during the training session. Once an understanding of these theories has been established it is then essential that the audience normalize the results of their actions in each of the various scenarios (Gerardi, 2003). This is realized by analyzing the consequences of using each approach to resolve their conflict. An example would be analyzing the use of the competing style in the operating room as likely to achieve results during emergencies but more likely to initiate feelings of resentment and fear among other members of staff in the future. Additionally, the use of compromise may cause both parties to fail to fully understand the issue because of their unwillingness to explore the matter further only choosing to settle. Dealing with such a situation again in the future may prove difficult. Collaboration method on one hand may increase future chances of goodwill and understanding on the subject but may not yield potentially better individual success as is realized with compromise or competition. Once these principles have been established it is essential to link them to the individual working situations of these health care professionals. Clinical situations offer a myriad of situations in which conflict can arise. However, some of these situations are not exactly considered as conflict situations depending on the nature in which they occur. Others are considered the norm to the extent that they are not even discussed in clinical monthly meetings. It is because of this that the training session should explore the nature of conflict that can arise. This is done by eliciting the views of the audience. Through verbal participation, health care professionals are allowed to provide their views and examples of some situations that they have considered as conflict situation. In addition, the trainer will then explore some of the situations that are commonly not considered conflict issues but are indeed conflict scenarios. Case management will then be employed whereby the staff members are exposed to a variety of conflict situations that are likely to arise in their workplace (Gerardi, 2003). As such, their views on the various methods of management are elicited. This can be divided into sessions that incorporate individual feedback as well as group sessions. Group sessions are important because apart from facilitating the training process, they also allow the participants to gain vital team work skills. By managing some of the cases in groups, the training session can impart skills to staff on some of the various methods of conflict resolution. It also ensures participation through brainstorming; a shift from the contemporary methods of pure lecture. The cases should be provided in a manner that ensures case specific areas such as pediatrics and surgery are handled separately. This is because of the varying nature of conflict that is bound to be experienced in these departments. In addition, more cross-cutting situations such as those of employee relations and overall patient care conflict are handled in diverse groups. These groups can then be designed to accommodate members from management, nursing department, radiologists and doctors among other to ensure diversity. Games can also be included in the activities of the day to further engage the participants into the session (Alberta Human Services., 2007). These games should be based on conflict resolution methodologies whereby participants are meant to solve the problems presented in the game. In addition, a core group of health care professionals can also be trained to improve their role as health care mediators within the organization (Gerardi, 2003). This group, possibly one from each department can be trained on how to specifically handle conflict within their organization by integrating their clinical expertise with the practice of conflict resolution. These professionals will thus go further to become internal neutrals within the organizations to assist with conflict resolution in their various departments. This is essential because only those working within a department can fully understand the challenges and rigors of that department in order to mediate conflict. Retention In order to ensure retention of the aspects that have been learned during the training session, a quick reference guide is provided for the participants. This will ensure that they have something to refer to once they leave the training room. They can also revisit some of the concepts that they may have missed during the training session. This guide can also be shared with others who may have missed out on the session altogether. The quick guide will contain a summary of the following aspects of the training: Causes of conflict within the organization: Personality: Different people will have different views relating to a particular situation. Difference in shared goals: A people centered approach to working may differ from a performance related approach thereby leading to conflict. Divergent values Limited resources: This will lead to competition for the little available equipment within the hospital. Conflict Management Styles within the organization (Champlain College. (2011): Accommodating: Accept the views of the other party in order to avoid confrontation and maintain harmony. Avoiding: Maintain neutrality by not offering any views at all. Competing: Take over the situation and impose your own values. Collaborating: Work hand in hand with other person. Compromising: Accept all the views of the other person unconditionally. Steps for conflict resolution: Identify the problem Focus and understand the problem Attack the problem not the person Listen with an open mind Treat a person’s feelings with respect Take responsibility for your actions Fouls for conflict resolution: Bringing up the past Getting even Blaming Name calling Threats Pushing, hitting Making excuses These two images can also be included in the quick guide to provide visual representation for some of the aspects presented above. Steps for conflict resolution: Source: Champlain College, 2011 References Alberta Human Services, (2007). Let’s talk: A guide to resolving workplace conflicts. Government of Alberta, Human Services. Champlain College. (2011). Basic Mediation: Skills of the Mediation Process. Retrieved from Craig, G. (2010). Understanding Human Development. Boston: Prentice Hall. p. 7 Gerardi, D. (2003). Conflict management training for health care professionals. Retrieved from www.mediate.com/articles/gerardi4.cfm Wilmot, W. W. (1995). Relational communication. New York: McGraw-Hill. Wood, J. T.  (1998).  But I thought you meant:  Misunderstandings in human communication.  Mountain View, CA:  Mayfield Publishing Company. Read More