Leading Conflict and Handling Difficult Conversations

‘Conflict’ is deemed a dirty word, yet there is healthy and unhealthy conflict, and a leader needs to be able to identify the difference and adapt leadership style. ‘Difficult conversations’ carries the same tag, yet leaders need to be able to handle this challenge, in-person, or in a meeting. Exploring how to lead different conflict types will help you build a healthy culture and encourage innovation from individuals. Learning a pragmatic five-step method for handling difficult conversations supports you to lead with confidence.

Benefits:

Exploring how to recognise the different behaviours that lead to healthy or unhealthy conflict and develop the skills to know when to step in, or when to encourage diverse opinions, ideas or views.
Understand and practice a five-step method of handling difficult conversation in-person or a meeting.
Practice new skills in a safe learning environment, to support transfer into the workplace.

Welcome and Introduction

Understanding your Conflict and Difficult Conversation challenges

Identifying what challenges you face around conflict difficult conversations – and exploring the impact on your leadership of a team or organisation.

Understanding Conflict

Definition and types of conflict: healthy vs. unhealthy conflict.
Introducing the ‘Iceberg of leading conflict’
Recognising the differences between healthy and unhealthy conflict
Identify the behaviours that lead to each type of conflict.
Discussion: relating the Iceberg to personal experiences with conflict in the workplace.

Leading Through Conflict

Strategies for managing and leading through healthy and unhealthy conflict.
Techniques to encourage diverse opinions and ideas.
Case studies: Analysing different conflict scenarios and appropriate leadership responses.

Five-Step Method for Handling Difficult Conversations

Introduction to the five-step method for handling difficult conversations.
Detailed explanation of each step with examples.
Demonstration of how to apply the 5-step method by coach
Role-playing exercise: Practicing the five-step method in pairs with a recognised challenge.

Practicing Skills

Interactive activities to practice new conflict management and conversation handling skills.
Small group discussions and feedback sessions.
Facilitator coaching and tips for improvement.

Applying Skills in the Workplace

Developing strategies to apply learned skills in real-world situations.
Identifying potential challenges and how to overcome them.
Group activity: Creating an action plan for integrating new skills into daily leadership practices.

Action Planning and Q&A

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