Conflict Management Skills Research Articles

The Elusive Leadership Competency

Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. Dwight D. Eisenhower, The Federal Career Service: A Look Ahead1

Eleven Ways to Improve Executive Management of Conflict

Abstract Conflict comes with the job of managing the public's natural resources. When I ask, fish and wildlife executives tell me they want employees with excellent conflict management skills. When I next ash what they are doing to prepare their employees to become skilled conflict managers, I regularly get a blank stare. Professionals are usually on their own to acquire these skills, largely through unguided, trial-and-error learning. Eleven actions leaders can take to improve conflict management in their organizations fall into four categories: 1. Conflict prevention through training, adding a “conflict resolution” dimension to employee performance evaluations, maintaining an early warning system to detect emerging conflict, and creating robust stakeholder involvement processes. 2. Contingency planning through systematically assessing vulnerabilities, conducting “What if…” strategy analyses, and maintaining a rapid response capacity for when a conflict emerges. 3. Crisis management through ensuring that...

Communication in the Perioperative Setting

Poor communication in the perioperative setting contributes to an unsafe OR culture and affects patient safety and employee engagement, decision making, productivity, morale, and retention. Communication breakdowns can lead to surgical delays, patient inconvenience, and serious errors. Simplification and standardization of communication processes and the use of effective communication skills (eg, clear verbal communication, awareness of the effects of nonverbal communication, use of listening and conflict management skills) are ways to improve OR interactions and minimize or prevent errors.

The Role of Specific and Common Process Variables in Residential Couple Therapy

The relationship between common process variables (optimism, empathy, safety/trust, insight) and specific process variables (communication and conflict management skills [CCM]) was studied from the perspectives of 176 couples and their therapists in Norway. In a mixed-model analysis, clients and therapists reported that CCM skills predicted clients’ insight. From the therapists’ perspective, CCM predicted optimism, empathy, and safety/trust. Clients’ optimism and therapists’ perception of clients’ empathy predicted CCM. Finally, clients’ optimism was found to predict therapists’ optimism. One clinical implication is that training in specific CCM skills in couple therapy facilitates therapeutic improvement assessed by common process factors.

Best Practices for R&D Project Management: Team Building

The future of project management lies in team building and teamwork. This document focuses on team building in R&D projects. The paper starts with the definitions of key words: project, project management, project manager, team, team building. Then there are presented the four key elements for member selection as well as the five typical phases in team management. Team building in research projects is not only about project manager (his role, functions), but also about the other partners and maintaining their constant interest in correctly developing the project. Through this article, the 2 key persons in project management and team members are the project manager and his economic specialist. The cooperation of these two specialists is the essence of the development and implementation of the project. Project managers control all threats through measures such as timely training in leadership skills, conflict management skills, communication skills, while the economic specialists identify and solve all budget problems, maintain and manage the financial accounting records and reporting mechanisms, balancing spend to budget estimates. This article also analyzes the best practices in building a successful research team: mutual trust, project management meetings, technical workshop, monitor and encourage progress, well written consortium agreement.

Psychology, Social Science and the Management of Violent Conflicts in Nigeria

Conflict provides the context for the manifestation of some of the most horrendous instances of violence in Nigeria. This paper discusses the salient aspects of an eight – year experience in the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja – Nigeria, where the author attempted to apply psychological principles in the conduct and supervision of research, advocacy and direct conflict management in some parts of Nigeria. Some of the significant observations are that; (a) within the Institute, among the members of the social science family, psychology is the least associated with the multidisciplinary “theatre” of conflict management arising from ignorance among fellow social scientists about the subject matter of psychology and rivalry emanating from subtle competition among sub disciplines of the social science for hegemonic role in conflict management, (b) many of the social scientists working in the Institute have limited skills in research, advocacy and practical conflict management, (c) in most cases, these other social scientists are oblivious of ethical issues in conflict research and management processes. For psychologists to make any appreciable impact in conflict management and contribute to the prevention of violence in Nigeria, they need to understand and communicate in a language that is mutually comprehensible to other social scientists. Psychologists operating in multidisciplinary settings need to cure themselves of their obsession with theoretical and methodological purity and sophistication in order to engage in meaningful and productive communication as well as foster better relationships with “more socially- minded” social scientists.

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood

Grassroots Participation in Water Governance in Tanzania: The Case of Water User Associations (WUAs) in Kimani Sub-Catchment of the Usangu Plains

For a long period of time, in Tanzania, the management of water resources was through informal traditional system. However, the complexities of the current nature of water resource use tend to overshadow the capacity performance of local informal institutions in managing water resources. There is an inevitable call for redesigning operational structures of the local informal arrangements to achieve good models of management and organizational standards in traditional water uses, enhance rational and efficient water uses, and hence reduce water conflicts. Using a case study of water user associations in Kimani sub-catchment, this paper reveals that water user associations (WUAs) were created so as to modify the traditional systems, in a sense that they are legally recognized, and as such, they have legal supports that ensure their enforceability. In the Kimani sub-catchment, WUAs are the major institutions owning water rights, and therefore responsible for water distribution to their members. They are instrumental in negotiations and dispute resolution between different water users. Despite the good work done by WUAs, this paper reveals that the absence of water rights and good grazing areas for pastoralists, simple penalties to some of the wrongdoers, poor leadership and general management skills of WUAs, as well as lack of conflict management skills of the committees involved in resolving water conflicts, are some of the challenges facing WUAs operations. This paper further proposes some workable recommendations to improve the performance of WUAs in the study area.

“MORE OF A STREET COP THAN A DETECTIVE”: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF PARENTING COORDINATORS IN NORTH CAROLINA

This research project examined roles and functions of parenting coordinators (PCs) identified by AFCC's Guidelines for Parenting Coordination and other literature. The researcher used a semi‐structured interview schedule that included information about practices, procedures, and a series of five case‐based vignettes that contained commonly occurring ethical and legal dilemmas in PC practice. The results found that PCs generally saw their role as enforcers of existing orders and primarily used skills in conflict management, parent education, and information coordination with other professionals. PCs would use arbitration powers to make minor decisions or refer to court as a last resort.

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood:

Cross-cultural comparison of the developmental process of conflict management skills in early childhood:

Mainstreaming peace and conflict studies: designing introductory courses to fit liberal arts education requirements

Peace and conflict studies courses are seldom seen by faculty curriculum committees and university administrators as deserving to be part of their institution’s liberal arts education requirements. We show that this unfortunate tendency is rooted in a lack of understanding of not only the compatibility between the two but of their quite complementary connections. These connections include the liberal arts’ emphases on the following: producing liberated citizens; respecting diversity; thoughtfully considering different points of view; highlighting not just the rights of the individual but the responsibilities that accompany those rights. Using the experience of Kent State University’s Center for Applied Conflict Management as a case study, we show that by bridging the perceived gap between the traditional liberal arts core and peace and conflict studies it is indeed possible to have an introductory course in peace and conflict studies accepted as an option for fulfilling an institution’s liberal arts requirements. In the process of ‘mainstreaming’ peace and conflict studies this way, enrollments will expand exponentially, new generations of students will be equipped with conflict management skills, and the field of peace and conflict studies will gain more respect across academia.

Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual

I. Introducing Conflict Coaching 1. Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual A General Definition of Conflict Coaching Sources of Development: An Overview of "Conflict" and "Coaching" in Likely Drivers of Continued Development for Conflict Coaching Conflict Coaching Principles Major Reasons for the Conflict Resolution Field to Develop Conflict Coaching 2. The Comprehensive Conflict Coaching Model An Overview of Coaching Models The Comprehensive Conflict Coaching (CCC) Model II. Conducting Conflict Coaching 3. Stage One - Discovering the Story Narrative Theory Narrative Theory Applied to Conflict Management Discovering the Story General Principles for Discovering the Story Specific Approaches for Discovering the Story 4. Stage Two - The Identity Perspective Identity in Relation to Emotion and Power Overview of Research and Theory on Identity A Model of Identity in Interpersonal Conflict in the Workplace 'Facework' as the Primary Means of Managing Identity General Principles for Identity Work with Conflict Coaching Clients Specific Approaches for Identity Work with Conflict Coaching Clients 5. The Emotion Perspective Introduction to Emotion Theories of Emotion Emotional Competence General Principles for Emotion Work with Conflict Coaching Clients Specific Approaches for Emotion Work with Conflict Coaching Clients 6. Stage Two - The Power Perspective Power in Relation to Identity and Emotion Overview of Research and Theory on Power Sources of Client Power in Conflict Power Patterns in Conflict Interaction Power Strategies and Tactics Power and Culture Working with Clients Who Feel and/or Act Disempowered General Principles for Power Work with Conflict Coaching Clients Specific Approaches for Power Work with Conflict Coaching Clients 7. Stage Three - Crafting the "Best" Story Relevant Change Theories The Link to Narrative Theory General Principles for Crafting the "Best" Story Specific Approaches for Crafting the "Best" Story 8. Stage Four - Communication Skills: Confrontation, Confirmation and Comprehension Culture and Communication Skills Key Conflict Communication Skills General Principles for Communication Skills Work with Conflict Coaching Clients General Approaches for Communication Skills Work with Conflict Coaching Clients Specific Approaches for Confrontation, Confirmation and Comprehension Work with Conflict Coaching Clients 9. Stage Four - The Conflict Styles Opportunity A Conflict Styles Framework Focusing on the Me, You and We of Conflict Styles Conflict Styles and Culture General Principles for Conflict Styles Work with Conflict Coaching Clients Specific Approaches to Conflict Styles Work with Conflict Coaching Clients 10. Stage Four - The Negotiation Opportunity Basics of Negotiation Two Major Approaches to Negotiation 11. Stage Four - Coordinating Coaching with Other Conflict Processes Organizational Dispute Systems The Role of Conflict Coaching in Leveraging Dispute Systems General Principles for Coordinating Conflict Coaching with Other Conflict Processes Specific Approaches for Coordinating Conflict Coaching with Other Conflict Processes 12. Learning Assessment in Conflict Coaching: The Parallel Process Learning Assessment: Did the Conflict Coaching Work? General Principles for Learning Assessment Specific Approaches to Learning Assessment III. Integrating Conflict Coaching Into Your Practice 13. Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation for Conflict Coaching Needs Assessment: Will Conflict Coaching Meet "My" Needs? Program Evaluation: Is Conflict Coaching Working for "You?" Using Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation to Market a Conflict Coaching Practice 14. The Future of Conflict Coaching A Research Agenda Training and Delivery Mechanisms Policy/Implementation Agenda

Conflict-Handling Mode Scores of Three Crews Before and After a 264-Day Spaceflight Simulation

In both the Russian and U.S. space programs, crew safety and mission success have at times been jeopardized by critical incidents related to psychological, behavioral, and interpersonal aspects of crew performance. The modes used for handling interpersonal conflict may play a key role in such situations. This study analyzed conflict-handling modes of three crews of four people each before and after a 264-d spaceflight simulation that was conducted in Russia in 1999-2000. Conflict was defined as a situation in which the concerns of two or more individuals appeared to be incompatible. Participants were assessed using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, which uses 30 forced-choice items to produce scores for five modes of conflict handling. Results were compared to norms developed using managers at middle and upper levels of business and government. Both before and after isolation, average scores for all crews were above 75% for Accommodating, below 25% for Collaborating, and within the middle 50% for Competing, Avoiding, and Compromising. Statistical analyses showed no significant difference between the crews and no statistically significant shift from pre- to post-isolation. A crew predisposition to use Accommodating most and Collaborating least may be practical in experimental settings, but is less likely to be useful in resolving conflicts within or between crews on actual flights. Given that interpersonal conflicts exist in any environment, crews in future space missions might benefit from training in conflict management skills.

What Adolescents Bring to and Learn from Relationship Education Classes: Does Social Address Matter?

The current study examined the effectiveness of a youth-focused relationship education curriculum in a sample of 1,430 adolescents attending health classes across 39 public high schools. The evaluation consisted of pre, post, and 1-year follow-up data collections for intervention and control samples. Growth curve models were fit to test the general effects of the curriculum and to examine the influence of social address indicators. Results indicated that the intervention group, but not the control group, changed in the desired direction in terms of the faulty relationship beliefs and the relationship skills that were the focus of this study. Desired improvements on the faulty relationship beliefs occurred independent of social address, but desired improvements in conflict management skills appeared only for the less socially or economically advantaged groups (e.g., lower socioeconomic status and minority status). Participants living in stepfamilies also significantly improved their perceived skills. Adolescents living in single-parent family structures appeared to benefit least from the program. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Sex differences in 2D: 4D ratio, aggression and conflict resolution in African children and adolescents: a cross‐cultural study

This study was conducted on children and adolescents from the three tribal cultures from Northern Tanzania: the Hadza, the Datoga and the Iraqw. The comparative data on aggression and conflict management skills were measured at Endomaga Boarding School, Lake Eyasi, Mangola in Northern Tanzania, in 2005‐2006. The final sample included 219 children, ranging from 7 to 20 years of age. No sex differences were found in self‐ratings or frequency of occurrence of physical, verbal and indirect aggression in Iraqw children and adolescents, or in self‐ratings in Hadza. Hadza boys reported a higher occurrence of physical and indirect aggression during the previous week compared to girls. No differences between the sexes were found in constructive conflict resolution and third‐party interventions practiced by Iraqw and Datoga children and self‐ratings in Hadza. Hadza boys reported a higher frequency of constructive conflict resolution and third‐party interventions compared to girls. Significant sexual dimorphism on the 2D:4D ratio was found for our African sample. A significant negative correlation between the right hand 2D:4D ratio and ratings on physical aggression was found for the girls. The girls with the lowest finger index estimated themselves as more verbally aggressive, compared to girls with a medium 2D:4D ratio.

Training the Warrior-Diplomat: Enhancing Negotiation and Conflict Management Skills through Experiential Learning

AbstractDespite the wealth of experience among simulation scholars, there is still little consensus on how to link gaming attributes to specific learning objectives. This article aims to contribute to this discussion and argues that specific simulation design can lead to reaching predefined learning objectives. The authors present a teaching project developed and executed for the Netherlands Defense Academy, how it was set up in 2005, and the way it evolved over time. The authors discuss how the methodology fits into the academic debate on the strengths of experiential learning. The simulation methodology used is rooted in experiential learning and typically supports standard learning goals and styles. When dealing with a specific target group, it is possible to pinpoint one specific, overarching learning objective. This allows trainers to link each individual aspect of the simulation design to that particular learning goal and, in turn, provides a valuable framework to develop, run and evaluate simulation exercises. The authors discuss how two innovative elements in simulating gaming can help to make such an approach work: combining closed and open scenarios, and new communication software that allows for continuous supervision during the game. The conclusions discuss how students respond to the challenges during the game and what the data from debriefings tells us about the methodology’s learning appeal for a military target group.

ERP systems: an implementation experience

While improving manufacturing operations, we found that the implementation of ERP systems involved both human and technical factors. These human and technical factors went through somewhat overlapping, transitional stages before they began to perform at the optimal level. It is important to recognise these transitional stages because they must be properly managed in order to reap the benefits of ERP implementation. In the first stage, both human and technical problems exist; however, human problems dominate, and require conflict management skills to resolve. In the second stage, human problems improve, and technical problems persist, requiring formal problem-solving methods to resolve. Finally, in the third stage, both human and technical problems improve, and ERP system begins to perform at the optimal level. Important for both practitioners and academicians, we discuss implications of this research and provide directions for future research.

Educator Perceptions of Conflict Interactions Among Young Children in Inner-city Elementary and Middle Schools

A study that investigated the perceptions of educational professionals regarding the rising issue of aggressive and disruptive behaviors among young children in inner-city schools is discussed in this article. A convenient sample of 14 professionals were selected and interviewed from educators in an inner-city located in the northeast region of Ohio. Evidence of this investigation suggests that young children’s aggressive behaviors are increasing in both occurrence and complexity. While these behaviors are perceived to be a function of certain environmental exposures, a case can be made for the effectiveness in conflict management and life skill application in young children as many children seem to display more problems in collective and social settings.

Support Seeking, Caregiving and Conflict Management: Evidence from an Observational Study with Couples

Previous studies of couples have shown theoretically predicted links between 1) support seeking/attachment and marital functioning, and 2) caregiving and marital functioning (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). The present study further develops this area of research by investigating the link between conflict management and support seeking in couples, and the relationship between conflict management and caregiving behaviours in couples. Eighty couples completed the Potential Problem Checklist (Patterson, 1976) and a filmed 15-minute interactive problem-solving task. Independent teams of coders rated support seeking/caregiving and conflict management behaviours with the Secure Base Scoring System for Adults (Crowell et al., 1998) and the Global Couple Interaction Coding System (Bélanger et al., 1993). It was hypothesized that a partner who asked for and gave support effectively would be less prone to withdraw, dominate, and criticize, and more likely to reinforce and listen to his/her partner and solve problems effectively. It was further hypothesized that men/women with a partner who sought and gave support effectively would be less likely to withdraw, dominate, and criticize, and more likely to reinforce and listen to his/her partner and demonstrate good problem solving skills. The results revealed that men and women who had effective support seeking and caregiving skills demonstrated greater conflict management skills during a discussion about a topic of conflict with their partner. The results further revealed a relationship between caregiving skills in one partner and conflict management skills in the other partner. This study contributes to the development of an integrative model of marital functioning.