Understanding the Layers - Where the Conflict Lies





WHERE THE CONFLICT LIES

NATURE OF PROBLEM

DESIRED OUTCOME GOAL

APPROACHES

PERSONAL ISSUES

· Personal physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial health problems

· Personal health

· Increased awareness

· Talk to a friend

· See counsellor

MISUNDERSTANDINGS

· Problems with perception

· Miscommunication

· People taking things the wrong way

· Clarity, clear up misunderstandings

· Improve communication

· Explore action/intent/effect

· Clarify assumptions

· Be aware of “blind-spots”

DISAGREEMENTS

· Disagreements over specific issues

· Decision on issue

· Name areas of misunderstanding

· Shift from positions to underlying interests

RELATIONSHIP/STYLES

· Individuals not getting along

· Lack of trust or good will amongst staff

· Behaviour change

· Manage diversity

· Increase trust

· Closure on negative history

· Acknowledge parties’ communication styles

· Highlight the differences in style/approach

· Shift judgement to curiosity

STRUCTURE OF SYSTEM

· Rules, roles, policies, set up of organization is causing problems

· Improve organization’s structures (rules and roles)

· Requires involvement of others in the organization or family

· Assess who has influence and ask if they can be involved

· Assess what can or cannot be changed

CULTURE OF SYSTEM

· Values, beliefs and or the culture of organization and profession is part of the problem

· System change

· Develop, Renew, align organizational values/ beliefs/ culture

· Requires involvement of others in the organization or family

· Consider “fit” within organization

· Cost/benefit analysis of staying in organization


First Steps in Analysis

1. What are the issues/incident(s) which seem to require an immediate solution/response? (Often these can be identified by the sense of crisis surrounding them.)

2. What about the perceptual level? Are misunderstandings or miscommunications a factor in this conflict?

3. What about personal issues (e.g. mental health, family stresses, addictions, money problems, etc.)?

4. What are some of the relational difficulties/patterns that have contributed to the situation (e.g. chronic poor listening, a history of other pinches/crunches)?

5. How have larger structures (e.g. rules, policies, roles, procedures in the organization/family/group – or lack thereof) contributed to the conflict?

6. Are there ways in which the “big system”/structure (e.g. culture, values, beliefs, assumptions) have impacted on this conflict? What are the forces which originate beyond your immediate workplace/school/family which may be playing a role?