Archives for Research

Book Review: Hold on to Yourself Through Tough Conversations

The Center was fortunate to get an early look at Julia Menard and Judy Zehr’s new book, Hold on to Yourself Through Tough Conversations, which comes out in early February from Balboa Press. It is a wonderful new offering that helps explain and provide pathways for addressing the emotional challenges we all face in conflict settings. The book draws from a multitude of rich and diverse sources including Jon Kabat Zinn (mindfulness), Laurel Mellin (emotional brain training), Daniel Goleman (emotional intelligence), Daniel Siegel (interpersonal biology), John Gottman (couples communications), Marshall Rosenberg (nonviolent communications), and others. It provides an in-depth but… Continue Reading Book Review: Hold on to Yourself Through Tough Conversations
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Categories: Culture, Managing Emotions, Research, and Uncategorized.

Trends in Conflict Research and the CDP Model

In the late 1990s, when the Conflict Dynamics Profile was originally developed, organizational research in conflict had begun to focus on the concept of conflict types. Three main types were described: task conflict which involved differences over substantive issues, process conflict which dealt with how to organize various functions, and relationship conflict which focused on interpersonal problems. At first it was thought that task conflict could lead to enhanced productivity, improved creativity, and better decision making. Relationship conflict and to a lesser extent process conflict were seen as producing negative outcomes – both in terms of productivity and morale. In… Continue Reading Trends in Conflict Research and the CDP Model
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Categories: Practitioners, Research, and Uncategorized.

Conflict and Matrix Management

Matrix management evolved to enable organizations to deal with more complex issues. While it can be effective at improving information distribution and managing multiple aspects of product distribution, matrix management can also lead to increased conflicts. Research typically points to several conflict sources including ambiguous goals, uncertainty regarding decision making rights, and mixed employee loyalties. While conflicts may be natural in matrix settings, they do not have to lead to dysfunction. Some conflicts can be prevented by leaders taking time to clarify the organization’s larger goals. This can help prevent confusion over which goals take precedence, as well as how… Continue Reading Conflict and Matrix Management
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Categories: Communication and Behavior, Culture, Research, and Uncategorized.

Creating the Right Climate for Team Conflict

When team members are asked if they think that conflict is inevitable in team settings, they almost always answer – yes. When they are asked whether their team has a process in place for managing this inevitable conflict, they usually answer – no. As a result they often default to gut level instincts for managing conflict and almost always wind up with poor outcomes. What’s a team to do? In order to manage conflict effectively, team members need to be able to have open and honest discussion about their issues.  Creating an environment or climate where people are able to… Continue Reading Creating the Right Climate for Team Conflict
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Categories: Communication and Behavior, Culture, Research, and Uncategorized.

Criticizing Your Performance in Conflict

One of the passive destructive behaviors measured by the Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) instrument is called Self-Criticizing. This occurs when one obsesses over something they may have said or done in a conflict. The CDP measures how frequently a person uses this response to conflict. A little reflection about how you handled a conflict can probably be helpful by enabling you to learn from your mistakes. At the same time focusing on your mistakes by going over them time and again in your mind can sap your energy and prevent you from moving forward. How can you find the right… Continue Reading Criticizing Your Performance in Conflict
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Categories: Communication and Behavior, Research, and Uncategorized.

How We Describe Conflict

When doing a program on conflict management, I’ll often ask people what words come to mind when they think about conflict.  Typically responses include: frustrating, stressful, anger, upset, fear, and anxiety.  Participants, when asked to characterize their responses, almost always describe them as negative.  At the same time they almost always give a few words that could be viewed as positive such as: opportunity, growth, and resolution. From 2003-2005 we asked people being certified in the Conflict Dynamics Profile to share words that described conflict for them.  They shared over 170 words which depicted a wide range of attitudes towards… Continue Reading How We Describe Conflict
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Categories: Communication and Behavior, Practitioners, Research, and Uncategorized.