Conflict Management Level 3 Certificate Course

1 Conflict Management and Anger

• Introduction
• Conflict Handling Techniques: Conflict Handling Styles, Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Conflict Management Strategies
• Anger: Approaches to Anger, Anger Management, Anger Management Techniques, Strategies for Dealing with Anger in Yourself and Others

2 Listening

• Channels of Communication
• Listening: Stages of Listening, Obstacles to Listening, Empathic Listening, Ground Rules, More than Listening,Listeners in Control, Emotions, Separate People from the Problem, Traps for Listeners

3 Negotiation

• Negotiation: Definitions, The Establishment Group, The Community Group, Bargaining in Negotiations, Win-Win Bargaining/Integrative Bargaining, Being a Skilled Negotiator
• The Joint Problem Solving Approach: Characteristics of Effective Negotiating Behaviour, Writing a Brief, Guidelines for Negotiating, Negotiation Mistakes, Emotions, Dealing with Difficult People, Finding a Solution

4 Mediation

• What is Mediation?
• When is Mediation called for?
• The Mediator's Responsibilities
• Mediation Process: Mediation Model 1, Mediation Model 2, Case Study - Alternative Dispute Resolution

5 Facilitation

• Facilitation: Preparing for a Facilitation Meeting
• Attributes of a good Facilitator: Stress, The Fight or Flight Response
• Symptons and Effects of Stress: Confidence in Conflict Management
• A Stress Management Response Program

6 Balance of Power

• Problems with Negotiation: Re-entry, Power Imbalance, Dealing with Power Imbalances, Verbal Bullying, Asking Questions, Information and Experience, Agenda Setting, Role-plays, Needs Exploration, Ending the Meeting

7 Discussion and Group Work

• Managing Group Conflict
• Group Conflict Management Exercises: Anger Exercises, Listening Exercises, Negotiation and Mediation Exercises, Joint Problem Solving Exercises, Role Play Exercises
• Conducting Structured Exercises in Small Groups: What to Avoid, Evaluation

8 Crisis Analysis and Responses

• Crisis Analysis: Responses to crisis (Physical, Mental,Emotional, Behavioural), Guidelines for Approaching a Crisis Situation
• Interventions: Principles of Crisis Intervention, Goals of Crisis intervention, Crisis Intervention Techniques, Debriefing

Practicals:

• Different types of conflict handling styles
• Dealing with Anger
• Controlling listening and Traps for listeners
• Empathic listening
• Negotiation between community and establishment
• Practical suggestions for negotiation, breaking the rules, alternatives
• Responsibilities of a mediator, mediation processes, agreements, team work, settling behaviours
• Factors influencing the balance of power
• Role play
• Conducting structured experiences in small groups

Conflict is destructive when it:

• Diverts energy away from important work or other issues (consider, much scientific and social progress has been made during war times. This is not to say that war is good, but that conflict can encourage progressive thought and action)
• Destroys morale
• Polarises groups
• Deepens differences in values
• Produces violence

Conflict is constructive when it:

• Opens up and clarifies important issues and helps solve them
• Increases involvement of individuals in important issues
• Makes communication more authentic
• Releases pent-up emotion, stress or anxiety
• Helps build group cohesiveness
• Helps individual growth, provided there is reflection on the conflict

This course will provide you with a range of conflict management techniques. You will gain an understanding of conflict and how we can work to avoid conflict. Learn a wide variety of things, through a combination of reading, interacting with tutors, undertaking research, practical tasks, etc. Develop your ability to manage conflict situations, as a counsellor, manager, supervisor, or simply a concerned person.