This document discusses effective communication and conflict management in healthcare organizations. It emphasizes creating an open and honest communication environment free of fear. Reasons for conflict include preferences, resources, values and relationships. Effective leadership involves listening, asking questions, paraphrasing and using confirming rather than disconfirming communication. When handled properly, conflict can lead to positive change, though some strategies like avoiding or accommodating may be useful in certain situations. Leaders must model good communication behaviors and manage conflict constructively.

1. Communication Management
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
By
Kevin B. Bass, RRT- Resource
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta @ Scottish Rite

2. Communication Management
Communication management should effectively produce resolve with outcomes
associated with, but not limited to:
• An agreement, if an agreement is possible
• An efficient solution
• A potentially innovative solution
• Movement towards positive change in the organization
• A better relationship between the conflicting parties

3. Communication Management
Healthcare organizations function best in:
• Communication environments that are open and honest
• Free of fear and unnecessary anxiety
• Supports diverse teams of healthcare professionals

4. Communication Management
Reasons for conflict
• Preferences and nuances
• Resources
• Values
• Relationships
• Perceptions

5. Communication Management
According to Beebe and Masterson, Defensive or Supportive Communication
Environments contribute to a certain set of behaviors:
• Evaluative vs. Descriptive-This is the language of evaluation (the “you”) and
description (the “I”). Descriptive language leads to more trust and greater
group cohesiveness.
• Problem orientation-Effective in reducing defensiveness than attempting to
control communication.

6. Communication Management
• Strategic vs. Spontaneous communication-Strategic (controlling) suggests
manipulation, creating distrust, whereas Spontaneous is inclusive.
• Superiority vs. Equality communication-Supportive climates occur when
participative and equity based communication is used
• Certainty vs. Provisionalism communication-Flexible, open, and genuine
thinking fosters a more supportive climate than “knowing it all.”

7. Communication Management
• The health organization’s leadership team should lead by example.
• Leadership role models should be a major foundational element of
organizational culture.
• Never use a disconfirming means of communication-Diminishes self-worth
or value of people/staff.
• Confirming communication-Causes people/staff to value themselves more.

8. Communication Management
A good leader LISTENS

9. Listening contributes to a supporting and confirming environment, which
builds a culture of achievement.
Communication Management

10. Communication Management
Listening encompasses the following aspects of communication:
• Hearing-Receiving the message as sent.
• Analyzing-Discerning the speakers purpose.
• Empathizing-Seeing and understanding the speaker’s viewpoint.

11. Communication Management
A simple, yet effective listening model to master and practice is:
• Stop

12. Communication Management
• Look

13. Communication Management
• Listen

14. Communication Management
• Ask questions

15. Communication Management
• Paraphrase Content

16. Communication Management
• Paraphrase Feelings

17. Communication Management
Conflict is inevitable and necessary for a vibrant organization. Health leaders
will surely meet with situations of conflict and, therefore, must master conflict
management styles and techniques.

18. Communication Management
Five frameworks form the basis of modern conflict management theory and
application:
• Psychodynamic theory
• Field theory
• Experimental gaming theory
• Human relations theory
• Intergroup conflict theory

19. Communication Management
Some notable conflict styles:
• Accommodate
• Avoid
• Collaborate
• Compete
• Compromise
• Problem Solve

20. Communication Management
Accommodate
• When you find that you are wrong; allow a better position to be heard,to
learn, and to show your reasonableness.
• To allow subordinates to develop by learning from their mistakes.
• When harmony and stability are especially important.

21. Communication Management
Avoid
• When the potential disruption outweighs the benefits of resolution
• When others can resolve the conflict more effectively
• When an issue is trivial or more important issues are pressing

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Collaborate
• To find an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are too important
to be compromised
• To merge insights from people with different perspectives
• To work through feelings that have harmed an interpersonal relationship

23. Communication Management
Compete
• On important issues where unpopular actions need implementing (e.g., cost
cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline)
• When quick decisive action is vital (e.g., emergency situations such as a
disaster or terrorism incident or accident)
• On issues vital to company welfare and survival when you know you are right

24. Communication Management
Compromise
• When goals are important, but not worth the effort or potential disruption
of competing
• To arrive at expedient solutions under time pressure
• As a backup when collaboration or competition is not successful

25. Communication Management
Problem Solving
• Both parties believe that a better solution can be achieved through problem-
based collaboration
• Both parties are flexible
• The problem is look at objectively, and not personally
• Both parties understand that all solutions have positive and negative aspects

26. Communication Management
Some essential steps for leaders to process:
• Stay calm and rational
• Use facts (do your homework). Resolution based on objective standard
• Understand the resource implications and limitations surrounding the
conflict
• Try to imagine what the other(s) feel, want, and need
• Be prepared to modify your approach, if necessary

27. Communication Management Summary
Conflict that is channeled and managed effectively is a route to change, improvement,
thought creation, and organizational longevity, if not outright survival. The existence
of conflict means there are opportunities for improved alternative solutions to the
current state of affairs. Of course, conflict can negatively affect the organization; even
so, pessimism should not be the overriding default attitude assumed by leadership,
management, or human existence for that matter. Leaders and managers can manage
conflict and train others to apply skills and tools of conflict to achieve successful
outcomes. Leaders communicate meaning in everything they do by encompassing a
measure of sound and ethical behavior!!!!!!!

28. Reference
• Ledlow, G. R., & Coppola, M. N. (2011). Leadership for health professionals:
theory, skills, and applications. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.