Jeanne Crane Coaching and Consulting

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Testimonials

"Jeanne remains amazingly non-anxious and she brings out the best in people. Yet, she is firm and direct and tenacious." ST

"Jeanne stepped in to help us with a really thorny issue and I was extremely grateful for her gentle but firm approach." AM

"I’m a good mediator/negotiator, but Jeanne helped me learn to identify and address identity-based conflict. It really has made me better at my work." AP

CONFLICT

Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces, whether real or imagined. This creative tension is necessary for life itself. It can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on how it is perceived and handled. Keeping safety and risk in balance requires a culture where guidelines of civility and ethics prevail for healthy organizational life.

Some conflicts can be prevented, resolved, others only managed.

Individuals can learn to regulate their own reactivity, listen non-judgmentally, deal constructively with anger, as well as be direct and clear in communication. Organizations can strive for a climate that is affirming and safe. Practices of continuous improvement, clarification of roles and expectations, using authority wisely and adhering to policies and guidelines help prevent unnecessary conflict. Yet, sometimes it is inevitable.

Identifying and naming tensions early and seeking ways to address them can make a huge difference, as can calling in a consultant BEFORE conflict escalates.

For instance:

A conflict arises on a board of directors. One faction supports the new director’s push for the board to stick with policy, strategy and financing. The other group feels dismissed as their efforts to offer expertise for day-to-day operations is rebuffed. ALL are deeply committed to the mission of the agency. When the facilitation and negotiation focus on this higher value, a new understanding is reached.

A personal misunderstanding between two staffers has escalated to the point that neither speaks to the other. While the issue is non-work-related, co-workers have been expected to take sides and everyone’s work is suffering. The manager is so invested and stressed by the work at hand that he does not trust his response. He wisely seeks outside mediation.

RIGHT RELATIONS

The setting, role and circumstance factor into what we perceive as an appropriate tone and approach to use in communicating with one another. The term ‘right relations’ suggests that ways of differentiating ourselves from one another must go hand-in-hand with the need to be respectful.

Sales and production have competing needs that lead to best product when they collaborate.
Labor and management have different interests that can not and should not be blurred but can respect one another and find win-win solutions.
Professional staff in a service organization does not have to give away its power or expertise in order to achieve community buy-in and support.
In highly relational settings like congregations and community groups, people need to speak their truth in love and speak truth to power.
People of differing faiths and races meet and mix knowing that their differing backgrounds are both enriching and challenging.
Nations big and small, powerful and weak work together for peace.

ALL these relationships differ but all require a healthy attention to process and interpersaonal communicaiton, mutual respect and willingness to ascribe positive intent to others while acccepting difference in roles, needs and even power differentials.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Sometimes a conflict can be resolved just by bringing the issue to attention of all parties and giving them time and space to work out the problem.

Sometimes folks need support, coaching, or self-guided materials for the parties as they work through issues in their own way.

Depending on the nature and the level of the conflict further assistance may be needed:

Creative Problem Solving
Principled Negotiation
Identity –based conflict resolution
Third party facilitation
Mediation
Arbitration

It is critical to choose the appropriate strategy and to reach agreement to its usage at the onset. Too much is at stake to fumble the process.

Equally important is follow-through and follow-up. Have both an action plan and a communication plan that is known (or approved) by all parties before ending the sessions, if at all possible.

MOVING BEYOND CONFLICT

Experience tells us that conflict does not end even when crisis is averted. Getting to the root cause of the conflict and engaging the parties in remedies to address all aspects of the problem is often best done by an outside consultant.

The symptoms of conflict often arise at the people and procedural levels of the organization. However, it is at the level of mission and vision that we find the overarching areas of agreement that bring people back together. And, as we said earlier, role clarification and alignment of roles is critical.

Additionally, very real personal issues that challenge the most mature people in the safest of settings are even harder to address in an organizational setting. But time and attention needs to be given to the processes of

Forgiving
Reconciling
Rebuilding trust
Risking again

Combining “soft” and “hard” approaches must be part of the follow through.