Conflict Management for Managers Training Course

Course Overview

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the main sources, types, and business impacts of workplace conflict by the end of the course.
• Identify early warning signs of conflict escalation in teams, projects, and cross-functional working relationships during practical case exercises.
• Assess individual conflict-management preferences using structured reflection tools and apply the findings to at least two workplace scenarios.
• Apply active listening, questioning, and communication techniques to conduct constructive conflict conversations in role-play activities.
• Differentiate between positional demands, underlying interests, facts, assumptions, and emotions when evaluating a workplace dispute.
• Develop a clear preparation plan for a difficult conversation, including objectives, stakeholders, risks, evidence, and desired outcomes.
• Use appropriate conflict-resolution approaches, including collaboration, accommodation, compromise, avoidance, and assertive intervention, in simulated management cases.
• Evaluate when a conflict should be resolved informally, facilitated by a manager, referred to human resources, or escalated through formal organizational procedures.
• Design fair and practical agreements that define responsibilities, timelines, follow-up actions, and measures of success.
• Strengthen managerial capability to manage emotions, maintain professionalism, and de-escalate high-pressure conversations throughout the course.
• Implement a personal conflict-management action plan for application within the participant’s team or department following the training.

Who Should Attend

Learning Outcomes

• Recognize the difference between productive disagreement and harmful workplace conflict.
• Diagnose the root causes, stakeholders, interests, and risks involved in a conflict situation.
• Select an appropriate conflict-management strategy based on the seriousness, urgency, relationship impact, and organizational context of the issue.
• Prepare for difficult conversations using a structured approach that clarifies facts, objectives, boundaries, and possible solutions.
• Conduct conflict-resolution discussions using active listening, open questions, summarizing, reframing, and respectful assertiveness.
• Manage emotional reactions and maintain professional composure during challenging conversations.
• Address conflict between individuals, within teams, and across departments without losing focus on organizational performance.
• Facilitate collaborative problem-solving discussions that move participants from blame toward accountability and action.
• Document agreed actions, responsibilities, and follow-up arrangements to support sustainable resolution.
• Identify situations that require support from human resources, employee relations, legal, compliance, security, or senior management.
• Build a practical conflict-management action plan that can be implemented in the participant’s workplace.

Course Outline