{"id":6289,"date":"2011-04-22T13:45:08","date_gmt":"2011-04-22T20:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=6289"},"modified":"2011-04-18T12:01:10","modified_gmt":"2011-04-18T19:01:10","slug":"the-complete-project-manager-conflict-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=6289","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Project Manager – Conflict Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Conflict<\/a><\/p>\n

Complete project managers are a very special breed of people, requiring a complete set of skills.\u00a0 However, they are not immune from conflict. Sometimes they may even welcome it, for it shows that people are engaged.\u00a0 A lesson I learned about handling issues and especially risky ones came from working as a young man at a county fair where livestock and showmanship were being judged.\u00a0 The \u201cwinner\u201d in showing the animals did not always have perfectly behaved animals, but they won because of how masterly they reestablished the \u201cshow\u201d positions and demonstrated their leadership.\u00a0 In this case, conflict is an opportunity.<\/p>\n

A goal is to establish constructive contention wherein people engage each other and seek better outcomes, fostering an attitude of \u201cLet\u2019s work together to figure this out.\u201d\u00a0 Skills and practices for conflict management include: investigate sources of conflict, learn how to deal with difficult people, conduct learning conversations, focus on the people side of conflict, and use a reframing technique to achieve better outcomes from conflict.<\/p>\n

In situations that matter the most, we often perform at our worst.\u00a0 A basic question to ask is, \u201cWhat is at stake here?\u201d\u00a0 To avoid failure, the solution is to conduct a learning conversation<\/em> which means to engage in dialogue with a free flow of meaning, as depicted in the picture by the flow from challenges to options.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Here are suggested steps for achieving dialogue in a learning conversation:<\/p>\n