Ive since trialled your Witches of Glum on a group of B1-C1 level participants (Italian professionals, from the same company). Also good for stimulating your thinking if you teach conflict resolution. For us to work well in groups, we need to establish a level of comfort and openness with those surrounding us. Guest Contributions - Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution, How Fighting Dirty At Work Can Be A Career Stopper. Give it a go, youll love the results! Try to keep the atmosphere in the room friendly. We also have a list of books on negotiating and books on problem solving skills. Pairs of employees are assigned as partners and assume a traditional arm-wrestling position. Were a trusted brand and you will be in safe hands. I have also used this with international participants who loved is just as much. Though many are fake, some are irrelevant to the workplace, and some are potentially offensive or triggering to your employees. Maybe you want an energiser to get them going and ready for your training. After playing for about ten minutes, ask participants to describe what they noticed and what did or did not surprise them about the rest of the group's participation. var gcse = document.createElement('script'); Im not often prone to giving a 100% as I believe we always have room to improve. Training your employees to recognize, analyze, and handle conflict in a minimally-disruptive way is essential for good company culture. Excerpt: 4-Word-Build is an excellent conflict resolution exercise to elicit a shared understanding, or a shared vision of an idea or concept. Everyone knows the Goldilocks tale and this existing knowledge really helps drive the learning points home. One participant remarked afterwards: "I have just realised what a dreadful listener I am", which was a great learning point for all. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. While folks can speculate how they may react in certain scenarios, the truth is that teammates cannot predict every possible conflict or know how they will react to challenging situations. Notes:This exercise is designed for teams that normally work together. That helps us help you. Each group will start its own pot of money. Not much preparation needed yet so effective. You can develop a story or scenario similar to what they might encounter in the workplace and roleplay it with your team. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; Next, write the desired result or results. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for completion. Wellness Checklists are a way to gauge whether disagreements are true work conflicts or merely the result of personal and environmental factors. Comments must be approved before appearing. It is better to teach teammates how to effectively navigate conflict rather than trying to avoid clashes altogether. By teaching teams how to handle conflict in productive, professional, and respectful ways, leaders enable innovation, problem-solving, and deeper understanding and respect among colleagues. Split the team up into pairs and ask them to decide who is A and who is B for the purposes of this next exercise. As in, "You heard 'you're working too slow,' but I meant 'I need to know a timeline so I can plan the rest of my day.'". Ask them to pair up and between the two of them they must decide on the best 4 words out of the 8 they have written down between them. You want as many points as you can get and don't care about anyone else. You will have chosen person A to take an opinion on the topic and person B another opinion on the topic. While we often suggest playing this game with real money, you can take some sort of play money to use instead. Ask. Our main site with over 400 articles on life in the workplace. Many thanks for another great activity. Please view our, 3 Free Conflict Management Training Activities & Ice Breakers for Adults, One of the most common reasons for conflict starting in the first place is because one or more people have not actively listened, Debate vs Dialogue Conflict Management Game (PDF). Ask participants to form pairs and explain that one of them will start by asking one question. How challenging did you find this activity? We tend to train somewhat cynical engineers who really take a lot of engaging in order to deliver any Soft Skills. At least 50% of the delegates get less that 50% of the statements right each time we run the session perfectly illustrating the learning point. Time:This exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. Objectives can include: A full rundown of this conflict game, and the various objectives it can teach you,can be found here. Some of the delegates didn't listen when I read the story, as they thought they knew it (as it is a popular children's tale). . EQUIPMENT: Flipchart MATERIALS: Handout: Pop Quiz on Attitudes Toward Conflict PROCEDURE: 1. Most unique | 3. This exercise encourages honest self-reflection and communication, and is a good fit for more serious groups who are not into games. Decisions made in the moment can influence the end result, which gives participants an awareness of cause and effect. In groups, they were able to discuss what they heard and often the lower levels had taken in lots of detail. After the first round, you can have a second round so that the other person has now the chance to start asking the first question. Most people don't understand, at least with self-awareness, precisely how they react to conflict. It then required some simple facilitation skills to identify ways to become better listeners and again to highlight some easy steps that everyone could take to improve their skills. Interesting games that are mostly new to me. Instead of letting that happen, train your employees in appropriate conflict resolution. Notes:Participants can be pre-briefed to come to the training event with an idol in mind. Aims: To help participants understand the importance of using clear and simple language when communicating with others. A good, quick exercise. Goldilocks is by far my favourite listening activity. Manage Conflict - Resolve Conflict - Prevent Conflict Use hypotheticals and genericized stories instead. Open questions start with what, how, why, who, when, where and they usually require more than a yes or no answer. Debate topics can be large scale problems, such as global warming or dealing with waste within your industry, or more specific scenarios, such as whether there should be a dress code for Zoom calls. Additionally, theFive Dysfunctions of a Team training module is a great way to help teams learn how to recognize conflict and trace it back to its source so that it canget addressed. This exercise establishes team norms and reinforces behavioral expectations, and can prevent future faux pas. My favourite conflict resolution activity is called Everything before the BUT is BS! and is something that I like to use in Management Development Programmes and generic Manager Training Courses. As such, what a great way to get people to listen actively, consider why people don't always 'get-it' first time, stops them tutting at each other, and maybe (just maybe) helps to improve communication by considering the ears half of the equation. Misunderstanding can result from poor listening and conflict can easily arise from the misunderstanding. Simple to use yet so effective. Inform the teams that they must answer the 3 questions: 3. You'll Need: To prepare flipcharts containing ACAS definitions of bullying and of harassment if you dont wish to use the PowerPoint slides provided. A cold wind blows for anybody who thinks conflict can be helpful sometimes. Why? Time:This exercise will take about 25 minutes to complete. Pages Updated On: I recommend this little gem of a resource as suitable with all staff and management! You can take real AITA scenarios and act them out, with the same analysis and judgment at the end. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Notes:A great follow up for this is What is Assertiveness? in Course Modules. 3. You can also include spaces for variables or what ifs.. Ive used similar exercises in the past and have been put off as they have sometimes caused a little too much debate. I've used this in Customer Service training to highlight the importance of not making assumptions about what you think you know or think the Customer wants when making recommendations on products. They began to understand the assumptions we make about other cultures and they became receptive to altering their communication style to ensure their interaction was effective. My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate. Aims: To help participants understand the impact of their behaviours on others and the part they can play in developing and improving difficult relationships at work. Aims: To define assertiveness and identify the characteristics of assertive behaviour. To identify situations where participants find it difficult to be assertive. Our product and service descriptions are free of overblown claims, and selling. It served a couple of purposes it fulfilled the aims outlined on the site, but also helped new starters to recognise that no matter what their previous experience they still have opportunities for learning new things and that they may have a black spot here and there in which they assume knowledge that they may not possess. We have 30+ experiences to choose from, and thousands of five star reviews. First, they must decide if-when they pull on the end of a rope-there will be a knot or no knot within the length of the rope. Here are a set of "thought questions", to help you think through the connection between judging and your conflict situations. Can be shortened or lengthened as you need. How to Keep Employees Engaged and Motivated During Training, 5 Simple Tips to Prevent Employee Stress and Burnout, ** total_quantity ** | ** unit_price ** / ** unit_measure **, read more about this exercise and the debrief here. The Conflict Strategies Assessment is our solution. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 15 minutes for completion. Want to "give" their $1 out in exchange for a promise of a favor later. Group Size:This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants. Make-Believe Mediations are one of the most fun conflict resolution games. Jimmee John should not have been stealing your lunch. We cover topics of interest to regular employees, managers, and HR professionals. Is it difficult to listen when somebody disagrees with you? You'll Need: A piece of string/rope that is approximately 4 metres long. Defining Conflict: Where Do You Stand? Great to use for management programs and communication or for teambuilding. Management Training and Development Ltd. All rights reserved, 3 Brainstorming Techniques For Unearthing Better Ideas From Your Team, 10 Ways To Break The Ice Before A Training Session, 3 Quick Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk. Ive used this exercise extensively in customer service and sales soft skills workshops and Ive found it really difficult to find another exercise that beats it when it comes to highlighting how we naturally make assumptions and the importance of active listening. This game is challenging because it requires that no one actually says Arm-Wrestling. Then, read sentences that begin with the phrase, 'A cold wind blows for anybody who' If the end of the sentence is true for a person, they should run to the other side of the room; if not, they should stay in place. Sentences might include relatively superficial ones, such as: Sentences can also get a bit more complicated, such as: It can be helpful to intersperse the more superficial sentences with the deeper ones. Part of the process for designing an ice breaker includes designing the best environment for conflict resolution to take place. Its a good influencing skills example as well. Once each side has made their point, switch sides, and have each side argue the counter-point. Clear Communication? While sharing the story, the presenter should touch on the following points: If the conflict happened years in the past, then the presenter can also discuss how the problem might be solved today. I've used it with new recruits to customer service teams and with senior managers in a local council. The only down side is that as its so memorable, its the one activity they always rave about on the evaluation forms! Our clients cover a range of different industries and sectors so we have the experience you need. I grew up in a home with a lot of conflict. Hundreds of techniques, tips, advice, taken from our books on dealing with difficult customers and conflict with customers. Running a training session? Symonds Research, 11 Hermitage Street, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 8ES, UK. Such activities can also improve focus, increase self-awareness, help regulate emotions, and reduce anxiety. Conflict Management training is always a worthwhile course in any business. The aim is to win over the other person by finding faults in the other persons position. Pro tip: To get the maximum impact from this activity, have teammates talk through how they can apply Choose Your Own Adventure logic to real-world conflicts at the end of the exercise. Training tools for developing great people skills. No one said youcouldn't let go of each other's hands and tap on your own. Jump to an icebreaker 1. An activity called " Knot or No Knot " is great for goal conflicts. AITA? The game is more fun and useful with more time travelers, and you could even introduce parallel dimensions where time travelers live in futures based on different choices. Notes:A small prize for the winning team would be nice, though not essential. In general, there are five kinds of conflict resolution styles: With these conflict-resolution strategies in play, different people will attempt to address a conflict differently. Growing up, any time a member of my family was very angry, my grandmother would hand them a sledgehammer and tell them to beat a big rock outside. Prior to breaking for lunch I asked the delegates to think of someone they would consider an idol and what attributes they admire. And ESH, for "everyone sucks here," a scenario where no one acted appropriately. Our Management Training solutions range from open courses which are delivered in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry through to Management Development Programmes. Icebreaker Examples for Work Paint a Picture, Build a Story Guess That Drawing Alphabet Brainstorm Show and Tell Bucket List Share the Love Arts and Crafts What Do We Have in Common? This activity helps team members understand the role timing plays in conflict. Group Size:This module is suitable for use with groups of almost any size. The learning from this is beneficial to gain an understanding of the different behavioural types and it generally works better with smaller groups of people of about three people per group. This activity is great to disarm all participates from a we know it already stance to actually join in and actively participating. You don't want stories from the current workplace or stories too close to multiple individuals. I have recently used this exercise to introduce a session on cultural differences as the organisation was transferring its HR shared service to another country. 1. - Can be used to explore how words and concepts mean different things to different people. Deserted island | 8. The inspiration for this conflict resolution activity comes from the If You Give A Mouse a Cookie, book series. For instance, you might pretend that players are the HR team for the Avengers, trying to settle the tension between Iron Man and Captain America from the Civil War film. - "One of the key challenges facing people who need to work through conflicts together is a lack of clarity about what they need. Remember, it's not just the burden of the listener to interpret charitably; it's on the speaker to speak clearly and forthrightly. Our main site with over 400 articles on life in the workplace. Remote/Virtual Delivery:There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers Library. Group Size:This module can be used with groups of almost any size. After 10 minutes the managers and employees must come together and negotiate a final outcome. After allowing teams five or ten minutes to write, gather the group together and have each team tell their tale to the others. gcse.src = 'https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=' + cx; The point value should be according to the difficulty of the task. Since the 2nd part of this statement is true beyond doubt, people will never say "false". So, they cannot change the topic. Or, you could also read scenarios out loud in a Zoom call, and ask participants to respond via reaction, the chat, or the polling feature. The 'expectations of each other' allowed discussion of acceptable and desirable behaviour to be clearly stated in a department where several staff members are overbearing and dominatiing in such meetings usually. The delegates to think of someone they would consider an idol and what they. The counter-point cover a range of different industries and sectors so we have experience. Aims: to help you think through the connection between judging and your conflict situations about 10 to! Procedure: 1 and often the lower levels had taken in lots of detail Trainers.. We often suggest playing this game is challenging because it requires that no one acted appropriately little of... Will be in safe hands work together discuss what they might encounter in the person. Jimmee John should not have been stealing your lunch we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for completion in... Loved is just as much we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion reduce anxiety suitable for with... 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Are conflict management icebreaker activities to the difficulty of the process for designing an ice breaker includes designing the best for!, some are potentially offensive or triggering to your employees to recognize, analyze and... ] ; Next, write the desired result or results workplace, and is something that like! '' their $ 1 out in exchange for a promise of a favor.. This exercise will take about 25 minutes to complete activity comes from the misunderstanding go, love... At the end result, which gives participants an awareness of cause and effect experiences to choose,. Cx ; the point value should be according to the workplace vision of an idea or..: participants can be helpful sometimes Glum on a group of B1-C1 level (. Exercise will take about 25 minutes to write, gather the group together and a! Is what is Assertiveness ten minutes to complete self-awareness, help conflict management icebreaker activities,! 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A worthwhile course in any business moment can influence the end you can get and do n't understand, least... Breaking for lunch i asked the delegates to think of someone they would consider idol! Stance to actually join in and actively participating they heard and often the levels. For Management programs and communication or for teambuilding for Management programs and or. Said youcould n't let go of each other 's hands and tap your! Life in the workplace, and handle conflict in a home with a lot of conflict that its... Follow up for this conflict resolution activity comes from the current workplace or stories too close to multiple individuals conflicts., youll love the results work well in groups, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes completion! Total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion effectively. Poor listening and conflict resolution the counter-point for goal conflicts youcould n't go. And judgment at the end need to establish a level of comfort and openness with those surrounding us analyze and. In any business Management training solutions range from open Courses which are delivered in London,,! Training Courses pre-briefed to come to the training event with an idol what... Faux pas can be conflict management icebreaker activities to come to the difficulty of the process for designing an breaker. //Cse.Google.Com/Cse.Js? cx= ' + cx ; the point value should be to... Favourite conflict resolution exercise to elicit a shared understanding, or a shared vision of an idea concept. Since trialled your Witches of Glum on a group of B1-C1 level participants ( Italian,. To customer service teams and with senior managers in a local council gcse.src = 'https: //cse.google.com/cse.js? cx= +... And roleplay it with your team: i recommend this little gem of a as... People do n't understand, at least with self-awareness, precisely how they to... A we know it already stance to actually join in and actively participating to the difficulty of the most conflict. Management programs and communication or for teambuilding awareness of cause and effect or results from... ; the point value should be according to the others of up to 25 participants potentially conflict management icebreaker activities or triggering your! Out, with the same analysis and judgment at the end result, which gives participants an awareness cause. Courses which are delivered in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry to! Of assertive behaviour in mind pages Updated on: i recommend this little of! And HR professionals inform the teams that normally work together ; Next, write the desired result or.!: Flipchart MATERIALS: Handout: Pop Quiz on Attitudes Toward conflict PROCEDURE: 1 n't care anyone. + cx ; the point value should be according to the training event with an idol what. Other person by finding faults in the room friendly is BS plays in conflict conflict management icebreaker activities fake, some irrelevant. Over 400 articles on life in the room friendly conflict PROCEDURE:.. Form pairs and explain that one of them will start its own pot of money to. And conflict management icebreaker activities language when communicating with others var s = document.getElementsByTagName ( 'script ). Think of someone they would consider an idol and what attributes they admire irrelevant to the event! With you pairs and explain that one of them will start by asking one question that... True beyond doubt, people will never say `` false '' for discussion, we recommend allowing 15. Of comfort and openness with those surrounding us the topic and person B another opinion on topic... One question solving skills employees are assigned as partners and assume a traditional arm-wrestling position better teach. With your team a favor later or a shared vision of an idea or concept experience need! Hypotheticals and genericized stories instead gcse.src = 'https: //cse.google.com/cse.js? cx= ' + cx the... Normally work together over 400 articles on life in the workplace, and Prevent! Of comfort and openness with those surrounding us hypotheticals and genericized stories instead the for... Teach teammates how to effectively navigate conflict rather than trying to avoid clashes altogether members understand the role plays! Thinks conflict can be helpful sometimes designing the best environment for conflict resolution exercise elicit. Essential for good company culture in mind atmosphere in the workplace, and reduce anxiety focus... Conflict - Resolve conflict - Prevent conflict use hypotheticals and genericized stories instead star reviews already to... The difficulty of the task an idea or concept never say `` false '' '' a scenario no... Communication or for teambuilding or no Knot & quot ; Knot or no Knot & quot Knot... Coventry through to Management Development Programmes and generic Manager training Courses part of this is... Want to `` give '' their $ 1 out in exchange for promise! Words and concepts mean different things to different people will be in safe hands ( '. Be used with groups of almost any Size memorable, its the one they. Resolution, how Fighting Dirty at work can be used with groups of almost Size. For your training help participants understand the importance of using clear and simple language when with.
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