Barry Winbolt MSc.(Tr) – How to Manage Conflict

Conflict is inevitable. It is a fact of life and most people are afraid of it. But you don’t have to be. Conflicts grow out of disagreement, or simply difference. This course will give you all you need to prevent or manage conflict, whether it involves you directly, or other people.

“I really enjoyed this course. I now have a much better and more confident understanding of how to manage conflicts than I did when I began the course. Highly recommended for anyone needing to know how to handle/manage conflict.” (former student Matt C.)

In personal relationships conflict does damage which is sometimes irreparable. It can turn simple disagreement into hurt and acrimony. Taken to the extreme, while conflict doesn’t cause telationship breakdown, it forces painful and destructive escalation which makes reasoned discussion impossible.

Conflict is also immensely costly to organisations, damaging to relationships and disastrous for productivity. It might be an argument between a line manager and a member of their team, a personality clash between colleagues or even a power dispute between different departments. Wherever it arises, conflict is a major cause of stress in the workplace and it can lead to long-standing grievances, factionalism and absenteeism.

Relationships are damaged

Personal and relationships can be seriously damaged for the want of the ideas and techniques covered by this course. It’s not so much “Do I need this course?” as, “Why wouldn’t I want the benefits of handling myself more calmly and confidently?”

Confident conflict resolution skills will set you apart. Being able to handle conflict effectively, whatever the situation, is an ability that will help you to build strong, constructive working relationships and improve the overall performance of your team, group or department.

Learn the tactics

This course features easily learned tactics, clearly explained by Barry Winbolt, a trainer and mediator, based on his 30 years’ experience of tackling workplace conflict in different settings and cultures, and of successfully training others to do the same.

In a series of engaging videos, he explains the pitfalls that cause conflict and the patterns that lead to escalation. He shows you how to avoid those frustrating cycles of argument and resistance. He then provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating positive outcomes through conversations that build trust rather than dividing people. He explains why early intervention is best, how to deftly handle disputes before they get out of control, and turn them into constructive conversations.

What to expect

By the end of this course, you’ll have a better understanding of conflict, which will reduce any uncertainty you may have in tackling it. It will place you ahead of the pack; positive conflict management skills are a key component of leadership.

This comprehensive course includes role-plays to demonstrate the main techniques. The 22 video lectures will give a better understanding of:

• Patterns of conflict and how it escalates
• A framework for handling conflict and disputes with confidence
• How to handle your own reactions so you stay in control
• How to stop a disagreement escalating into a dispute
• When and how to intervene in a dispute between others
• The key communication steps you need to resolve a conflict
• How to avoid confrontation and deadlock
• How to move from confrontation to constructive conversations.