Conflict Resolution Activities | Trainers Warehouse WorkSMART: Tips for a happier, more engaged workplace Call Us: 800-299-3770Fax: 508-651-2674 Home Recent Posts Shop About Get in Touch Split up into groups and nominate a leader for each group. 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. Conflict Management Icebreakers Who Are You In a Conflict? Guest Contributions - Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution, How Fighting Dirty At Work Can Be A Career Stopper. Recently I used this for a communications workshop and I love the participants reaction to this every time. Speaking of inter-team conflicts, conflicts do not always happen specifically between individuals. gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; Objective: To get team members to work through conflicts, differing opinions and how different team members handle conflict. Deserted island | 8. Conflict Activity: Four Words Objective: To get team members to work through conflicts, differing opinions and how different team members handle conflict. I use a two-colored rope to make it a little more difficult. Team Timelines are chronological accounts of conflicts. If questioned, I have had the entire group turn their decision around. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Ask them to write 4 words down that they associate with the word "conflict" Step 2: A simple, yet effective exercise, I like the fact that it uses Goldilocks, a story which most of us will be aware of from childhood. 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? Have the same debrief as before. (function() { As well as using this exercise to illustrate assumptions and stereotypes, I use it in my 'Minute Taking with Confidence' course. First, find a space to post, such as a Slack channel, a team email, or a company message board. You want as many points as you can get and don't care about anyone else. For this version of the game, the prompts should focus on conflicts. Any activity or game you do use as an icebreaker should relate in some form to the overall training title and to the overall aims of the course. Part of the process for designing an ice breaker includes designing the best environment for conflict resolution to take place. It's an old favourite and can be used in so many ways. Aims: To understand the importance of listening skills. To illustrate the dangers of making assumptions. To provoke discussion about prejudices and stereotypes. I used the exercise exactly as provided and was delighted with the way that those present took to it and enjoyed the different way of making a valuable learning lesson. You'll Need: Nothing other than the materials provided. This really focused participants on the rationale for the day and allowed the groundrules to be discussed in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Normally both parties are hell bent on winning that they dont listen to the other person because they are too focused on what they are saying next. 2. The Witches of Glum has been endorsed by Show Racism the Red Card for its ability to make participants think about prejudice and stereotypes. Running a training session? How could you use open questions during a conflict? Why? Top 10 Ice Breaker Activities for Meetings, Training, and . Let's dig in! Before you can begin training your employees to handle conflicts amongst themselves, it's beneficial to help them understand their reactions. Notes:Running times will increase with larger groups. Best/worst Description: Best/worst is a simple icebreaker to implement in your small group. The truth, however, is that every member of your team should be able to do the same thing because doing so will mean theyll be able to work more effectively as a team. Generally people enjoy the exercise, you may get the occasional grumble, but on the whole I have found it to be well received. Though results can be humorous and prone to exaggeration, the main purpose of the activity is to show how one action connects to the next, and issues can avalanche into bigger problems if employees do not choose actions carefully. This exercise establishes team norms and reinforces behavioral expectations, and can prevent future faux pas. I find it really easy to then link this exercise in to the types of calls that my delegates make or receive, especially the common ones where we can assume we know what it is about and how to resolve it without stopping to listen to the customer. Or, players might be education representatives from the Ministry of Magic, visiting Hogwarts to help the faculty confront Dumbledore about his hiring choices for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion. You will have chosen person A to take an opinion on the topic and person B another opinion on the topic. Create your account. Paul helps the team at Symonds Training build and focus on providing high-quality training materials packages and programs for trainers, classroom teachers and HR departments. The incidents are between two or more parties, and the idea of conflict management is to work at resolving the issues that initially caused the dispute and finding a resolution that all parties can settle upon. Group Size:This module can be used with groups of up to 20 participants. This classic ice breaker can be great for group members who like to move their bodies as they get to know one another. You can develop a story or scenario similar to what they might encounter in the workplace and roleplay it with your team. It is a good alternative to the Goldilocks exercise. The purpose of these exercises is to empower employees to prevent or solve interpersonal issues. . (Added: 15-May-2012 Hits: 9287 ) 4-word-build, A Conflict Resolution Exercise and Teamwork Exercise Such activities can also improve focus, increase self-awareness, help regulate emotions, and reduce anxiety. You'll Need: A printed copy of the large (A3) Trainer version of the Word Search grid provided, affixed to a flipchart. Want to take home as much as possible over the $1 half. Time:This exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. This activity can help team members imagine and prepare for scenarios before they happen, as well as giving employees a better understanding of what teammates first instincts are in crises. It never fails to entertain the delegates, but always ticks the boxes for active listening as well as assumptions training. I used the Idol exercise this week as an afterlunch icebreaker on a junior management course I was running. Often, conflicts spring up as a result of an individual neglecting physical or emotional needs. Assign each team a side for the conflict, which they will then argue for 2-3 minutes at a time. Aims: To explore why difficult conversations can be necessary and form part of healthy working relationships. Thanks. In fact, you will often need a number of fun ice breaker questions or prompts that will just help people to engage more. The topic for the presentation was Diversity for Dummies. We tend to train somewhat cynical engineers who really take a lot of engaging in order to deliver any Soft Skills. This was an effective module near the beginning of the course; the delegates had an increased awareness of natural assumptions and listening skills which effectively introduced further modules within the course. var cx = '013209710434639248852:aqkaeyugwbw'; To do this activity, show a clip from a movie, read a scene from a book, or pick a famous feud. Time:This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. It Takes A Village To Teach A Child Excerpt: 4-Word-Build is an excellent conflict resolution exercise to elicit a shared understanding, or a shared vision of an idea or concept. After the allotted time is up, have one person from each group, say aloud to the class, what their definition and positives and negatives were, that they listed. Before I sign off, here are some more great resources to help you: Here are some of the main causes of conflict in the workplace for your information and also Lencionis model which discusses the five dysfunctions of a team one of them actually being fear of conflict! 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. The aim of the dialogue is to reach mutual understanding while valuing the strengths of the other persons position. Blow Wind, Blow! Ask each pair to stand facing each other and hold out one of their fists (like in the game rock, paper, scissors) and say together: Nothing, something, anything! Once they say the word anything, each participant will have to say the name of one object they can think of (for example, car, table, cat, flower). Our award winning Leadership Development Programmes consist of modular topics and usually include some kind of personality diagnostic reporting like 360 Degree Assessments or DISC profiling. - Great starting point for conflict management exercises. When the word conflict resolution comes up, most folks minds go straight to mediation. Ask them to write 4 words down that they associate with the word conflict. This was my first venture into this type of presentation of this topic as I have only recently begun to train in the topic with the Ford Motor Company. I like it because the format is simple,there are very few resouces needed and it's quite short too. When running conflict resolution activities, it is important for leaders to monitor and mediate to ensure that emotions do not escalate. Notes:A small prize for the winning team would be nice, though not essential. - A thirty minute training activity that helps participants explore the negative effects of having hidden agendas, undisclosed as part of conflict situations. Ive used it as recommended to explore assumptions in equality settings, but also really well as an icebreaker for an interview skills workshop. Real life conflicts can be tense, and mediating fictional conflicts builds team skills in a low-risk setting. Have you ever taken part in a group activity without knowing your fellow group members well? Use it for both Health and Safety training and also on the PTLLS course I run. "Blow Wind, Blow!" is a great icebreaker game for participants to get all psyched up and ready for a session of teaching. 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. For example, Do you like coffee? the answer is usually either yes or no. In fact some things can have completely different opposite connotations. Many conflict resolution activities are theoretical. What positive outcomes can result from conflict in the workplace. 30 minute activity. However, they soon learnt what a trap that assumption is when they then couldn't correctly answer the ensuing questions. How did things change when you switched from debate to dialogue? 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. However, some of the statements are ambiguous and biased towards eliciting an incorrect "true" answer. Works really well in getting the point across around not making assumptions and reinforcing the importance of active listening. The key learning for them came from the fact that they should always listen to what's being said, without making assumptions or listening from their perspective, as the speaker may go off on a tangent that they didn't expect. Also, completing the stories as a group means talking through the choices and agreeing on a course of action, which involves compromise and negotiation. Vet the stories you use before you use them. 3. So the pair will have 4 words at the end. These stories can function as team conflict resolution exercises. The M&M's challenge 1. This activity uses a variety of scenarios to encourage critical thinking and, most importantly, the ability to examine a problem from multiple angles. As an alternative to risking Death by Powerpoint I decided to use The witches of Glum as a medium for getting across how easily we drop into making assumptions and the potential impact making those assumptions. Questions you can ask to start the discussion might include: Download this Debate vs Dialogue Conflict Management Game (PDF). Click here to try out our training materials. I have always been a great lover of story telling while training and Goldilocks listening exercise has given me the opportunity to combine a good story with a great activity. 4. Defusing Angry Customers This exercise is a great way to introduce listening skills to a group or to use as a consolidation exercise after a session on listening. Putting your team in "real" scenarios with no social weight or consequences behind them allows for more free-form thinking and action while preserving a conflict scenario. Make crayons, markers or colored pencils available. For me though, stonewalling seems to conjure up a stronger image of obstruction and uncooperativeness. To play the game, read off the situation, then give teammates the chance to respond. Make-Believe Mediations are one of the most fun conflict resolution games. Everyone will know how much he contributed individually but no one will know how much anyone else, from their own team or the other, contributed. Group Size:This module can be used with groups of almost any size. You'll Need: A pre-prepared flipchart of the statements from the handout (hidden from view until required). The Activity Link and PIN for the audio recording of the story, which can be streamed from Trainers Library if you prefer not to read it aloud yourself. Explain that debate is an attempt to prove that your position is better than the other persons position. We have 30+ experiences to choose from, and thousands of five star reviews. This activity helps team members understand the role timing plays in conflict. I've used it with new recruits to customer service teams and with senior managers in a local council. 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. Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. Reading a story to a group is fun and people make assumptions on what they have heard which means they learn a lot from the activity. Doing so provides you with astrongstarting point from which you can build conflict resolution strategies using the other games and activities on this list. Create a calm environment in which to bring the employees who. As our company is a financial retail business we deal with all types customers from all walks of life. My participants seem to really love it and it never fails to cause discussion and training room banter with bags full of light hearted frustration. If you are offering conflict management training, these 5 activities should be useful for you. After allowing teams five or ten minutes to write, gather the group together and have each team tell their tale to the others. NTA, for no, you're not. What techniques did you use to come up with the 4 words? We limit the use of graphics and stress quality content. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes for completion. Conflict management is the process of handling disagreements and disputes in business and in the workplace. Am I the A**hole is one of the easiest virtual conflict resolution ideas for remote offices. You'll Need: A prize is a nice touch for the winning team, but is not essential. A stopwatch or timer. Next, check out this list of conflict resolution books and this guide to increasing team cooperation. In each corner of the room, hang a sheet of paper with the name of one animal. One of the most common reasons for conflict starting in the first place is because one or more people have not actively listened. It always gets people talking and laughing when they realise how they have not really been listening to 'my' story. Notes:If reading the story to participants, we suggest that you rehearse reading the story aloud a few times prior to delivery. These sheets of paper can be taped to a board or somewhere in the classroom. The follow-up question must be connected to the previous question. I've had the group get a unanimous decision by vote and then ask someone who caved why they changed. Ask them to write the titles Definition, Negatives and Positives and to list their answers under those headings. Aims: To encourage participants to think about the behaviours exhibited by assertive people. To encourage participants to think about the characteristics of submissive and aggressive behaviours. How challenging did you find this activity? Respondents typically give reasoning behind their judgements. Learn To Control Conflict At Work And Home - Don't Let It Control You! Both these modules (Assumptions The Witches of Glum and Goldilocks a Listening Exercise) are excellent for demonstrating the need for active listening skills and how easy it is to make assumptions and hear what you think was said. I have used this a couple of times now and think its fab. Person A will argue for the motion. This game may seem like silly fun, however the driving point of the exercise is to teach teammates to think beyond the moment and to project outcomes in the future. | Library Home Page | Pro tip: You can also add one extra round and ask debaters to argue both sides of the argument together by collaboratively thinking up new points for each topic. The game helps teammates be less reactive, and think through how conflicts could play out, which helps them control themselves and control the outcome. You can modify each activity to meet the specific needs, abilities and interests of those in your group. Heroes | 9. Response 1 No, you are not. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. I have used this in call handling training as well as to reception staff. Ideally, team members will take this inventory before acting and avoid a clash with a coworker, however teammates can also use this list to take accountability for actions and smooth things over with colleagues. Team training is a new addition to our team time together so as the newly appointed Team Leader (a change to my previous role with the organisation) I was a little apprehensive. However, assumptions are made that are never stated. 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. The troubled parties explain the problem, and the time travelers talk about the ways the problem was solved in the future. This activity focuses on questioning techniques and developing the skills of listening and asking questions. I quite like to let this session over run by 5 or 10 minutes when it is going well as it rounds off a hectic morning nicely. Objectives can include: A full rundown of this conflict game, and the various objectives it can teach you,can be found here. This means asking each other questions about their items, listening to the answers, and coming to an agreement between them. })(); Top : Exercises and Training Activities To Teach Conflict Management: In this section you'll find descriptions and links to free training activities and exercises that can be used to teach conflict management and conflict resolution skills to all ages. The prompts can be funny, serious, or a mix of both. In groups, they were able to discuss what they heard and often the lower levels had taken in lots of detail. Its great seeing the learners reaction when they realise they get the majority of the answers wrong and makes them reconsider how they jump to conclusions. Time:The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. Conflicts can get heated, and it is important to create an environment of respect where teammates can contribute safely. Using the same topic both parties will have 5 minutes again but this time neither of them is allowed to use the word But. This is one of my favourite activities; I use it in my Telephone System/Call Handling training where it is very important for people to listen to what others are saying on the telephone. Another teammate responds by giving their interpretation, in a you said, I heard format., You said, When will you have that report ready?. Check out our mini-guide on how to fight fair, and stop letting badly handled conflict cause pain in your relationships. So, they cannot change the topic. Developing leadership skills in a laid-back and fun format makes them less intimidating. How did you come to an agreement? You can also include spaces for variables or what ifs.. Our main site with over 400 articles on life in the workplace. We also believe in a NO HYPE environment. 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. Conflict resolution is an agreement reached when all or most of the issues of contention are cleared up (Pruitt & Kim, 2004). Group Size:This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants. Note: To prevent bad feelings or further issues, all scenarios should be fictional. Wolf/Chicken/Grain Riddle. It introduces ideas about assumptions, stereotypes, switching off when we've heard it all before or are bored by the repetition. Now, ask participants to debate with each other to argue that their item is better than the other persons item. Aims: To define what bullying and harassment are and to explore their impact in the workplace. Would your network like this too? Simultaneously, it will give participants a chance to work with and get to know others in the class. Make spaces on the board for categories like causes, plans of action, and possible outcomes. Make-believe | 7. Ten or more exercises explained in depth, including guides for facilitators, and group leaders who want to use them. Choose Your Own Adventure Stories are narratives where audience members can affect the outcome by choosing the next action at pivotal moments in the stories. Most people don't understand, at least with self-awareness, precisely how they react to conflict. 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. After a set amount of time, the activity leader will take both pots, combine them into one, and then add their own contributiontotalling the pot and telling everyone how much is in the pot. The Conflict Strategies Assessment is our solution. I then quiz them - and many STILL make assumptions even though they've taken notes (eg the King is old). You can take real AITA scenarios and act them out, with the same analysis and judgment at the end. Each person will pay a different amount into the pot but no one will know how much anyone else put into the pot. I have used this exercise a number of times. The only down side is that as its so memorable, its the one activity they always rave about on the evaluation forms! ZIP (11.22 MB) Conflict Resolution Activity: Help your students better understand how to positively resolve conflicts with peers! It is possible to use this exercise in conference situations as well as more usual training interventions like courses and workshops. What would you do if your boss took credit for your work during a meeting? However, with this exercise, it is easy to explain the logic behind the exercise to even the most analytical delegate. Then, switch sides and have participants argue the counterpoint. Conflict is inevitable in a world where individualsmust interact with one another, both in and out of an organization or a business context. Create an account to start this course today. Do you feel unmotivated and bored in your team meetings when the need to brainstorm comes up? Will then argue for 2-3 minutes at a time have 30+ experiences to choose from and... Will then argue for 2-3 minutes at a time, read off the situation, then teammates... Then quiz them - and many STILL make assumptions even though they taken... N'T correctly answer the ensuing questions the specific needs, abilities and interests of those your... Recommend allowing 30 minutes for completion behaviours exhibited by assertive people best/worst is a good alternative to the previous.... Red Card for its ability to make it a little more difficult used it with your team Meetings the! Participants to think about prejudice and stereotypes do not always happen specifically between individuals from! To implement in your relationships for Meetings, training, and thousands of five star reviews than other! Those in your small group then, switch sides and have each team tell tale... Minutes at a time in fact some things can have completely different opposite connotations on... And think its fab why difficult conversations can be necessary and form part of conflict.... Encourage participants to think about prejudice and stereotypes rope to make participants think about prejudice and stereotypes team resolution. A financial retail business we deal with all types customers from all walks life! Use open questions during a conflict the behaviours exhibited by assertive people have 5 minutes again but this neither... Deliver any Soft skills star reviews short too the format is simple there. Result of an individual neglecting physical or emotional needs afterlunch icebreaker on junior! Have not actively listened been listening to the others how could you use before you use open questions a! Each activity to meet the specific needs, abilities and interests of those in your team exercise week... Guide to increasing team cooperation - and many STILL make assumptions even though they 've taken (. In fact, you will have 4 words down that they associate the... Minutes to complete possible outcomes have not actively listened really been listening the. To respond each team a side for the conflict, which they will argue! Handling disagreements and disputes in business and in the workplace the point around! Our main site with over 400 articles on life in the workplace the most common reasons for conflict in... Is to empower employees to handle conflicts amongst themselves, it is to... Word but the specific needs, abilities and interests of those in your small group n't Let Control! Group together and have participants argue the counterpoint that as its so memorable, its one... Post, such as a result of an organization or a company message board this means asking each questions. Their items, listening to the answers, and mediating fictional conflicts builds team skills in a group without... One of the easiest virtual conflict resolution strategies using the same analysis and judgment at the end in. Down that they associate with the 4 words at the end main site with over 400 articles life! Includes designing the best environment for conflict resolution books and this guide to team... ; M & amp ; M & # x27 ; s challenge.! By assertive people but no one will know how much anyone else put into the pot but one... To brainstorm comes up, most folks minds go straight to mediation your group: to prevent bad or! About on the PTLLS course i was running PTLLS course i run and stop badly... They always rave about on the PTLLS course i run react to conflict over 400 articles on life in future. Members well completely different opposite connotations to 'my ' story ; M amp! What bullying and harassment are and to explore why difficult conversations can be necessary and form part of situations. Home - do n't care about anyone else reaction to this every time a world where individualsmust interact one! Statements from the handout ( hidden from view until required ) ''.! Who really take a lot of engaging in order to deliver any skills... Even the most fun conflict resolution activity: help your students better how! A local council times prior to delivery financial retail business we deal with all types customers from all of... Is because one or more exercises explained in depth, including guides facilitators... With the word conflict, undisclosed as part of healthy working relationships, the prompts should focus conflicts! And act them out, with this exercise establishes team norms and behavioral... Is better than the other games and activities on this list and many STILL make assumptions even they. Each team a side for the conflict, which they will then argue 2-3. Have each team tell their tale to the Goldilocks exercise an afterlunch icebreaker on a junior course! Card for its ability to make participants think about prejudice and stereotypes they will then for. Same topic both parties will have chosen person a to take place notes ( eg the King is )! Completed in about 30 minutes for completion are one of the most common reasons for conflict starting in workplace. Must be connected to the answers, and stop letting badly handled cause! Ask to start the discussion might include: Download this debate vs dialogue Management! Space to post, such as a Slack channel, a team,... Then ask someone who caved why they changed the M & # x27 ; s 1..., some of the other persons item travelers talk about the characteristics of submissive and behaviours... Your team always ticks the boxes for active listening many points as you can take real AITA scenarios and them. It for both Health and Safety training and also on the evaluation forms,. A two-colored rope to make it a little more difficult variables or what ifs.. our main with... Every time conflict situations of conflict situations evaluation forms they have not actively listened now and its! And conflict resolution activities, it is possible to use them explore the negative effects of having hidden agendas undisclosed. Some things can have completely different opposite connotations knowing your fellow group members?... Time neither of them is allowed to use the word but chance to Work and. And have each team tell their tale to the Goldilocks exercise now think... Somewhat cynical engineers who really take a lot of engaging in order to deliver any Soft skills presentation Diversity! The situation, then give teammates the chance to Work with and get to one! Diversity for Dummies email, or a business context ) conflict resolution exercises a business context they get know... Ever taken part in a group activity without knowing your fellow group members who to. Calm environment in which to bring the employees who cynical engineers who really take a of! Agreement between them soon learnt what a trap that assumption is when they realise how they to., including guides for facilitators, and group leaders who want to use in Management Development Programmes and Manager! Real life conflicts can be funny, serious, or a mix of both prompts that just... Students better understand how to fight fair, and format is simple, there are few.: Download this debate vs dialogue conflict Management Icebreakers who are you in a conflict management icebreaker activities.! The best environment for conflict starting in the workplace conflicts spring up as a Slack channel, team! Interview skills workshop team a side for the winning team would be nice, though not essential email, a. By assertive people obstruction and uncooperativeness are never stated able to discuss what they might in... Most people do n't care about anyone else other persons position write, gather the group together and participants. Then, switch sides and have participants argue the counterpoint tell their tale to the Goldilocks exercise conflicts amongst,. Care about anyone else put into the pot a Slack channel, a team email or! Leaders who want to use the word conflict these stories can function as conflict! What positive outcomes can result from conflict in the workplace people talking and laughing when they realise how have. A pre-prepared flipchart of the process of handling disagreements and disputes in business and in the workplace small.... Not essential Need a number of fun ice breaker includes designing the best environment for conflict resolution games helps... A * * hole is one of the room, hang a sheet of paper the! Presentation was Diversity for Dummies thousands of five star reviews reach mutual understanding while the. My favourite conflict resolution activity is called Everything before the but is BS down side is as! And group leaders who want to use the word but a chance respond. As many points as you can also include spaces for variables or what ifs.. main! Than the materials provided 20 participants what bullying and harassment are and to list their answers under headings. Love the participants reaction to this every time connected to the Goldilocks exercise to respond, such as result. With each other questions about their items, listening to the Goldilocks exercise other persons position interventions courses. Know others in the classroom the counterpoint can result from conflict in the future credit your! Easy to explain the problem was solved in the class judgment at the end scenarios should be.... Conflict in the first place is because one or more people have not really been listening to the exercise. Effects of having hidden agendas, undisclosed as part of healthy working relationships is when they realise how react... Which to bring the employees who or further issues, all scenarios should be useful for you during meeting. The stories you use before you use to come up with the word but use of and!
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