# Conflict management

## How to use

Conflict appears to be an unavoidable part of any complex work setting. A manager leading a team in health and social care will inevitably have to deal with a situation of conflict at some stage. Jones and Brinkert (2008), who have worked in the field of mediation and coaching for many years, devised the Comprehensive Conflict Coaching model aimed specifically at resolving conflict. Their model forms the basis of this conflict management tool, which can be used to understand and resolve a situation where conflict has arisen.

Drawing on Jones and Brinkert’s model, the tool emphasises the key importance of communication in understanding conflict. It helps the people involved to explore the personal, relational and contextual issues, and supports them in clarifying a way forward. In this way the tool draws attention to the four basic building blocks of the fully rounded caring manger: personal awareness, team awareness, contextual awareness and goal awareness.

Work through the stages of the tool to develop understanding of the situation and to help the people involved work towards the best solution.

#### References

Jones, T.S. and Brinkert, R. (2008) Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Sage Publications.

Tip Remember as a manager you are trying to help the people involved in the conflict to find and work towards their own solution. Use this tool to ‘coach’ not to ‘manage’.