SD-102. Creatively Managing Crisis, Conflict, and Chaos

This 1-day group workshop is designed to help employees and managers realize that change can be both a danger and an opportunity for individuals, teams, and departments within any organization. An effective management system must provide group structure and processes for safely expressing fears and frustrations and for engaging a group grief process for letting go of the old situation and embracing the new.

OBJECTIVE: By teaching key concepts and encouraging dynamic role playing, employees and/or managers will have a chance to discuss the process of change, the 'inevitable' conflicts that arise as a result of change, and the challenge of team cooperation. All of this is accomplished 'in a safe, non-threatening environment.

OUTLINE:

1. Obstacles to managing organizational crisis and conflict can be overcome by

A. Recognizing the impact of organizational change.

B. Understanding how change and crisis creates stress and conflict.

C. Recognizing the dangers of individual and team isolation and insulation.

11. Tools and techniques for managing crisis and conflict:

A. Understanding the "4-F model" of loss and change.

B. Building a structure that allows members of the group to participate in time-limited, focused grief and change sessions.

C. Providing employee input on team decision-making and organizational direction.

111. Transforming chaos into cooperation:

A. Helping employees and managers better understand each other's stress, as well as their changing roles and responsibilities.

B. Introducing innovative ideas 'in a changing climate.

C. Transforming conflict into cooperation and consensus.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

1. Employees and/or managers will better understand each other's stresses and responsibilities and will have the skills and strategies for replacing destructive conflict with constructive dialog.

11. Participants will be more open to experimenting with new problem-solving structures, to embracing new people in the work unit, and to coping more effectively with personnel and procedural changes.