1. a map (i.e., route options, way points, and where to find helpful resources);
2. funds to pay for resources, say, for example, lawyer, training, consultant, staff, or to buy a coffee to engage a sympathetic ear;
3. ability, energy and competency to handle the issue; and,
4. means of addressing risk (e.g., of doing anything… or nothing at all).

Ugh.  Really?  Do you think about needing all of that?  Not likely.  Most don’t. No one, not even the most proficient specialists, can see the whole of the forest when standing in the middle of the trees.   What we do is react: we try something, we do something, we feel something.

Savvy conflict managers (okay, and wise folks) know that much of our reacting is unhelpful.  Rather, they are skilled in, and know how, to respond.  They get calm, they take time or space to think.  Then they strategize, analyze and consider.  And, when they finally act, they do so adapting and learning along the way.  They draw on available resources to form an effective, safe and swift map and make real progress and see sustained resolution in the end.

REAL solutions prevent escalation, expense, and risk… hence our REAL values, that signal how we work in connecting people, teams and organizations back together (or building them strong in the first place): we work with people who recognize strength, opportunity and resources in their current state, engage and adapt with them as they go forward and learn to overcome challenges and barriers along the way.

Is that you?

Stepping along and into a conflict-free groove has turned out to be a repeatable and simple cycle.  I have found it works in any dark situation in need of resolution: look, think, and act.   That question, “what the heck am I doing here?” engaged me from the start… I was sensitive, vulnerable, doubtful and needed the answers and change… but I wasn’t blinded by frustration nor defensive.   People in conflict tend to be all of that and those of us trained to help shed light on the possibilities of a good next step toward answers and change.

How do they do that?  Let me go back to those school days… I was in a dark period, but a “how heck can I do this” question was the start out of it.   This “start with a good question and chip away until you resolve it” process is called Action Research.  Many varieties of this approach exist and the name “action research” makes it sound formal, but this is how the simple look/think/act cycle worked for me (and works for me since):

Accept the challenge of a good question (like, “what the heck am I doing here?”).  This prompts the “LOOK” phase.  While it may not sound like a brilliant question, it hit a core value for me – and I needed answers.   Like many things in conflict management and crucial conversations, the simplest tools have great power and an almost magic ability to work.

Next, the time on my own (it was a residential session) gave me time to “THINK”.  By the end of the first in-class week, I had had many a-ha moments and had aligned what I had known with what I was learning along the way.  The answer became obvious and more questions surfaced, prompting me to look and think again.

Last, (after just a week or so) I settled on action.  I was deeply satisfied by my thinking and engaged, fully bought-in to my choice to go back to school, and my ‘fit’ in that particular program.  I was sure of the value of that choice, had changed and had moved on to the new questions that had surfaced.  The action research cycle began again.

This simple action and research cycle is a time-proven approach and a simple means of shifting from judgment to openness.   It can easily turn a top-down, power-based stuck organizational approach into one that involves learners, staff, leaders, clients and stakeholders in the action.  It works no matter where you are in an organization. Either very formal (e.g., in research settings) or informal, Action Research is a means of ensuring change management engagement: click on the image on the left to see a graphic on how the cycle works.  

Very different from the research done by academics in white lab coats, or recommended or implemented actions taken by high-power (high-paid) consultants, Action Research investments tend to really ‘stick’.  Stakeholders get behind change because desired action and learning take place because of them, simultaneously and quickly.

People don’t resist change – they resist being changed.

Key people influence all aspects of the process and at-hand, immediate, collaborative and eye-opening results motivate those involved, ensuring buy-in.  For me, learning the cycle help me stop judging and start asking questions of myself, my circumstances and my options – I have been amazed at the answers. My self-confidence has benefited tremendously.  The same happens for teams and organizations.  What was impossible is now something to “chip away at”, unravel and resolve.

Action Research has its limitations.  You cannot guarantee outcomes, because you don’t know the answers to the questions… but if you ask the right question, you will get outcomes that are satisfactory to all.  For example, “how can this be better?” may surface many different positions, opinions and options, but a savvy and equipped conflict navigator will relish working with the responses to build a consensus and collaborative result.

Does it take (too much) time?  It can, if the process and fear of risk allows for dreaded analysis paralysis.  The answer?  Start with a less threatening question.

As a conflict management tool, Action Research is a powerful ally.  Its use helps support the view that leadership (at all levels) and change efforts are seen and felt as pro-active, and sustained.  Conflict management is recognized every step of the way. I’ve never seen a true action research project fail in its capacity to have all stakeholders see themselves making concrete progress.

Yes, there is a way to reach the light at the end of the tunnel!

The following is an actual outline of one of our successful Action Research consultation projects.  You can see the approach is inclusive.  This was a project focused on deep and sustainable organizational and cultural change.

The Situation

An organization and its leaders/employees deal chronically with similar or very costly grievances, conflicts and poor conduct situations.   Small issues were escalating to major ones.  The cost, time and workload were over-burdening leaders and staff at all levels.  Attrition levels were unacceptable.  Levels of trust and cooperation were low.

In addition to resolving specific and higher profile or strategic issues, they are looking to find simple and inexpensive means to improve existing systems of training, informing, rewarding and evaluating employee performance and competency: resolving many “foundational” issues for good.

Existing structures tend to be “silos” and are not sufficient to allow sharing and building knowledge about management of common concerns and long-known issues or resolve shared desire for change and innovation.

The Action Research Question

The right question (as is usual) was the first that surfaced: “How do we fix this on the cheap, without ‘fixing what isn’t broken’?  For this organization, success in answering this question required real progress against such criteria as:

• Address critical incidents
• Just in time – or through prevention!
• Information, support and resources to support improved competency/skill (training?)
• Accessibility
• Affordability

Action Research Participants/Members

• Members who find themselves regularly managing with issues within their organizations, communities
• Facilitated session focused dialogue, consultation and coaching (provided by REAL Solutions, Inc. – discounted according to use of any existing in-house resources)

Approach

Underlying Questions:

Are all organizational members affected?  Clients?

How to use the 80/20 rule effectively to support change and efficiency of this effort?

What are, and how common, chronic, severe are the issues?

Internal issues (organizational) or external (client, community) issues as priorities and motivation.

Can technology/networking/affiliates or partners fill the gaps within the current sharing and learning community?

Critical incident and action examples?

Knowledge management and sharing?

What are the simplest, best, most effective enhancements (small changes – HUGE results?)

Would it better to have available 3^rd party neutral or in-house trainers, coaches?

How satisfactory are current options, their accessibility, utility, reliability, efficiency, etc.?

What are existing, best used and reliable tools and resources in our existing conflict management toolbox/system?

This project was supported/sponsored by one key manager – by “starting where we are” and looking, thinking and acting through successive cycles of action research to shed light on small and sticky successes, the project eventually was embraced organization-wide.

Joan’s work and research with organizational and individual leaders, teams and managers has encompassed learning in or with organizations ranging in size from one to over 10,000.  Joan is an award winning facilitator, and – she is embarrassed and proud to admit – she has more than 25 years of experience in leadership, strategic issues and change management.

As a workshop facilitator and speaker, Joan has delivered highly regarded keynote presentations and interactive workshops for thousands of people.  Always interactive and including stories and lessons from a career and life on Coast Guard ships, in the Arctic, in conflict management and other ‘on the edge’ experiences across Canada, Joan provides “full-spectrum” management consulting. This includes executive and conflict coaching, training, team and project facilitation, conflict management system design and competency-based learning.

Her primary focus is in supporting leaders integrate change and organizational development efforts into consistent and systemic improvements in performance.

Joan continues to work with the Government of Canada, consulting with and providing conflict management support to individuals, teams and executives at Correctional Services Canada.  Her work in the public sector has taken her across the country, with 10 years at National levels, focused on project and program management for the Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans, and the evaluation of systems ranging from navigational aids (for shipping) to learning and survey coordination and management.  Her current activities provide interventions for correctional services staff across Ontario, in corporate, office, operational, health care and prison settings.

Joan obtained her Masters degree from Royal Roads University (Conflict Analysis and Management) and holds advanced certifications as a facilitator, mediator and coach.

Joan now lives (and gardens) in Kingston, Ontario, and is enjoying renovations of a beloved 160 year old limestone heritage townhouse with her husband and partner, Bruce.

Meet more of our Interns and Associates.

Here’s how it works… if you can’t figure out, or achieve, what you want, it’s probably because your needs aren’t being met. And if you can’t seem to get your needs met, it’s probably because your integrity is out/off of whack.  So, going in the other direction… if follows that when your integrity is strong, needs are easily met and when needs are met, one has very, very few wants.

REAL Decision Making Tool 1 (INW Model)
We warn you... while easy and powerful, this tool is deceptively simple!
Price: $0.00

Try it… and, if you’re ready for support, or want to provide feedback, please go to our contact page to get in touch.

How Does it Work?

This is a summary sheet of that thinking: that is to say, this “format” below is a ‘writing’ process that concludes the process of thinking about the questions the tool poses.  Do NOT rush through this (especially the first few times – it does take some time to become accustomed to thinking in this way).

For an easily printable .pdf version that you can save for use later (or with your dialogue partner!) use the following download:

REAL Dialogue Preparation Tool (.pdf)
An essential tool in the REAL easy series, this .pdf is a guide and template to print to help support preparation for a dialogue aimed at resolving any conflict. Answering the questions will prompt you to prepare and equip yourself for negotiation.
Price: $0.00

Why is this helpful?

The “Prep Tool” is beneficial because it will help you step back from any narrow or closed-minded thoughts that your emotional brain tends to lead you to.  Conflict navigation is much easier when you prepare for it by knowing where you’re going and what your interests are in getting there.  What are the values that draw you forward or that will be barriers to your progress?  What are the interests and values for the others who may be impacted?

For example, if you wish to use the computer on a certain night and time, a narrow thought is, “I want to use it, I deserve to use it, I feel entitled to use it”… while these things may be both valid and true, if the computer time is in any way controversial or you’ve had previous discussions around it that have been adversarial, you (or your discussion partner) may not get very far without seeing the discussion escalate into an emotional and/or “right-fighting” battle which can get really ugly, really fast.  Ugh!

A few things to remember:

While every dispute is as unique as the people involved, there are common elements to every conflict and common elements to how they are resolved.

The Prep Tool is easy to use to prepare for resolution – answering the questions thoughtfully will prompt you to think though what is critical to prepare proactively.

Try it… and, if you’re ready for support, or want to provide feedback, please go to our contact page to get in touch.

While, no doubt, there are people who seem to enjoy crisis and conflict, most people prefer peace and problem solving.  Where a sense of team is missing, and where organizational breakdown and a lack of collaboration is the prevalent organizational or team characteristic, the costs are many fold.   While we do go into this in other parts of our research, I can say just a few words that should transmit the severity of of the consequences of a toxic workplace: Risk.  Risk.  Risk, costly beyond measure.

While there may seem no easy fix for interpersonal issues, difficult employees, and team breakdown, the core sources of such workplace toxins are findable – and solvable. Any conflict management system – and chronic issues within them can be recognized, and quickly addressed.  No need for endless “they’re not from here” expert opinions on what’s gone wrong.  No lengthy needs assessment, analysis and costly reporting with recommendations that tend to raise more conflicts than they resolve.

‘Action research’, (see the post here) is effective, efficient, and low-risk.  Working with a coach, an organizational leader takes any investment available and turns it into effective, collaborative effort and alignment-building teamwork… even with toxic teams and teamplayers.  The concept makes it easy to separate the people from the problem… even when it may seem they ARE the problem.

Even in the war-zone of a toxic workplace, action research’s “take small steps to make BIG strides” approach is not then, itself, the light at the end of the tunnel, rather it is the means of taking a sure step – clearly – toward it.

The Conflict Management System (CMS) concept is that ‘reconnecting’ the dots (concrete working elements that help to provide information, resources and support for conflict management) within existing, and especially, dysfunctional organizations is short-term spectacularly cost-effective work needing little investment for big returns.  This almost magic key opens what organizational design and structures have seemed to have kept mysteriously locked away – trapped within nebulous concepts like “leadership”, “communication”, “collaboration” and “teamwork”.   Even better, the CMS key also opens up a toolbox which allows system and organizational restructuring and change that does not EVER require throwing out what is working to achieve system enhancements, savings, and “big, hairy audacious” improvements in how well and quickly issues get handled by anyone and everyone involved and affected by them.

The simple lesson is, if an organization’s conflict management system (CMS) is dysfunctional, then all of those things (“leadership”, “communication”, “collaboration” and “teamwork”) will be seen to be failing.   CMS design and development makes these organizational realities crystal clear.  They can be mapped, evaluated and enhanced with only small effort: no big change, no big cost, no big risk.  Wow.  Aha.

Many of the old-style Management Consultants or Coaches worked with a “my way or no way” approach or produced efforts, recommendations and activities that often threw earlier investments and advances away in favour of a trend of the day, or an already tried but tired approach that was known not to work.  These “throw the baby out with the bath water” projects and programs left organizations – from the top down to the employees who experience them – cynical, depressed and stuck.  No amount of training, promotion, or reward seemed to motivate real “sticky” lasting functional improvements.

Conflict Management “systems thinking” turns this around.

CMS Building Blocks

Systems thinking takes a close and evaluative, but integrative look at both the whole and the parts of a conflict management support system.  It gauges the inputs against results and takes the best of what an organization has and: ta-da! … leaves it in place – for now.  Systems work then makes very focused consultative and collaborative effort to help everyone see how solid and satisfying people, structures, programs, services and tools can be better – together – to influence, support, and partner to link, fit, and align together.  Finding or creating these areas of connection recognizes, engages, adapts and allows the system parts and people to learn, grow and be better recognized as small successful efforts that everyone can get behind.  People who no longer fit tend to quickly or eventually move on, while everyone else (forgive the metaphor!) gets into the same boat and rows together, in the same direction.  Voila!  Communication, collaboration, teamwork results.

The “go slow to go fast” approach means doing the right work when the opportunity arises: not a typical consultancy approach.  No “projects” that start/finish and blow over in a few months, letting the organization slide backward.  You need special kinds of consultants who are prepared to work with you.  For example, the REAL customizable solution integrates any organization’s specific business rules throughout the design process.  They work within the CMS and with its stakeholders to create a consistent standard of comfort and quality in the information, resources and support that simplifies the resolution of issues for leaders, employees and clients alike.  Small investments… the right time, the right place, the right people – and the change sticks.

Indeed, rewarding existing successes begins an improvement cycle that people – even the cynics – can buy into.  The  evolution of the system see changes are often small, but are so clearly improvements that everyone can get on board.  Individual and “silo” alignment break down and overall alignment improves.  Issues are more smoothly and collaboratively navigated.  Just being part of the process and such progress is reward in itself.   This “good” work of ICMS (integrated conflict management system) design builds, pushes and pulls morale, performance and results through the organization.

What’s not to like about that? 

See below for a graphic overview of ICMS Infrastructures.  Click on it to make it larger.

OCM System Overview Graphic

REAL solutions, Inc. is a team of conflict specialists and coaches.  We offer tools, information, resources and support for people, executives and organizations who are “in” conflict: our current and long list of clients are leaders, professionals, mentors and… other coaches.

We believe strongly in the processes that we know to work, but are clear they must work for and with you.  Our work is research and values based, focused on preventing, overcoming and resolving your most challenging “people” issues.  Look to our real solutions navigation options and services, here.

The REAL solutions, Inc. team is growing, supportive, evolving.  We Recognize.  Engage. Adapt. Learn. We welcome you.