Management Essentials
Webinar
Managing Relationships – Conflict and Negotiation
Agenda
Review of Topic
Independent Self-Reflection: Managing Relationships – Conflict and Negotiation
Independent Self-Reflection: Graduate Employers
Review of Apply Activities
Group Discussion: Conflict and Negotiation at Netflix
Group Research and Discussion: Conflict and Negotiation at Netflix
Recap and Questions
Next Steps
Topic Learning Outcomes
Identify types and sources of conflict in organisations
Assess conflict management strategies to resolve organisational conflict
Explain the nature and importance of negotiation
Apply negotiation skills effectively to reach a satisfying outcome
Managing Relationships –
Conflict and Negotiation
Leadership and conflict go hand-in-hand
Myatt (2012)
“Here’s the thing – leadership and conflict go hand-in-hand. Leadership is a full-contact sport and if
you cannot or will not address conflict in a healthy, productive fashion, you should not be in a
leadership role.
While you can try and avoid conflict (bad idea), you cannot escape conflict. The fact of the matter is
conflict in the workplace is unavoidable. It will find you whether you look for it or not.
The ability to recognise conflict, understand the nature of conflict, and to be able to bring swift and
just resolution to conflict will serve you well as a leader – the inability to do so may well be your
downfall.”
Group Think
Whetton and Cameron (2016)
Group Think:
A total lack of any tension
between competing perspectives
can foster a climate of
complacency which is dangerous
in a volatile and highly
competitive business
environment
What is conflict
CIPD Managing Conflict in the Modern Workplace Research (2020)
“There is a great deal of potential for individuals and groups to react differently to situations and
relationships in their workplace as a result of their different life experiences, backgrounds and
perspectives.”
Conflict around differing opinions on how to drive high levels of performance and/or creative thinking
is positive because it is likely to generate robust decision making.
But conflict that degenerates into personal attacks and/or behaviour that is unfair and unethical can
cause a great deal of distress and disruption to individuals, groups and even within the wider
organisation.
The duality of conflict
Whetton and Kim Cameron (2016)
Conflict is to be
expected as part of
organisational life and
can sometimes be
necessary to achieve
high levels of
performance
But it can be draining
and very timeconsuming,
particularly if a
manager or leader
lacks the necessary
competence to deal
with it effectively
The nature of workplace conflict
CIPD Managing Conflict in the Modern Workplace Research (2020)
The nature of workplace conflict
CIPD Managing Conflict in the Modern Workplace Research (2020)
Strategies for managing conflict
Eisenhardt, Kahwajy and Bourgeois III (1997)
Work with
more rather
than less
information
Develop
multiple
alternatives
to enrich
debate
Establish
common
goals
Make an
effort to
inject
humour into
the
workplace
Maintain a
balanced
corporate
power
structure
Resolve
issues
without
forcing a
consensus
Strategies for managing conflict within virtual teams
Greer (2014)
Organise a face-to-face
team building event when
launching a new virtual
team to enable the team
to understand their
context, bond with each
other and establish their
modius operandi
Match team members with
appropriate tasks Set clear goals Create teamwide rewards Be patient when solving issues
Strategies for managing conflict within global teams
Hinds (2014)
Ensure that team
members do not feel
that they are
competing for their
jobs with colleagues
in other countries
Ensure that teams
have a shared sense
of identity
Ensure that teams
share a similar context
or at least have an
understanding and
acceptance of their
contextual differences
Ensure that the teams
have plenty of
opportunity for
informal and
unplanned
communication
Five Conflict Management Approaches
Whetton & Cameron (2016)
Strategies for negotiation
Kenton (2020)
“A negotiation is a strategic discussion that resolves an issue in a way that both parties
find acceptable. In a negotiation, each party tries to persuade the other to agree with his or
her point of view. By negotiating, all involved parties try to avoid arguing but agree to reach
some form of compromise.”
Negotiations involve some give and take, which means one party will always come out on
top of the negotiation. The other, though, must concede—even if that concession is
nominal.
Two distinctive negotiation types
Negotiation Experts (2020)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
10 Minute Break
Activity: Managing Relationships – Conflict and Negotiation
Independent Self Reflection Activity: 15 minutes
Go back to the psychometric questionnaire you were asked to
complete to assess your current conflict management and negotiation
skills.
Available at:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/tests/career/negotiation-skills-test
• What are your top three areas of development and what do you plan
to do to address these during your programme with BPP?
• Why is it important for you to improve your ability to manage
conflict and (skill/behaviour)?
• Why is it important for managers to work on their ability to handle
conflict and negotiations in a positive manner?
Knowledge
Skills
Behaviours
Activity: Graduate Employers
Independent Self-Reflection Activity: 15 minutes
How could you provide a strong answer to the following problemsolving and decision making competency-based interview questions:
How do you typically deal with conflict?
How do you typically handle suggestions for improvement and/or
critical evaluations from those with whom you disagree?
What would you do if a colleague was deliberately undermining the
success of a project?
Knowledge
Skills
Behaviours
15 Minute Break
Review of Apply Activities
Case Study
Conflict and Negotiation at Netflix
Group Discussion: 45 Minutes
Which of Netflix’s ‘Real Values’ reflect Reed Hasting’s and his management teams’
approach to conflict and negotiation within their management practice?
How might potential employees from different cultures react to Netflix’s approach to
conflict and negotiation in the way it conducts its business both internally and
externally?
To what extent do you agree with the manner in which Netflix is disrupting the film
industry?
What is the potential impact of how Netflix managers measure job performance in terms
of promoting high levels of employee engagement and organisational performance?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Case Study
Conflict and Negotiation at Netflix
Group Research and Discussion: 45 Minutes
What are likely to be the typical sources of conflict within Netflix’s internal and external
environments?
To what extent to you agree with Netflix’s approach to negotiation within the global film
industry?
Would Netflix’s approach to conflict management and negotiation bring out the best in you
in that environment? Why? Why not?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
References
Eisenhardt, K. M., Kahwajy, J. L. and Bourgeois III, L. J. (1997) ‘How Management Teams Can Have a Good
Fight’, Harvard Business Review, 75(4), pp. 77–85.
Greer, L. (2014I Why Virtual Teams Have More Conflict. Stanford Buiness Graduate School.
Available at: https://stanford.io/1uHSHP5
Hinds, P. (2014) ‘4 Ways to Decrease Conflict Within Global Teams’, Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, pp.
2–4.
Kenton, W. (2020) Business Essentials: Negotiation. Investopedia
Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/negotiation.asp
Myatt, M. (2012) 5 Key Ways of Dealing with Workplace Conflict. Forbes
Whetten D.A and Cameron K. S, Developing Management Skills (2016) Chapter 5 p252-277. Pearson.
Sources
Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (2020) Dealing with Conflict at Work: A Guide for People
Managers. CIPD
Available at:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/disputes/workplace-conflict-people-manager-guide
Negotiation Experts (2020) Negotiation Types
Available at: https://www.negotiations.com/articles/negotiation-types/
https://about.netflix.com/en
Recap
Topic Learning Outcomes
Identify types and sources of conflict in organisations
Assess conflict management strategies to resolve organisational conflict
Explain the nature and importance of negotiation
Apply negotiation skills effectively to reach a satisfying outcome
Any Questions?
Next Steps
Make sure that you have completed all of the Prepare
Section
Make sure that you have completed all of the Apply
Activities
A recording of this webinar will be uploaded to the Hub
shortly for you to watch again or review a particular
part
Complete the Additional and Extension Activities and
Self-Assess the knowledge you have gained
See you same time, same place next week
Management Essentials
Managing Relationships – Conflict and Negotiation
Your feedback and feedforward is important to us.
Please take a few moments to provide this before
leaving the session today.
AssignmentTutorOnline