Reference no: EM133164246

Discussion 1: Personal Experience

1) Share details of a time you listened to a disagreement.

2) Determine if the disagreement is level 1, 2, or 3. 

Level 1: the people involved lack shared information. 

Level 2: the people involved have different values or experiences. 

Level 3: outside factors are affecting the disagreement.

3) Select one consensus-building strategy (below) and explain how you would apply it to that situation.

• Delineation - Delineation has six steps:

1. Start with agreement. 

2. Confirm the source of the disagreement. 

3. Identify the alternatives under discussion. 

4. Ask each party specific delineating questions: how much, how long, who is involved, what is involved.

5. Summarize the information. 

6. Take a consensus check.

• Strengths and weaknesses - has 3 steps:

1. Identify the Strengths

2. Identify the Weaknesses

3. Take a Consensus Check

• Merge - has 4 steps:

1. Identify the key strengths of each alternative. 

2. Create one or more new alternatives that combine the key strengths. 

3. Delineate the top alternative. 

4. Take a consensus check.

• Weighted scoring - has 5 steps

1. Define the criteria.

2. Establish weights for the criteria.

3. Score the alternatives. 

4. Apply weights to the scores. 

5. Take a consensus check.

Discussion 2: Facilitating Conflict

Consider the following scenario and detail how you respond.

You're facilitating an important meeting. Everything is going along great until you hit the third agenda item. Suddenly two members start arguing and listening goes out of the window, as each person pushes their ideas. The rest of the group becomes uncomfortable as the two combatants become ever more emotional. The discussion spins in circles. 

1. What do you do now?

Reference: THE FACILITATIVE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

1. Step 1: Clarify the issue-have a clear statement of what the issue is. Ensure that everyone understands that statement.
2. Step 2: Make sure appropriate norms are in place-if things are likely to get emotional, make sure the team has the kind of rules needed to keep people safe and ensure effective behaviors.
3. Step 3: Set the time frame for the discussion-set limits so that people will know this will not drag on indefinitely.
4. Step 4: Explain the process to be used-the step-by-step approach that will be taken. Emphasize that tools will be used that ensure objectivity and thoroughness.
5. Step 5: Analyze the facts of the situation-help members gain a shared understanding of the situation. Make sure everyone is heard and that there's a full exploration of all relevant facts.
6. Step 6: Generate a range of possible solutions-use participative techniques like brainstorming or written brainstorming to have a wide range of potential solutions. Encourage people to build on each other's ideas to further dilute the idea that some ideas are the property of any one person.
7. Step 7: Evaluate the solutions-establish objective criteria for sorting through all the possible solutions. This can be multi-voting or a form of decision grid.
8. Step 8: Plan to implement the highest-ranked solutions-ensure that the what, how, who, and when are specified. Troubleshoot the action plan to make sure the steps are doable.