Conflict Coaching

5 minutes 5 Questions

Conflict coaching involves one-on-one sessions between the coach and the coachee to improve the latter's conflict management skills. The coach helps the coachee understand the conflict, develop strategies to manage it, and practice skills to resolve it. In a project management setting, this approac…

Guide: Understanding and Answering Questions on Conflict Coaching

Conflict Coaching is an incredibly relevant strategy intended to improve communication and interpersonal dynamics within various contexts. What is Conflict Coaching?
Conflict coaching is essentially a one-on-one process where a trained coach helps the coachee effectively and confidently manage their interpersonal disputes and conflicts. It primarily focuses on improving the individual's conflict understanding, strategies, interaction skills, and confidence.
Why is Conflict Coaching Important?
Conflict coaching is crucial in preemptively addressing conflicts before they escalate, and it equips individuals with the necessary skills to autonomously handle similar future situations. Furthermore, it enhances interpersonal and communication skills, promotes personal growth, and produces healthier relationships.
How Does Conflict Coaching Work?
The practice of conflict coaching often follows a cyclical 4-stage process: Discover & Understand (where the conflict is identified and understood), Strategize (where viable strategies and solutions are identified), Action Planning (where a practical plan is developed), Commit & Act (where the plan is executed).
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Conflict Coaching
When answering questions on conflict coaching in exams, follow these tips:
1. Understand the concept: It's essential to thoroughly grasp what conflict coaching is, why it is necessary, and how it works. Then you're better equipped to tackle questions from any angle.
2. Provide examples: Real world examples help exemplify your points and enhance your answers' clarity and validity.
3. Use appropriate jargon: Using relevant terms shows your knowledge depth on the subject and can help earn you extra points.

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CAPM - Conflict Coaching Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Conflict Coaching

Question 1

You are a Project Manager and have noticed that two team members seem to be in constant conflict. You have decided to intervene and provide conflict coaching. What is the FIRST step in the conflict coaching process?

Organize a meeting with both team members together and encourage them to express their opinions in front of the entire team. Immediately take disciplinary actions against both members. Ignore the conflict; it's beneficial for fostering competition. Meet with each team member individually to hear their side of the story.

Correct Answer: Meet with each team member individually to hear their side of the story.

The best answer is to 'Meet with each team member individually to hear their side of the story.' This is the first step in conflict resolution as it gives each party a chance to express their feelings and perceptions about the issue without the fear of interruption or feeling attacked. 'Organize a meeting with both team members together and encourage them to express their opinions in front of the entire team.' is not ideal because it can escalate the conflict by making team members confront each other in a public setting. 'Ignore the conflict; it's beneficial for fostering competition.' is wrong because ignoring conflicts is not a healthy or productive approach to problem-solving, it can eventually damage the team's performance and dynamics. 'Immediately take disciplinary actions against both members.' is not the right choice because disciplinary actions without understanding the situation entirely can lead to resentment and could potentially escalate the conflict further.

Question 2

During a conflict coaching session, the parties come to an agreement about a proposed solution. However, the solution may result in increased cost to the project. As a project manager, what should be your next step?

Analyze the potential costs and benefits of the solution, and discuss it with the project sponsor or steering committee before moving forward. Remove both parties from the project to avoid incurring additional costs. Ignore the agreed solution and force the parties to find a less costly option. Implement the solution without consideration of its financial impact on the project.

Correct Answer: Analyze the potential costs and benefits of the solution, and discuss it with the project sponsor or steering committee before moving forward.

As a project manager, it is crucial to balance cost, scope, and schedule while mitigating the conflicts. Although the parties have come to an agreement about a proposed solution, if it can lead to an increased cost, the best approach is to analyze the potential costs and benefits of this solution. This involves an assessment of how the proposed solution can impact the project's budget and overall outcome. After that, the project manager should discuss these potential impacts with the project sponsor or steering committee before making a decision to move forward. The other options are all best avoided. Implementing the solution without considering its financial impact can lead to budget overrun, while ignoring the agreed solution can lead to conflicts and further delays. Removing both parties from the project, on the other hand, is not a practical solution as it does not address the actual conflict and could also lead to resource issues.

Question 3

You are a project manager and during a meeting you are aware that two team members are in a suppressed conflict based on their subtle negative interactions. What is your best line of action?

Initiate a conflict coaching session to openly discuss and resolve the issue at hand. Suggest that they solve their issue outside the working hours to not affect the team’s productivity. Ignore the situation as it is not directly affecting the project progress. Favour one team member over another to quickly resolve the issue.

Correct Answer: Initiate a conflict coaching session to openly discuss and resolve the issue at hand.

The best course of action is to 'Initiate a conflict coaching session to openly discuss and resolve the issue at hand.' As being a project manager it is your responsibility to ensure a healthy working environment & conflict resolution is one of the traits of a good project manager. The other answers are not as effective. 'Ignoring the situation' can lead to the escalating conflict affecting the team and project's productivity. 'Favouring one team member over another' can increase the conflict and create more negative feelings in the team. 'Suggesting that they resolve their issue outside the working hours' is again similar to ignoring the problem rather than actually addressing it. A project manager should actively involve in team management and conflict resolution for effective team performance.

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