Conflict Management and Mediation for Leaders will help your team quickly and effectively deal with workplace conflict
Research shows employees lose an average of two hours per week in productivity due to miscommunication and conflict.
Conflict Management and Mediation for Leaders will help you and your team leaders quickly identify emerging conflict in the workplace And they’ll learn exactly the right steps to take to deal with it - so it gets resolved quickly in a way that leaves all parties feeling heard and supported.
Needs Assessment Will Cover:
- Staff size & demographics
- Current staff knowledge of & experience with conflict and mediating it
- Conflict resolution programs/policies/supports currently in place
- Any problems/trends/experiences of particular concern
The quality of our lives depends not on whether or not we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them.
- Thomas Crum
Research shows employees lose an average of two hours per week in productivity due to miscommunication and conflict. Leaders are often promoted into their roles because they excel in the very teams they go on to lead, however, most take on these new responsibilities with fewer than four hours of training in communication and conflict resolution. Yet, these are the very issues they spend a lot of time – and sleepless nights – dealing with.
A study published in January 2023 by Workforce Institute, and that included Canadian participants, reveals that managers have more impact on employees’ mental health (69%) than doctors (51%) or even therapists (41%).
We know mental health problems affect motivation, engagement and productivity. And that there’s a clear link between conflict and miscommunication in the workplace and stress. The same study shows that a whopping 78% of employees say that stress is negatively impacting their work performance, and that this stress spills over into home life (71%), general wellbeing (64%), and relationships (62%).
The Mental Health Commission of Canada has identified 13 factors that contribute to a Psychologically Safe & Healthy Workplace. Unsurprisingly, Workload Management, Clear Leadership, Civility & Respect, and Psychological Protection are a part of this list. When conflict remains unresolved, it is impossible for employees to feel supported, and for both them and their managers to work together toward shared goals.
As a leader, much of one’s time is spent helping employees navigate misunderstandings, conflicts and relational mulligans (the do-overs in communication). Leaders also spend considerable time helping employees repair trust, and resetting the team culture. Yet, most leaders are not trained, or comfortable with "mediating" conversations between employees. This results in lost time, simmering resentments, increased stress, and losses in productivity and the bottom line. In more serious instances, it can lead to claims of harassment against individuals or the organization that can result in costly legal proceedings.
But the story doesn’t end there. According to the Workforce Institute,
•Being a middle manager is the hardest job there is. These are the people responsible for driving results, implementing new policies, and inspiring their teams.
•People managers are often the first line of defense for struggling employees, yet people earning $100K-$200K annually report feeling most unhappy at work.
•70% of managers would take a pay cut right now for a job that better supports their mental wellness.
That’s why we developed Conflict Management and Mediation for Leaders – to help leaders develop the skills they need to successfully facilitate these conversations, bridge understanding, and to resolve complex issues. This leads to healthier and more productive employees & managers, lower stress levels, and the kind of culture you want to build.
What People Are Saying …
“Highly Recommend”
“Charmaine provided conflict management training to managers at various levels in our organization. She customized her presentation to our specific needs. In addition, she provides concise support material and follow-up as needed. I highly recommend her services.“
- Tony Hamori, Chief Superintendent, District Commander, Southern Alberta RCMP
“Incredibly Valuable”
“Charmaine delivered an online workshop for our community of women leaders on conflict resolution. It was an incredibly valuable presentation on the hot topic and what I really loved about her delivery, was her authenticity. She is a storyteller and made the material very relate-able and interesting!”
- Heather Odendaal, Wnorth Women Leadership Program
How It Works
- 1 -
ENROLL
Choose your training dates
- 2 -
TRAIN
Attend three days of instructor-led training
(22.5 hours)
- 3 -
APPLY SKILLS
Put your new skills to use to quickly and confidently deal with workplace conflicts once and for all
Conflict Management and Mediation for Leaders Course Content
Day 1 (Module 1) – Live with Instructor (virtual or in-person) (7.5 hrs)
This module will introduce you to the information and strategies that will be discussed and practiced during the course.
- What is Mediation?
- What harassment is... and what it isn't
- The role of leaders in resolving conflict
- Principles of Interest-Based Conflict Resolution
- 10 Musts for leaders facilitating conflict-related discussions
- 5-Step Leader as Mediator model
- Recognizing early signs of conflict
Day 2 (Module 2) – Live with Instructor (virtual or in-person) (7.5 hrs)
Day 2 focuses on preparing leaders and employees for conflict resolution discussions, how conflict is impacted by power imbalances, and practicing the first two steps in the Leader as Mediator model
- Preparing all parties for conflict resolution meetings
- Understanding and navigating power imbalances
- Shifting from positions to interests, and from confrontation to collaboration
- Steps 1 & 2 of the model in action
- Group work, case studies & debriefing throughout the day
Day 3 (Module 3) – Live with Instructor (virtual or in-person) (7.5 hrs)
Day 3 covers steps 3, 4 & 5 in the Leader as Mediator model, safe de-escalation skills, and actions for crisis scenarios. It also covers self-care, and rebuilding trust among the team after conflict.
- Steps 3, 4 & 5 of the model in action
- Respectful and safe de-escalation skills
- Safety and action steps for crisis situations
- Post-conflict follow up to rebuild trust, reset team dynamics, and build resilience
- Self-care for leaders before, during, and after dealing with conflict
- Group work, case studies & debriefing throughout the day
Included Follow-up Support
BOOSTER SESSION #1 (2 hours)
For ongoing learning and support, this instructor-facilitated session will see participants work through current challenges, review skills, and prep for & debrief from conflict conversations. This session is to take place within a month of completing module 3.
(Value $2,500)
BOOSTER SESSION #2 (2 hours)
For ongoing learning and support, this instructor-facilitated session will see participants work through current challenges, review skills, and prep for & debrief from conflict conversations. This session is to take place within a month of completing Booster Session #1.
(Value $2,500)
BOOSTER SESSION #3 (2 hours)
For ongoing learning and support, this instructor-facilitated session will see participants work through current challenges, review skills, and prep for & debrief from conflict conversations. This session is to take place within a month of completing Booster Session #2.
(Value $2,500)
Conflict Management and Mediation for Leaders Course
10-30 Participants: $36,000 + HST
31-60 Participants: $45,000 + HST
61-100 Participants: $56,000 + HST
“Engaging and Dynamic”
“We have worked with Charmaine for a number of years now. She is most knowledgeable on the subject matter, an engaging and dynamic speaker, and brings new ideas each time. We look forward to working with Charmaine for years to come.”
- Nancy Pinchuk, Institute of Professional Management
“Exceeded our Expectations”
“Charmaine hosted a session with NutrienWiNTER (women in non-traditional roles and environments). She was very professional to work with and exceeded our expectations for both the preparation and the delivery of the session. Highly recommend her to anyone looking to hold such a session.”
– Jennie Schwartz, Senior Manager of Business Development, Nutrien
Meet Your Expert
Charmaine Hammond has an MA in conflict management, and has spent more than 25 years working in mediation, negotiation, and crisis response. She has owned her business for more than 25 years, and in this time has trained more than half million people on dealing with difficult people and situations. She has helped clients in many industries build collaborative, resilient and engaged workplaces, develop high trust/high accountability relationships, and solve workplace issues and conflict that gets in the way of success and profitability. She is respected as a "no fluff" and "rich content" speaker who delivers tangible tools to put into action immediately.
This former Correctional Officer and Corporate Dispute Resolution Expert now travels the country teaching the principles of collaboration, communication, conflict resolution and resilience. She also has an extensive background facilitating collaborations and workplace/team relationships when they go sideways.
