Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual

Citation

Gross, M.A. (2010), "Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 356-360. https://doi.org/10.1108/10444061011063216

New directions in executive coaching, professional development intervention and conflict resolution processes: a review of Jones and Brinkert

Emerging in the 1990s as a priority in executive coaching and as a conflict resolution process supplementing mediation, conflict coaching is becoming a widely recognized professional development intervention. In their book Conflict Coaching: Conflict Management Strategies and Skills for the Individual Tricia Jones and Ross Brinkert work on the premise that conflict communication is a key feature of the workplace and that conflict coaching offers possibilities not found in executive coaching and alternative dispute resolution offerings. As part of their conflict resolution intervention the authors also share theory and research insights. You are the audience for this book if you are looking for conflict communication training for yourself, if such training would help your organization advance its strategic objectives, if you unable or unwilling to engage in mediation or other dyadic and multiparty conflict management processes, and if you are looking for a one‐on‐one conflict intervention that would enhance existing alternative dispute resolution practices. The book is written for the scholar‐practitioner of an interdisciplinary orientation with a strong theory‐to‐practice mix infused with issues of culture and a concentration on coaching for interpersonal conflict in the workplace. Examples of those who may find utility with conflict coaching include executive coaches, facilitators, human resource professionals, mediators, ombudspersons, organizational communication or organizational development consultants, dispute resolution managers, and training and development professionals. The book includes conflict theory, research and practice from a variety of disciplines including alternative dispute resolution, business, communication, conflict studies, education, law, peace studies, psychology, social psychology and sociology for those practicing in conflict coaching, executive coaching. Thus, the aim is to produce a book intended as a blend and balance to benefit a variety of audiences for whom the authors believe is informative and helpful. The authors focus on the translation of theory into practice by including explicit statements of principles that aim to guide the stages or elements of conflict coaching and offer a set of approaches for practice.

A significant feature of the book is an accompanying CD‐ROM, a resource developed for intermediate and advance professionals who are already active or plan to become active as conflict coaches or executive coaches, for those referring others to coaching and for those actively managing the areas of organizational dispute systems, organizational change or workplace performance. The amount of information on the CD‐ROM is impressive containing an elaborate set of approaches, self‐assessments and activities which can be used by coaches or instructors including general resources (e.g. a glossary of key concepts throughout the book and a list of hyperlinks to websites that contain related information), resources for the coach and the client (e.g. self and other evaluation forms, feedback forms, checklists for accomplishments and the steps within each stage of conflict coaching), resources for an instructor and for the student (e.g. materials for graduate and undergraduate courses for conflict coaching, recommended books, and paper assignments), and chapter resources (e.g. a PowerPoint presentation, an annotative bibliography, learning objectives, chapter summaries, outlines and key concepts, critical learning points, discussion and/or reflection questions, and specific hyperlinks to relevant websites).

Conflict Coaching is organized into three sections. The first section (chapters 1 and 2) introduces the reader to the concept and background of conflict coaching, presents former conflict coaching models, and presents a rationale and theoretical foundation for the conflict coaching approach (with each of the four stages of conflict coaching). One of the strengths of the first section is the compelling rationale for how conflict coaching can address the challenges organizations face in the twenty‐first century with regard to our complex service economy, managing productivity and ethics, increasing market recognition and demand, and the need for one‐on‐one conflict management processes ensuing highly sophisticated interpersonal skills for the executive. An additional strength in this section is the communication perspective on conflict as a social construction that is influenced by context and that creates a foundation for current and continued relationships, emphasizes the clarifying and advancing client goals, and employing a systems perspective of communication. This strength reinforces attention to patterns of communication rather than random acts, emphasizes the importance of context in identifying meaning and appropriateness of conflict communication and links micro interpersonal behaviors to macro organizational processes. The latter is an often neglected feature in executive coaching, and the authors eloquently address this link.

One consideration in this section may be the density of information that is presented and while valuable in making the case for conflict coaching, may be too challenging for the busy practitioner to absorb in an initial reading. The section may benefit in future iterations of the book with stand alone figures, tables, diagrams and other “visual” depictions of the text that would allow a busy person, not in the habit of reading academic work to read the chapter and then rely on the visuals to quickly recall and capture the essential take‐away elements of this section. Since the Conflict Coaching Model will be explicated in depth in later chapters, the opening section might benefit with less detail making the model more user‐friendly for the reader who wants to quickly understand the stages and flow of the concepts and activities within each feature of the model. In the future editions, visual depictions may save a reader time and effort in wrapping one's mind around the content and increase the accessibility of the information to many readers. Although I personally found the first section clear and satisfying in my first read through, I can see the challenge that may be posed to some readers given that this is the opening of the book. For example, the authors could provide a quick reference guide (visual depiction) of the conflict coaching model with the essence of utility for readers “at a glance” (for chapter 2).

Section 2 of the book makes up the bulk including chapters 3 through 12. The section includes all four stages of the conflict coaching model:

1. 1.

   “Discovering the story” (chapter 3).

2. 2.

   “The identity perspective” (chapter 4), “The emotion perspective” (chapter 5), “The power perspective” (chapter 6).

3. 3.

   “Crafting the ‘best’ story“ (chapter 7).

4. 4.

   “Communication skills: confrontation, confirmation, and comprehension” (chapter 8), “The conflict styles opportunity” (chapter 9), “The negotiation opportunity” (chapter 10), “Coordination coaching with other conflict processes” (chapter 11), and “The parallel process: learning assessment in conflict coaching” (chapter 12).

A strength of this section is the foundation laid out through narrative theory as a heuristic for understanding our own lives as people with regard to the coherence and fidelity of our “story” in conflict and to separate the client (or ourselves) and future relationships from “conflict saturated stories” and reconnect with a story of cooperation, peace, mutual understanding and respect. This strength is powerful for unpacking and transforming our understanding of the expressed struggle, perceptions of interdependence, perception of incompatible goals, scarcity of resources, and interference between conflicting parties often found in conflict or disagreements. Additionally, the authors support the assertion that conflict coaching does not mean challenging the client's story but to employ the practice of narrative theory to make a client's story more comprehensive and clear allowing the client to take action and responsibility to manage the conflict productively, appropriately and effectively. The use of a narrative approach to conflict coaching highlights where the rubber meets the road for the executive client allowing the client a moment of opportunity to transform his or her communication and reaction to conflict, thus enhancing an executive's leadership skills and abilities so that she or he may manage conflict outcomes, especially where the consequences for error may be high. This feature for conflict coaching identifies turning points, or highly coachable moments that can transform the way one looks at conflict like Watzlawick's description of a second‐order change. The narrative is revisited and ties into stage 3, chapter 7 where the conflict story is retold or where the best story is crafted or perhaps reframed.

An additional strength in this section addresses the coordination of conflict coaching with other conflict processes (chapter 11), the parallel processes of learning assessment and conflict coaching (chapter 12) and in the needs assessment and program evaluation of conflict coaching (section 3, chapter 13). The strength here is in tying the individual and micro processes of skill development and personal growth with the larger or macro organizational context and learning outcomes. The authors make a strong case for identifying the results of the conflict coaching effort and how to do so. However, both the coach and the client need to consider the social politics of conflict coaching and how that fits into the culture and values of the organization and perhaps more importantly, how conflict coaching may transform the social politics regarding how conflict is perceived and valued (or not) within an organization as there may be shifts in the perception of power not previously considered prior to the conflict coaching journey. Future interactions of this book may incorporate critical, feminist or gendered relations and perspectives regarding issues of culture, identity, emotion and power with regard to the impact of conflict coaching on the experiences of clients and the capacity to transform organizations and their values and what constitutes a learning or program outcome and evaluation.

Related to learning and program outcomes is consideration regarding the length of time it would take to go through all four stages explicated from the chapters in section two. Perhaps it could take weeks and/or months to go through this four stage process with a client. How important is contracting the timeframe or scope of work with the client at the beginning of this process, particularly when a conflict may be pressing and perhaps needs immediate attention? For the chapters on identity, emotion and power (stage 2), a conflict coach could spend hours upon hours completing just one portion of the conflict coaching process for each of these the foci. How much experience and skill level is needed for a conflict coach to move through all of the steps expeditiously addressing every element of identity, emotion and power outlined in these chapters? Could a conflict coach get “lost” in the process, even with the well put together sequence and series of steps the authors explicate for stage two? The content in stage two is exceptional, but there are challenges here for translating theory‐to‐practice for practitioners. Exceptionally difficult for a conflict coach might be to work with an executive client who may not recognize or acknowledge the presence of the identity or emotional context, what if the client does not want to or thinks he or she needs to “go there”? A client in a position of power may not even “see” the need for understanding the identity or emotional context (which may be a part of the dilemma and the need for conflict coaching to begin with). The authors do address these issues, in theory and give suggestions for practice, but how will conflict coaching play out in a context of resistance from the client? A client may not be capable or willing to reframe or “craft the best story” as described in stage 3, chapter 7 even after completing all the work and processes described in stage 2. Future iterations of this book might identify and address specific challenges for practitioners for translation and enacting the theoretical principles regarding identity, emotion and power laid out by the authors, and more specifically how to contract and manage the time and scope needed to do this important work.

The authors have infused each element of conflict coaching and approach for practice with how to deal with questions of culture and how culture influences conflict and conflict management. In stage 4, chapter 8 “Communication skills: confrontation, confirmation and comprehension” the authors do an excellent job of addressing issues of culture. While in chapter 6 addressing stage 2: “The power perspective” the authors do a good job addressing issues of culture, in future iterations of this book, more attention can be given to issues of culture particularly for the chapters on identity and emotion. Likewise there is an opportunity for the authors to further develop issues of culture in stage 4, chapter 9 “The conflict styles opportunity” and in stage 4, chapter 10 “The negotiation opportunity” as well, particularly for translating theory‐to‐practice. Overall, the authors do a good job of bringing up cultural concerns but there is not enough to coach a non‐North American client. Perhaps contributions to these areas may arise to the specific challenges for practitioners for translating and enacting the theoretical content of this text. Or, perhaps another text focusing on conflict coaching for the global client and/or practitioner is next for these authors?

The context for conflict coaching includes family and community conflicts but the authors emphasize contexts for executive coaching, for working professionals and for interpersonal conflict in the workplace. For the future, conflict coaching aims to mature into a developing area of practice and as a professional intervention, in addition to becoming a solid, research‐and theory‐driven enterprise. While this work focuses on interpersonal conflict in the workplace, the authors hope to see their effort applied to multiparty situations and to address group conflict, larger‐scale conflict and to people's personal lives. In section 3, chapter 14 “The future of conflict coaching”, the authors provide a thorough prognosis of a future research agenda, training and delivery mechanisms, and policy and implementation agenda. The future of conflict coaching may be where the authors make their most inspired theory‐to‐practice link.