Conflict Management

Discover different counselling styles for managing conflicts and crucial skills for aiding negotiations between disputing individuals or parties. Determine best practices for mediation and facilitation and how to deal with power imbalances.

Course Code: BPS201
Fee Code: S2
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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Learn How to Manage and Resolve Conflicts

It takes someone with strength of character, awareness, and sensitivity to the needs of different people to manage conflicts. You also need a solid foundation in conflict management theory. This is a course designed to help you be that person. It will assist counsellors, mediators and other professionals to examine conflicts and help those involved to reach agreements.

Conflicts occur when there is perceived or actual opposition to our interests, needs or values. It is a state of disharmony. Conflicts may arise in many different areas of life such as within or between groups, between two individuals, or between and individual and an organisation. Conflict can also occur in response to frustration when goals or needs are not met, from power struggles, due to cultural differences, due to differences in values or opinions, because or perceived roles, and so forth.

Conflict is often viewed as negative because it polarises opinion, deflates morale and can culminate in violence. However, it can also be positive when it encourages people to become more involved in important issues, clarifies differences of opinion and results in individual growth or group cohesiveness.

In fact, conflict is a natural part of everyday life. Without it we would not challenge each other to do better. Often, it is not the conflict that is the problem but failure to deal with it effectively which has negative consequences for relationships.

The most valuable aspect of conflict is the energy that it generates. Conflict management is not an attempt to suppress this energy, but to use it constructively by transforming it into creative and productive dialogue. Conflict is easier to manage if it is seen as inevitable but not necessarily destructive, and as a problem to be solved rather than a battle to be won.

The course teaches students to work through different types of conflict to encourage people to make better choices.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Conflict Management and Anger
    • What is Conflict?
    • Conflict Handling Techniques.
    • Conflict Handling Styles.
    • Comparing Strategies to Handle Conflict.
    • Scope and Nature of Anger.
    • Approaches to Handling Anger.
    • Anger Management Techniques.
    • Dealing with Anger in Yourself and Others.
  2. Listening
    • Channels of Communication.
    • Stages of Listening.
    • Obstacles to Listening.
    • Emphatic Listening.
    • Ground Rules for Listening.
    • Listeners in Control.
    • Emotions.
    • Traps for Listeners.
  3. Negotiation
    • Scope and Nature of Negotiating.
    • The Establishment Group.
    • The Community Group.
    • Bargaining in Negotiations.
    • Win-Win Bargaining or Integrative Bargaining.
    • Being a Skilled Negotiator.
    • The Joint Problem Solving Approach.
    • Writing a Brief.
    • Guidelines.
    • Negotiating Mistakes.
    • Dealing with Difficult People.
    • Finding a Solution.
  4. Mediation
    • What is Mediation?
    • When is Mediation Called for?
    • The Mediators Role.
    • The Mediation Process.
    • Team Work.
    • Mediation Model.
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution.
  5. Facilitation
    • Nature and Scope of Facilitation.
    • Preparing the Facilitation Meeting.
    • Attributes of a Good Facilitator.
    • Stress and the Fight or Flight Response.
    • Symptoms and Effect of Stress.
    • A Stress Management Response Program.
  6. Balance of Power
    • Problems with Negotiation.
    • Problem of Re-entry.
    • Balance of Power.
    • Dealing with Power Imbalance.
    • Verbal Bullying.
    • Asking Questions.
    • Information and Experience.
    • Agenda Setting.
    • Role Playing.
    • Needs Exploration.
    • Ending a Meeting.
  7. Discussion and Group Work
    • Group Conflict Management Exercises.
    • Anger Exercises.
    • Listening Exercises.
    • Negotiation and Mediation Exercises.
    • Joint Problem Solving Exercises.
    • Role Play Exercises.
    • Conducting Structured Exercises in Small Groups.
    • What to Avoid.
    • Evaluation.
  8. Crisis Analysis and Responses
    • Nature and Scope of a Crisis.
    • Response to Crisis.
    • Guidelines.
    • Interventions.
    • Principles and Goals of Crisis Intervention.
    • Crisis Intervention Techniques.
    • Debriefing.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Describe the nature of human conflict and ways to manage it.
  • Explain the importance of listening when dealing with conflict situations, and appreciate different listening techniques.
  • Define negotiation and discuss the process of negotiation
  • Define mediation and discuss the process of mediation
  • Define facilitation and discuss the process of facilitation
  • Discuss problems that may arise through negotiation, in particular, balance of power and its connotations
  • Explain the importance of working in groups as a means of learning how to deal with group conflicts
  • Explain ways of understanding and dealing with different types of crisis.

What You Will Do

  • Review five conflict handling styles
  • Look at methods for dealing with anger
  • Find out how to control listening and traps listeners experience
  • Understand empathic listening
  • Look at negotiation between a community and establishment
  • Make practical suggestions for negotiation
  • Identify responsibilities of a mediator, mediation processes, agreements, team work, and settling behaviours
  • Review factors influencing the balance of power
  • Consider the use of role play
  • Determine how to conduct structured experiences in small groups

Anger can Cause Conflict


Lots of different things can cause conflict. Anger is one of them.

Anger is often portrayed as a negative emotion, but it is not always the case. Anger is our how our body responds when we feel threatened. If we are genuinely under threat or someone else is under threat, we may feel the need to protect them. Our anger gets our body ready to do that. Anger helps us to escape from violent situations. It is seen as part of the body’s fight or flight response.

But sometimes people have a learned tendency to react with anger.  Or they may react with anger at perceived provocations, rather than real provocations.  The stereotypical idea of this is people who become angry because they think another person is looking at them in the wrong way or they pushed them on purpose or they think they are saying something about them. All of these things may not be real situations, but if the person perceives them as a threat, they may react with violence. All of us get angry at times, but how we control that anger will differ. DeFoore describes anger as a pressure cooker, we can only stop that anger for a certain amount of time until it explodes. Some people may be able to control their anger for a lot longer than others.

Anger causes physical responses, such as –

  • Increased blood pressure
  • Increased heart rate
  • Higher levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline 

But it also has other physical impacts, such as –

  • Changes in our facial expressions
  • Changes in body language – for example, in humans, they may make louder noises, try to look physically larger, stare, bare their teeth and so on.  

These changes are designed to warn potential aggressors to stop their violent behaviour. So if a man is angry and stares, bares his teeth, stands up straight and shouts, it is a warning to another person that they should stop their aggression. Of course, this may work. But if the other person is also angry, it can intensify the anger in the situation and lead to violence.  

Anger can cause a loss of “self-monitoring” – the ability for people to be objective and think about what they are doing. This can lead them to not realise that they are acting inappropriately.  

So, anger is a normal emotion which can help us to survive but uncontrolled anger can have a negative effect on a person’s social and personal wellbeing. But many psychologists argue that suppressing our anger can also be harmful. 

 

You can do better than Learning by Rote

  • DON'T CHOOSE TO LEARN BY ROTE! Education is not just about temporarily absorbing facts then regurgitating them during an exam, only to forget them months later. It is about changing the way you think. ACS is NOT assessment based. Our courses are structured to teach you how to improve your thought processes, which you will apply over a lifetime, not just a semester.

  • With ACS, you are taught by people who are active in industry. If you want to learn Psychology, learn from someone who has sat in the Therapist's chair. If you want to learn writing, learn from a widely published author. This is what we offer you at ACS. Many lecturers and tutors have spent a lifetime within that institution. Our tutors are university educated, but work out there in industry.

  • Our courses are flexible enough to incorporate a student's own experience; it is personalised, therefore remaining with the student long after the award has been received - Agriculture students report on their findings at a farm; psychology students work through long misunderstood emotional situations in their lives. This is how a student actually EXPERIENCES the learning, rather than simply learning by Rote.

People Who Can Benefit From Studying This Course

Conflicts can occur in a range of situations from home life to work, and on a broader scale between countries. If they are not resolved they result in increased tension and sometimes that tension overflows resulting in injury or harm. There is always a need for people who are able to diffuse conflict situations and this course equips students with techniques and strategies to do just this. Conflict management is an important skill for counsellors and therapists but one that can also be applied into other areas of work.

This course is aimed at those working in, or aiming to work in:    

  • Counselling
  • Psychotherapy
  • Psychology
  • Mediation
  • Marriage guidance
  • Council positions
  • Police
  • Security
  • Correctional services
ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
ACS is a Member of the Complementary Medicine Association.
ACS is a Member of the Complementary Medicine Association.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
 Principal John Mason is a member of the ANZMH. ACS Students are invited to join
Principal John Mason is a member of the ANZMH. ACS Students are invited to join

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

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What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

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We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

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We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

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Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Tracey Jones (Psychologist)

B.Sc. (Psych), M.Soc.Sc., Dip.Social Work, P.G.Dip Learning Disability, Cert Editing, Cert Creative Writing, PGCE.
Member British Psychological Society, Member Assoc. for Coaching, Member British Learning Assoc.
25 years industry experience in writing, editing, education, psychology, and business. Tracey has several books and hundreds of articles published; in both fiction and non fiction.

Jacinda Cole (Psychologist)

Psychologist, Educator, Author, Psychotherapist.
B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Jacinda has over 25 years of experience in psychology, in both Australia and England. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and a Masters in Psychology (Clinical) and also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the London Centre for Psychotherapy. She has co-authored several psychology text books and many courses including diploma and degree level courses in psychology and counselling. Jacinda has worked for ACS for over 10 years.

Kate Gibson

Kate has 12 years experience as a marketing advisor and experience as a project manager. Kate has traveled and worked in a variety of locations including London, New Zealand and Australia. Kate has a B.Soc.Sc, Post-Grad. Dip. Org Behaviour (HR).

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