Brainstorm and make a list of potential conflict scenarios that could occur in your workplace amongst team members.
3. Now select one of the scenarios and role-play it. It should not last longer than 1 minute. 4. Present the role-play scenario once all the way through to the rest of the class.
5. Then start again and go through the scenario a little more slowly. Allow different class members to 'pause' the scenario and make suggestions on what could be done differently / could have been done differently to manage this conflict.
6. Record key-notes on the team's role-play scenario, and the key strategies recommended for managing the conflict.
Potential conflict scenarios:
1. Miscommunication: Team members receive incorrect information or misunderstand each other's instructions.
2. Differences in work styles: Some team members prefer to work independently, while others prefer to collaborate closely.
3. Unequal distribution of workload: Certain team members may feel that they are taking on more tasks than others.
4. Personality clashes: Different personalities within the team may clash, causing tension and disagreements.
5. Competing priorities: Team members may have conflicting priorities, leading to disagreements on how time and resources should be allocated.
6. Lack of accountability: Some team members may not take responsibility for their actions or tasks, causing frustration among the group.
7. Lack of trust: Team members may perceive each other as unreliable or untrustworthy, leading to conflict.
Role-play scenario:
Scenario: Team member A feels overwhelmed with their workload and believes that team member B is not pulling their weight. A confronts B about the issue, causing tension between the two team members.
Role-play script:
A: Hey B, I've noticed that you haven't been completing your tasks on time and it's starting to affect the rest of the team.
B: I've been busy with other projects, I'll get to it eventually.
A: It's not fair for the rest of us to pick up your slack. You need to pull your weight around here.
Key strategies:
- Use "I" statements to express feelings without blaming the other person.
- Approach the conversation with an open mind and willingness to listen to the other person's perspective.
- Seek a compromise or solution that works for both parties, such as redistributing tasks or setting clear expectations for deadlines.