Consultant shares conflict resolution tactics for work environment
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 15, 2011
Win at Work book cover
Photos: The Working Circle Teambuilding, Inc.
Diane Katz, Ph.D. offers organizational, development, human resources and coaching consulting services to clients in the services, construction, technology, health care and not for profit sectors. Over the years she has identified some of the methods that in her experience address conflict resolution effectively in the workplace. In 2010, she gathered her most successful workplace conflict resolution and negotiation strategies into a manual of ideas and communications tactics with the goal of helping people achieve win-win solutions to troublesome issues at work.
In Win at Work The Everybody Wins Approach to Conflict Resolution (Wiley, $24.95), a 237-page hardcover book, she outlines The Working Circle, her eight-step process for conflict resolution which encourages an objective, non-combative approach. She begins by explaining her belief that conflict is not inherently good or bad although there is constructive and destructive conflict.
According to Katz, constructive conflict promotes creativity, innovation, betterment, and problem solving attitudes; while destructive conflict may lead to inconsistent organizational goals, many employees pursuing personal goals, deception and inefficient management overall.
The book is divided into twelve chapters and three parts, What is the Working Circle, Understanding Conflict Resolution and From the Working Circle to the Winners Circle.
Author Diane Katz, Ph.D.
The process she supports includes determining what is negotiable and what is not, developing a game plan, and communicating the positive changes that may result. She believes it is important to blend intuition and intellect. In the book, she relies on past experiences from her practice to illustrate possible situations the reader may face; and to solve common challenges like asking for and justifying a raise, dealing with a disruptive business partner, whether to speak up or remain silent about a situation taking place at work, whether to take sides or mediate, dealing with a client’s anger, negotiating independence from a micromanaging boss, standing up to a workplace bully, and managing a troublemaker.
Katz, a Tucson, Arizona based organization consultant and the president of The Working Circle Teambuilding, Inc., has a doctorate degree in Conflict Resolution from Union Institute. Previously she was a human resources executive at American Express, Chase Bank, KPMG Peat Marwick, and Alexander & Alexander.
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