Are you concerned about the health of your organizations conflict management system?
This diagnostic questionnaire is easy to complete in less than 10 minutes and provides valuable insight into how your organization is dealing with conflict.
Record your responses below. Of particular importance are the yes/no questions that are used to generate a graphic representation of your organizations conflict management health.
After you have answered the yes/no questions, total your score for each of the six criteria. Transfer that score to the scoring legend. You can then plot the values on the grahpic that is provided.
The background questions can be used to modify the scores generated in the yes/no section.
Background Questions
Your Name: _____________________________________________
Organizations Name: _____________________________________________
Number of Employees: _____________________________________________
Union Status: _____________________________________________
Check which Conflict Resolution Procedures are available?
Arbitration _____
Coaching _____
Investigation _____
Internal Mediation _____
External Mediation _____
Peer Review _____
Grievance Procedure _____
Check which Polices have been documented?
Employee Handbook _____
Sexual Harassment Policy_____
General Anti-Discrimination Policy _____
ADR Program _____
Disciplinary Code and Procedure _____
Workplace Violence _____
Performance Review Policy _____
Check what Conflict Management measures are used?
Absenteeism _____
Turnover _____
Grievances Filed _____
Time Spent on Conflict _____
Cases Litigated _____
Legal Costs _____
Check which Conflict Management Resource Persons are on Staff?
Human Resources Manager _____
Training Manager _____
Ombuds _____
EEO Officer _____
EAP Facilitator _____
Mediator _____
Facilitator _____
Check which trainings your organization has offered in the last 3 years?
Communication _____
Listening _____
Conflict Resolution _____
Dealing with Difficult People _____
Dealing with Anger _____
Customer Service _____
Diversity _____
Negotiation _____
Managerial Mediation _____
Facilitation Skills _____
CULTURE
The way things are done around here. The attitudes, beliefs, norms, practices, and values of the organization
1. Is conflict valued? Yes/No
2. Is dissent encouraged? Yes/No
3. Is conflict seen as an opportunity for change? Yes/No
4. Are relationships important? Yes/No
5. Is feedback welcome? Yes/No
6. Is conflict surfaced? Yes/No
EXPECTATIONS
The Vision, Mission and Values of the organization
The roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
1. Does your organization have a vision, mission and values statement that specifically deals with conflict management? Yes/No
2. Is the general vision, mission and values in alignment with the approach to conflict management? Yes/No
3. Are conflict management roles and responsibilities defined in job descriptions? Yes/No
4. Is desirable conflict management behavior described? Yes/No
5. Is there consensus on the conflict management vision, mission and values statement? Yes/No
6. Are the conflict management values known and shared? Yes/No
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
People in organizations need to be able to deal with conflict themselves. They also need to know how to access the system, to understand the options available to them.
Core competencies: Communication, negotiation, decision-making, mediation, problem-solving, teamwork.
1. Is conflict management a core competency in the organization? Yes/No
2. Do people know what procedures are available? Yes/No
3. Do people know how to use the procedures? Yes/No
4. Are people skilled at listening to each other, probing for interests and exploring creative options? Yes/No
5. Are people skilled at using interest-based options such as mediation? Yes/No
6. Are people skilled at using rights based options such as investigations and arbitration? Yes/No
SUPPORT STRUCTURES
Access points, resource persons, resources
1. Are people available to provide help to disputants e.g. to give advice, represent them, serve as mediators? Yes/No
2. Does your organization have the resources (time, money, people) to deal with conflict? Yes/No
3. Does your organization have a senior management champion? Yes/No
4. Do people have someone to talk to in confidence? Yes/No
5. Does your organization have an conflict management oversight team in place? Yes/No
6. Does your organization have an evaluation program in place? Yes/No
REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES
Consequences, rewards, incentives, recognition.
Performance Review.
1. Can disputant air their grievances fully in their own terms without consequences? Yes/No
2. Do disputants participate in decision-making and shaping dispute resolution outcomes? Yes/No
3. Do people get feedback and information they need when they need it? Yes/No
4. Does the organization reward a collaborative approach? Yes/No
5. Do performance reviews consider conflict management and resolution skills? Yes/No
6. Are their consequences for conflict avoidance? Yes/No
PROCEDURES AND OPTIONS
The written and unwritten rules that determine how conflict is processed. Interest and rights based options. All problems are addressed.
1. Do procedures exist and are they followed consistently? Yes/No
2. Are procedures available to handle the full range of disputes that occur? Yes/No
3. Are interest-based options (e.g. Mediation) are available? Yes/No
4. Are rights-based options (e.g. Investigation, Arbitration) are available? Yes/No
5. Are processes well designed? Yes/No
6. Do people get feedback and information when they need it? Yes/No
Organizational Conflict Management Diagnosis
Scoring Legend
After you have answered the yes/no questions, total your score for each of the six criteria. Transfer that score to the scoring legend. You can then plot the values on the grahpic that is provided.
The background questions can be used to modify the scores generated in the yes/no section.
Culture: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Unhealthy | | | | | Healthy |
Expectations: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Confused | | | | | Clear |
Skills & Knowledge: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Incompetent | | | | | Competent |
Support Structures: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Blocking | | | | | Supportive |
Rewards & Consequences: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Unmotivated | | | | | Motivated |
Procedures & Options: | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Inappropriate | | | | | Appropriate |
Civil trial lawyers have been testing new techniques to persuade since our constitution authorized the right to jury trials. In the past several years, trial consultants have encouraged use of...
By Jeffrey KrivisTo Americans, “cultural diversity” means experiences derived from the differences in race, religion, gender, age, ethnicity and more recently, sexual orientation. Yet, this definition is a bit myopic; consider the...
By Joe Epstein, Robyn McDonaldI was drawn to mediation because of what I saw as its unique ability to create greater happiness. After taking my first mediation training in 1995, I sensed that through...
By Diane Cohen