conflict resolution “why can’t we all just get along?” 1

Conflict Resolution“Why can’t we all just get along?”

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Objectives

The student will be able to: Identify methods of effective communication. Demonstrate the four models of active listening. Differentiate between styles of communication. Critique the impact of an officer’s professional presence. Compare the various aspects of communication strategies used in

dealing with the public. Evaluate the elements that an officer must recognize and control in

every encounter. Assess some helpful tools used in redirecting someone’s behavior

using verbal persuasion.

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Effective Communication

Conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values, and interests.

Actual = You have a “real” problem

Perceived = You think you have a real problem

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Barriers to Good Listening

Turning off: if you close your mind, your ears close too!

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Barriers to Good Listening

Tuning in vs. Tuning out: you miss information when you don’t pay attention

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Barriers to Good Listening

Acting as judge and jury: if you are judging you aren’t hearing the whole story

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Barriers to Good Listening

Jumping to Conclusions: Don’t make assumptions until you listen

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Tone of Voice

Communication is intentional and unintentional

Up to 93% of communication success depends on delivery system

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Tone of Voice Tone equals Attitude

When voice and role conflict, people believe the voice

Tone is responsible for 80 to 90% of all complaints

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Harmonizing Role and Voice

of Message Received10H.Hedrick

Body Language“It’s not what you say, but how you say it!”

NON-VERBAL– Eye Contact

– Body Posture

– Distance

– Touching

VERBAL– Active listening

– Clarification

– Allowing silence

– Empathy

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Five Steps of Active Listening

Squarely face the person

Open your posture

Lean towards the sender

Eye contact maintained

Relax while “attending”

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ABC’s of Attending

A. Eye Contact

B. Posture

C. Gestures13

4 Models of Active Listening

Emotional Labeling:– 1st skill to use in active listening– Response to emotion, not content, heard– Demonstrates that you are listening and tuned in to

what the person is emotionally experiencing– DO NOT tell the person how they are feeling– Ex: “You sound really excited about…”

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Active Listening Models

Paraphrasing:– Summarize what you heard in your words– Demonstrates you are listening– Creates empathy and rapport– Clarifies content– Allows you to obtain further information– Ex: “What you’re saying is…?”

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Active Listening Models

Reflecting/Mirroring:– Repeat last word or phrase subject says– Give exact feedback– Be careful not to overuse!– Ex: “Your husband said he wants to leave?”

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Active Listening Models

• Open-Ended Questions:• Questions that require a narrative response• Encourages subject to talk• Gets away from “just the facts”• Ex: What happened that caused you to be so

angry?” “How did you get that bruise?”

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ACTIVITY #1ACTIVITY #1

Active Listening

Role Play

Styles of Communication

PassiveAggressiveAssertivePassive-aggressive

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Passive Communication

Your feelings are not expressed Allow your rights to be violated Very “safe” Little eye contact and quiet tone May explode after being passive too long Ex: “I don’t know”, “Whatever you think”,

“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me.”

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Aggressive Communication

You must win/be right at all costs Thinks they will always get their way Risky for relationships Angry and intimidating eye contact; loud &

belittling; manipulative and controlling Ex: “Your stupid if you think that will work”

“Who cares how you feel. We have to do what works”

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Assertive Communication

Healthiest form of communication Goal is to respect and understand each

other, and find a solution to the problem Eye contact; listens and validates;

objective and unemotional Models active listening Ex: “I think…I feel…I believe that…”

“So what you’re saying is…?”22

Professional Appearance

Activity #2

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Communication Strategies

Command Presence:

Presenting yourself as someone in authority

* How you LOOK

* How you CARRY YOURSELF

* How you ACT

* How you SPEAK

(At least look like you know what you are doing)

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Command Presence

Goal:– Enhanced

Professionalism– Fewer complaints– Less vicarious liability– Less personal stress

Force Options:– Command Presence– Verbal Communications– Weaponless Strategies– Weapon Strategies– Deadly Force– 97-98% of all conflicts are

resolved with command presence and verbal communications

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Command Presence

Remember: First impressions are lasting ones!

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4 Elements of Reading a Scene“P.A.C.E.”

Problem– Analyze and identify the problem– Enables officer to plan an approach– Problems often change as the confrontation

progresses

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P.A.C.E.

Audience– Everyone encountered is part of the audience– How is the audience reacting?

• Ex: hostile, critical , receptive

– Read audience and adapt tactics appropriately– If a person has a friend in the audience you

may try to enlist their help. Ask the friend to help persuade the person to comply.

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P.A.C.E.

Constraint

– Determine if there are any barriers– Eliminate them if possible

– Example: time of day, weather, location, external noise, officer's own mood, person's

values and beliefs

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P.A.C.E

Ethical Presence– An expression of self-control– Use words to state purpose, not to express personal

feelings– Maintain professional attitude– Anything perceived as hasty, irrational, or unfair

makes an officer seem unethical– There can be serious long-term consequences for

unethical behavior.

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Methods of Redirecting Behavior“L.E.A.P.S”

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Listen– Separate the real problem from the symptoms

of the problem– Determine priorities you must respond to– Determine the context of the event

L.E.A.P.S

Empathize

– Understand the other person's state of mind– See through the eyes of the other person

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L.E.A.P.S

Ask– Use questions to gain control by causing

others to report to you– Questions direct attention away from the

problem– Buys time– Demonstrates concern

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L.E.A.P.S

Paraphrase– Repeat what you have learned in your own

words– Forces other person to stop talking and listen– Helps to ensure that the corrections officer

understands the situation

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L.E.A.P.S.

Summarize– Allows the corrections officer to conclude the

situation– Officer provides the bottom line– State the resolution clearly

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Limitations of Words“When Words Fail???”

Security

Attack

Flight

Excessive repetition

Revised priorities

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S.A.F.E.R.

Security

– Person seriously threatens bodily harm to a corrections officer or other person

– An officer's control is compromised

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S.A.F.E.R.

Attack– Officer's personal body danger zone is violated– Inmate couples aggressive words with present ability

• Ex: an inmate threatens to hit you while lunging toward you– Words and gestures alone are not an attack– Sometimes a person displays conflicting signs; words suggest

one thing and actions suggest another– When words and actions disagree

• Trust actions

• Be alert and ready to use force

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S.A.F.E.R.

Flight

– When an inmate • Begins walking or running away• Escapes from custody

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S.A.F.E.R

40UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright ©. All rights reserved.

Excessive Repetition– When an officer is forced to repeat the same words or

ideas over and over, conclude the officer is not being persuasive

– Repeated refusal by an inmate to comply with a reasonable request

– When an inmate is unreceptive to alternatives after repeated appeals

S.A.F.E.R.

Revised priorities

– Possibly when the problem or constraints change

– Other events of greater importance occur

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Resources

Eastmond, Steven, LCSW. The Utah State Office of Education. “Passive, Aggressive and Assertive Communication, Understanding Communication Styles”.

Findlater, Shawn. National Society of Black Engineers. “Conflict Resolution”. November 2008  Texas. Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education. Crisis

Communications, Course 2120. Revised April 2004

Texas. Texas Commission of Law Enforcement Standards and Education. Use of Force in a Jail Setting, Course 3504. August 1995

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