Chapter 6Communication, Coaching, and

Conflict Skills

What is Communication?Communication is the process of conveying information and meaning.

Effective communication involves the ability to transmit and receive information with a high probability that the intended message is passed from sender to receiver.

What is Communication?The sharing of information between

individual or groups to reach a common understanding in order to accomplish organizational goals and objectives

Is Communication an Important Leadership Skill?

Effective leaders are effective communicators

Organizations with effective communications systems are more likely to be successful

An important part of a leader’s job is to give instructions

When you want to send a message, what is the first, very important, step you should take?

Plan the Message

SENDING MESSAGES AND GIVING INSTRUCTIONS

Plan Your MessagesPurpose of message (goal)?To whom (receiver)?How (media)?When (timing)?Where (setting)?

Limit distractions (called noise)

Develop Rapport

State Communication Purpose

Transmit Message

Check Understanding

Get Commitment / Follow UpOral Message Sending

Process

Receiving MessagesMessage Receiving Process

Listening

� Pay attention� Avoid

distractions� Stay tuned in� Avoid

assuming and interpreting

� Watch nonverbals

� Ask questions� Take notes� Convey

meaning

Analyzing

� Think� Evaluate after

listening

Check Understanding� Paraphrase� Watch nonverbals

FeedbackThe process of

verifying messages and determining if objectives are

being met.

2 Common Approaches to Getting Feedback(and why they don’t work)

Send the entire message and assume it has been conveyed with mutual understanding

Give the entire message followed by asking “Do you have any questions?”

Receivers have cultural barriers

Receivers feel ignorant

Receivers are ignorant

Reluctance to point out sender’s ignorance

4reasons

why peopledo not askquestions

CoachingCoaching is the process of giving

motivational feedback to maintain and improve performance.

Who is a Coach?A teacherSomeone who shows an individual or

team how to improve skills and performance

Provide Modeling

andTraining

DevelopSupportive

WorkingRelationshi

p

Make FeedbackTimely,

Yet Flexible

Give Praise and

Recognition

Give CoachingFeedback

Give Specific

Feedback

Focus onBehaviorNot thePerson

Don’tCriticize

Avoid Blameand

Embarrassment

Have Employees

Assess Their Own

Performance

CoachingGuideline

s

What is Criticism and why doesn’t it work?• Criticism is the process of pointing out mistakes which

places blame and is embarrassing.What happens when u criticize?1. The person becomes defensive2. The person blames it on others3. They feel embarrassed and feel like losers4. They start to dislike the job, task and the critic

Coaching Feedback vs CriticismCoaching feedback is based on a good supportive relationship and on the follower doing a self-assessment of performance. It is specific, descriptive, and makes people feel like winners.

Criticism is judgmental and makes people feel like losers.

THE COACHING MODEL FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PERFORMING BELOW STANDARD

ATTRIBUTION THEORYis used to explain the process managers go through to determine the reasons for effective or ineffective performance and deciding what to to about it

1. Describe Current

Performance2. Describe

DesiredPerformance

4. Follow Up

3. Get a Commitment

to the Change

ThePerforman

ceFormula

(Coaching)Also works

with conflict

resolution

What is Mentoring?A form of coachingUsually between an experienced

manager and a young managerTo develop the protégé

May be formal (assigned) or informalInformal seems to work bestLike most relationships, based on

chemistry between participants

What is Conflict?A conflict exists whenever people are in disagreement and opposition

Why Should Leaders be Concerned with Conflict?Inevitable fact of life & leadershipConflict Resolution is an important skill of

leadership

So what is this thing called “conflict”?

Conflict: Good or Evil?Conflict occurs when two opposing parties have interests or goals that appear to be incompatible due to:Strong differences in values, beliefs,

or goalsCompeting for resources and rewardsLeaders acting in a manner

inconsistent with the vision & goals of the organization

Conflict: Good or Evil?Can be organizational (work related) or personalPersonal can start as organizational

Personal is most difficult to resolve

Can become institutionalizedLive on long after the protagonists

have moved onCause of conflict may not even be

remembered

Conflict: Good or Evil?Possible Positive Effects:Increased effortSuppressed feelings get airedBetter understandingImpetus for changeBetter decision makingKey issues surfacedCritical thinking stimulated

Conflict: Good or Evil?Possible Negative Effects:Reduced productivityDecreased communicationNegative feelingsStressPoorer decision makingDecreased cooperationPolitical backstabbing

Conflict Management StylesHigh

Low

Concern for

Other’s Needs

AccommodatingPassive

You Win, I Lose

Collaborating Assertive

You Win, I Win

Negotiating Assertive

You Win Some, I Win Some

Avoiding Passive

You Lose, I Lose

Forcing Aggressive

You Lose, I Win

Concern for

Own Needs

Low High

Conflict Management StylesSr No

Conflict Management Style

Advantages

Disadvantages When to use

1.

Avoiding Maintain Relationships

•Does not resolve conflict•Creation of Intra-individual conflict•Avoiding problems does not make them go away•Longer you wait for confrontation; the more difficult it becomes.

•Conflict is trivial•Your stake in the issue is not high•Confrontation will damage an imp relationship•Don’t have time•Emotions are high

2.

Accommodating

Maintain Relationships

CounterproductivePeople take adv of the accommodator

•When ur a follower•Maintainnence of rel outweighs all •Changes are not imp for u but its imp for other•Time is limited

Conflict Management StylesSr No

Conflict Management Style

Advantages

Disadvantages When to use

3.

Forcing Better decisions when forcer has expertise and is correct

•Creates opposition and hostility•Forcer tends to have poor human relations

•Unpopular action must be taken•Commitment by others is not imp•Maintain relations are not crucial•Conflict resolution is urgent

4.

Negotiating •Conflict is resolved quickly•Relationships are maintained

•Negotiating leads to sub-optimum results

•The issues are complex and critical•Parties have equal power•Solution is temp•Time is short

Conflict Management StylesSr No

Conflict Management Style

Advantages

Disadvantages When to use

5.

Collaborating

Best solution to the conflict

•It requires a lot of skills, expertise and time to come up with a win-win solution for all parties involved.

•You are dealing with an imp issue•People are willing to place group and org goals above self –interest•Maintaining rel is imp•Time is available•Peers or people of equal position are involved in the conflict