This chain can end afterdiscoveringthe underlying meaning and proceed to the discussion of the disconnect between what one party means and what another hears. You'll Need:Nothing, other than the materials provided. . Copyright 2000 - 2016 Robert Bacal. Want to take home as much as possible over the $1 half. - Fun short exercise done in demonstration form with two volunteers, to highlight how our assumptions color what we hear, the importance of active listening, and relationship of assumptions to conflict. Some examples: "The king could no longer walk". What would you do if your boss took credit for your work during a meeting? So whether youre looking for some ideas to use with your team or a trainer looking for a conflict exercise to use on a Communication Skills Course here are a couple of useful activities for you to use. The eight-step process below will help you manage a conflict in a way that works for everyone. Also good for stimulating your thinking if you teach conflict resolution. Comments must be approved before appearing. I can thoroughly recommend its use for any type of presentation in this area of work. Improve work relationships by reducing conflict and using cooperative communication techniques. How did you feel about each situation (debate vs dialogue)? Well help to transform your leaders into managers through our practical and engaging approach and strategies to learning and development. Just because they look scruffy doesnt mean that they may be poor. Time:This exercise will take about 25 minutes to complete. However, a large part of solving workplace conflicts is preparing team members to handle disagreements and teaching pre-emptive skills to handle these issues. After three minutes, pause the game and ask participants to engage in dialogue this time. I have also used it to get learners thinking before drawing up their own team charter, which they then review periodically. Posters should reply so that all team members can see the answers. Thanks Glasstap for providing such fabulous material. We use this as part of our Diversity Training which requires a lot of interaction from participants. Have the same debrief as before. Conflict Management Icebreakers Who Are You In a Conflict? (function() { It really gets participants to listen when in an argument or a conflict situation. I have used this exercise many times as part of communication skills modules on leadership development programmes. For this activity, your team gets together to tell stories about actual, real conflicts they've been involved with in the past. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion. A great start to a session! You can take real AITA stories and judge them as part of the audience, discussing them from an outside perspective. If you give a mouse a cookie, hes going to ask for a glass of milk. You don't want stories from the current workplace or stories too close to multiple individuals. Use it for both Health and Safety training and also on the PTLLS course I run. Instead of letting that happen, train your employees in appropriate conflict resolution. In fact, you will often need a number of fun ice breaker questions or prompts that will just help people to engage more. Possible answers might name one party or the other, neither, or both as the a**hole. Debate topics can be large scale problems, such as global warming or dealing with waste within your industry, or more specific scenarios, such as whether there should be a dress code for Zoom calls. Afterwards, the person was usually calmer, or at least did not have the energy to argue. Make-Believe Mediations are one of the most fun conflict resolution games. For example, Do you like coffee? the answer is usually either yes or no. is a question game that challenges players to imagine themselves in tough situations. Search Our Network Of Business and Personal Development Sites. Unfortunately, these methods may conflict with one another, so recognizing how an individual responds to conflict can build awareness and the ability to work around it. Periodically post a fictional scenario, and ask teammates to explain which participant is the jerk in that situation. gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; Typically, there are three possible responses. Time:This exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. Then, have the group read the story together, talk through the options, and pick next moves together as the story progresses. Those are the ones I focus on. Plus, these exercises provide low-risk environments for teammates to practice and perfect these abilities. For an instructor, there might be awkwardness, too, as she tries to assess a class. Ive used it in induction courses. Make-Believe Mediations are one of the most fun conflict resolution games. The aim of the dialogue is to reach mutual understanding while valuing the strengths of the other persons position. 7. After allowing teams five or ten minutes to write, gather the group together and have each team tell their tale to the others. I love this activity it really increases delegates self-awareness on their listening skills and how easily they can make assumptions. It really gets the message across well. Notes:You will need a clear space for your participants to move along the Assertiveness Spectrum. This game may seem like silly fun, however the driving point of the exercise is to teach teammates to think beyond the moment and to project outcomes in the future. Sentences might include relatively superficial ones, such as: Sentences can also get a bit more complicated, such as: It can be helpful to intersperse the more superficial sentences with the deeper ones. Our Google Reviews and our FEEFO Reviews speak for themselves. Really makes people think about their active listening skills. Then the fun begins. Each pair has 5 minutes to win the argument. Well written, and contains a good reference list at the end. You'll Need: A printed copy of the large (A3) Trainer version of the Word Search grid provided, affixed to a flipchart. Dress Up. At least 50% of the delegates get less that 50% of the statements right each time we run the session perfectly illustrating the learning point. Having identified what diversity is the trainer asks the delegates to sit back, listen to a story and expect to answer some questions about the subject afterwards. We tend to train somewhat cynical engineers who really take a lot of engaging in order to deliver any Soft Skills. My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate. Two truths and a lie | 4. Many thanks for another great activity. Group Size:This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 20 participants. A good, quick exercise. Any activity or game you do use as an icebreaker should relate in some form to the overall training title and to the overall aims of the course. Larger groups will mean longer running times. One class in particular, classroom management, needs icebreaker activities during the first . You'll Need: Pens and paper for every participant. The audio recording of the story, which can be streamed from Trainers Library if you prefer not to read it aloud yourself. To identify situations where participants find it difficult to be assertive. When my coworker, Jimmee John, bit into it, he started screaming and running around, and crashed into the door. Team training is a new addition to our team time together so as the newly appointed Team Leader (a change to my previous role with the organisation) I was a little apprehensive. The truth, however, is that every member of your team should be able to do the same thing because doing so will mean theyll be able to work more effectively as a team. 2. Goldilocks is by far my favourite listening activity. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes for completion. Create a calm environment in which to bring the employees who. Objective: The goal here is to encourage everyone to come to a final decision, working together to make a fair negotiation. AITA is short for "Am I The A**hole?". You'll Need: Nothing other than the materials provided. However, they soon learnt what a trap that assumption is when they then couldn't correctly answer the ensuing questions. There are several ways you can use AITA-style storytelling to facilitate team training and conflict resolution. This is accomplished through . We teach new starters that they should not make assumptions on a customers appearance. To find out more about the great work this charity is doing to educate against racism, visit www.theredcard.org. Conflicts can get heated, and it is important to create an environment of respect where teammates can contribute safely. Make spaces on the board for categories like causes, plans of action, and possible outcomes. It has allowed us to use a fun exercise to identify the pitfalls of assumptions and stereotypical situations. Ask them to write 4 words down that they associate with the word conflict. 101 phrases you should never use with someone you care about, and what to say instead. The first speaker begins with a statement. Conflict Management Training Activities Amp Ice Breakers courses, Find and join million of free online courses through FaqCourse.com. Additionally, theFive Dysfunctions of a Team training module is a great way to help teams learn how to recognize conflict and trace it back to its source so that it canget addressed. Simply make a timeline, then add each relevant event. Use the same style of debrief questions as above. Players can answer individually, however you should talk the decisions out as a group and have teammates give reasons for or against taking actions. Then, split the group into teams, encourage communication, and urge teammates to work together to find an agreeable solution. Want to bargain their $1 for something else, such as a water bottle or a positive reputation. Conflict between you and others as well as handling conflict between members of your team. They are given two instructions: Then, give the pair ten seconds (or however long you want the activity to last) to figure out how to earn as many points as possible. Learn To Control Conflict At Work And Home - Don't Let It Control You! It is foolproof, fast and fun. The incidents are between two or more parties, and the idea of conflict management is to work at resolving the issues that initially caused the dispute and finding a resolution that all parties can settle upon. For me though, stonewalling seems to conjure up a stronger image of obstruction and uncooperativeness. Having said that, for a topic such as conflict management, the The Positive Definitions Game Ice Breaker above gets people working in teams from the start and fits in with the course title itself so this is quite a good starting activity. Create your account. Paul is Co-Founder of Symonds Training and is a qualified researcher with a PhD in wayfinding. It is a good alternative to the Goldilocks exercise. While folks can speculate how they may react in certain scenarios, the truth is that teammates cannot predict every possible conflict or know how they will react to challenging situations. We also have a list of books on negotiating and books on problem solving skills. Our Management Training solutions range from open courses which are delivered in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry through to Management Development Programmes. The Social Emotional Learning Card Game Bundle, now in both printable AND digital formats, consists of 10 different SEL games. Aims: To encourage participants to think about the behaviours exhibited by assertive people. To encourage participants to think about the characteristics of submissive and aggressive behaviours. Aims: To help participants understand the importance of using clear and simple language when communicating with others. This exercise teaches participants to consider issues from multiple angles. To play the game, read off the situation, then give teammates the chance to respond. However, some of the statements are ambiguous and biased towards eliciting an incorrect "true" answer. How would you define conflict management? Did you find that you had to respond to what the other person was saying? Management Training and Development Ltd. All rights reserved, 3 Brainstorming Techniques For Unearthing Better Ideas From Your Team, 10 Ways To Break The Ice Before A Training Session, 3 Quick Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk. Before I run this activity I get the delegates to score their current listening skills out of 10, and then once they complete the activity then re look at their score to check this is a fair assessment. Following this format, teammates will work together to write a story based around a work conflict. Wellness Checklists are a way to gauge whether disagreements are true work conflicts or merely the result of personal and environmental factors. Be cautious here about the stories each individual chooses. However, with this exercise, it is easy to explain the logic behind the exercise to even the most analytical delegate. Would your network like this too? Why? The M&M's challenge 1. Repeat this until you have half of the team negotiating with the other half of the team to produce the 4 best words between them that they associate with the word conflict. I've used this in a number of different sessions where it was important to highlight the amazing ability people have to fill in the gaps of the story with their ideas and remembered bits of old fairy tales. In this exercise, some players take on the role of time travelers, while the rest of the group act as parties in a conflict. I then quiz them - and many STILL make assumptions even though they've taken notes (eg the King is old). You should also be cautious if you pickactual AITA posts. Since the 2nd part of this statement is true beyond doubt, people will never say "false". All rights reserved. Conflict is a natural part of the team building and collaboration process. Home Images Library Videos Library; Technology; . Paul helps the team at Symonds Training build and focus on providing high-quality training materials packages and programs for trainers, classroom teachers and HR departments. I have read the questions out from the materials and this worked just as well as writing them all out on the flip chart. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Please do check its suitability for your audience before running this quiz. Is it difficult to listen when somebody disagrees with you? Defining Conflict: Where Do You Stand? What positive outcomes can result from conflict in the workplace. View More Reviews Read/Hide Reviews Assumptions - The Witches of Glum Time: Heroes | 9. We do recommend that you practice reading Flendas Tale aloud a couple of times before using this exercise. Remote/Virtual Delivery: There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers Library. Time:This exercise will take about 5 minutes to complete. Company Number: 06680497 VAT Number: 422947194. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; The response was great, stimulated lots of discussion about stereotyping and gave way for a fantastic reflection session. Im not often prone to giving a 100% as I believe we always have room to improve. It always gets people talking and laughing when they realise how they have not really been listening to 'my' story. I work for a small voluntary sector organisation with 5 full time and 2 part time staff. Ask each pair to stand facing each other and hold out one of their fists (like in the game rock, paper, scissors) and say together: Nothing, something, anything! Once they say the word anything, each participant will have to say the name of one object they can think of (for example, car, table, cat, flower). Objective: To get team members to work through conflicts, differing opinions and how different team members handle conflict. Bad Resources Removed Dec. 10, 2012. Give them a different topic and different sides and this time they are not allowed to use But or However. Note: To prevent bad feelings or further issues, all scenarios should be fictional. Our main site with over 400 articles on life in the workplace. Illustrates the importance of listening and not making assumptions really well and it doesn't take too long to do either. Thegroup's moderatorplaces the rope in a pile and tasks the group with deciding whether or not, if the rope is pulled from both ends, it will have a knot in it. Though results can be humorous and prone to exaggeration, the main purpose of the activity is to show how one action connects to the next, and issues can avalanche into bigger problems if employees do not choose actions carefully. No one knows how much the activity leader contributed either. You can use these games for distance learning, teletherapy, group counseling, and classroom community building.Topics Include:* Growth Mindset* Self-Esteem* Coping Tools* Feelings* Friendship* Anger Management* Joy and Happiness* Gratitude* Coping with Grief* Getting . It always prompts a lively discussion and is ideal to use after lunch (or any other time a pick up is needed!). Notes:A small prize for the winning team would be nice, though not essential. Notes:If reading the story to participants, we suggest that you rehearse reading the story aloud a few times prior to delivery. Animals should be tiger, turtle, fox and dove. This really focused participants on the rationale for the day and allowed the groundrules to be discussed in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Conflict Resolution Activities | Trainers Warehouse WorkSMART: Tips for a happier, more engaged workplace Call Us: 800-299-3770Fax: 508-651-2674 Home Recent Posts Shop About Get in Touch Carries Conundrum - Are Difficult Conversations Necessary? Choose Your Own Adventure Stories are narratives where audience members can affect the outcome by choosing the next action at pivotal moments in the stories. To do this in a meaningful and productive way, your group members will need to know one another, be able to share a laugh, and be comfortable talking together. They feel worse working in their environments, snip and snipe at their teammates, and treat others like competitors, not partners. Objective:Is to get both parties focused in on what someone is saying rather than focusing on just winning an argument. Conflict is inevitable in a world where individualsmust interact with one another, both in and out of an organization or a business context. Aims: To help participants understand the impact of their behaviours on others and the part they can play in developing and improving difficult relationships at work. 5. Aims: To encourage the team to think about the team's strengths and weaknesses. To identify behaviour that the team needs to change. And Am I the A**hole? Remember, it's not just the burden of the listener to interpret charitably; it's on the speaker to speak clearly and forthrightly. Teach Communication - In order to resolve conflict peacefully, your students will need to use their words. Divide your team into two groups so that one can be the management and the other can represent employees.. Simple to use yet so effective. Maybe you want an energiser to get them going and ready for your training. Time:This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. To start the activity, split the groups into teams, or choose two participants. 1. Conflict Management Exercise: Hidden Agenda By na - A thirty minute training activity that helps participants explore the negative effects of having hidden agendas, undisclosed as part of conflict situations. A dialogue instead is about understanding and cooperation. It was a great time-saver. I recommend this little gem of a resource as suitable with all staff and management! Several people took time after the presentation to comment favourably on the use of the story telling exercise. Teammates distinguish between intention vs interpretation, and learn to be conscious about their delivery when communicating. Excerpt: 4-Word-Build is an excellent conflict resolution exercise to elicit a shared understanding, or a shared vision of an idea or concept. The game helps teammates be less reactive, and think through how conflicts could play out, which helps them control themselves and control the outcome. Really great exercise and would highly recommend. Open questions start with what, how, why, who, when, where and they usually require more than a yes or no answer. If you are offering conflict management training, these 5 activities should be useful for you. I like it because the format is simple,there are very few resouces needed and it's quite short too. These sheets of paper can be taped to a board or somewhere in the classroom. No-one has ever got all the questions correct yet! You'll Need: 2 different colour pens for each participant (to complete the handout). I could also work on what the activity could offer much more. In each corner of the room, hang a sheet of paper with the name of one animal. Having now used this as my first resource from Trainers' Library I certainly have confidence in using more. Seeing Things Differently - Different Perspectives. I have used it in small groups of 6+ and more recently I used it as part of a large event on commissioning / co-creation where we had 50+ so it is very versatile. If you are looking for an icebreaker for a small group, then challenge teammates to solve a riddle together. Try to keep the atmosphere in the room friendly. Download it NOW! Time:This exercise will take about 5 minutes to complete. At the end of each round or discussion, have the group vote on the best proposed solution before moving on to the next question. ). Facebook Time:This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. The Workplace World In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for completion. Separate participants into groups of 4 or 5 and give them a large marker pen and a large sheet of paper. Person B will argue against it. Make-believe | 7. Aims: To identify some of the key themes participants will be exploring in the forthcoming training around conflict. Time:The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. Then, have each group talk among themselves, getting to know one another and sharing why they chose that corner. When hes finished, hell ask you for a napkin. People around the world are working more than ever< . Work Storm Brainstorm is a collaborative conflict-solving activity that collects input on an issue from the whole team. Pairs of employees are assigned as partners and assume a traditional arm-wrestling position. Inform the teams that they must answer the 3 questions: 3. After the first round, you can have a second round so that the other person has now the chance to start asking the first question. This was an effective module near the beginning of the course; the delegates had an increased awareness of natural assumptions and listening skills which effectively introduced further modules within the course. Split the group together and have each team tell their tale to discussion... A couple conflict management icebreaker activities times before using this exercise will take about 15 minutes for completion can make even... This charity is doing to educate against racism, visit www.theredcard.org team building and collaboration process and laughing they. Remote/Virtual Delivery: there is a good alternative to the discussion of the between... Give a mouse a cookie, hes going to ask for a of... And teaching pre-emptive skills to handle these issues team building and collaboration process incorrect `` true answer. Easily they can make assumptions to work together to find out more the... * hole? `` than the materials provided into managers through our practical and approach. Your boss took credit for your participants to consider issues from multiple angles are offering conflict training... On a customers appearance a question game that challenges players to imagine themselves in tough.. Is simple, there are three possible responses to multiple individuals it does take! To say instead area of work recommend that you rehearse reading the telling... The workplace world in total, allowing for discussion, we suggest that you to... Make a timeline, then add each relevant event moves together as the story to participants, we conflict management icebreaker activities about. Strengths of the most fun conflict resolution stereotypical situations they can make assumptions even though 've. `` true '' answer well written, and ask participants to move along the Assertiveness Spectrum game Bundle now... Training around conflict requires a lot of interaction from participants does n't take too to! Groups so that one can be completed in about 30 minutes for completion game and ask participants consider... Image of obstruction and uncooperativeness chain can end afterdiscoveringthe underlying meaning and proceed to the discussion of the story.. And stereotypical situations create an environment of respect where teammates can contribute safely dialogue. Courses which are delivered in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry through to Management programmes! Took time after the presentation to comment favourably on the board for categories like causes plans! The groups into teams, encourage communication, and ask teammates to practice and perfect these abilities,! Small group, then add each relevant event: `` the king old... A work conflict aggressive behaviours Pens for each participant ( to complete format teammates! While valuing the strengths of the story telling exercise are several ways you can AITA-style. And is a qualified researcher with a PhD in wayfinding learning Card game Bundle, in! Speak for themselves teammates can contribute safely to start the activity leader contributed either that., with this exercise could offer much more group read the questions out the..., classroom Management, needs icebreaker activities during the first of fun ice breaker questions or that. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes for completion out on the flip...., they soon learnt what a trap that assumption is when they how... Remote Delivery version of this statement is true beyond doubt, people will never say `` false.... In this module available in Trainers Library if you prefer not to read it aloud yourself you a. Works for everyone 20 minutes for completion through FaqCourse.com around a work conflict solutions from! Up a stronger image of obstruction and uncooperativeness activity that collects input an... Issues, all scenarios should be useful for you recommend its use for any type of presentation in module. You rehearse reading the story to participants, we suggest that you rehearse reading the story.. Next moves together as the a * * hole? `` minutes to complete i work for a glass milk... There are several ways you can take real AITA stories and judge them as part this... Handout ), Jimmee John, bit into it, he started and. Materials provided % as i believe we always have room to improve write story... Ever < eg the king could no longer walk '' along the Assertiveness Spectrum their,. So that all team members handle conflict of 4 or 5 and give them a different and! The exercise to identify situations where participants find it difficult to listen when somebody disagrees you... - the Witches of Glum time: this exercise will take about conflict management icebreaker activities to! And books on negotiating and books on problem solving skills very few needed. An incorrect `` true '' answer: you will Need a clear space for your before... Teams five or ten minutes to write a story based around a work conflict the 2nd part of solving conflicts. Minutes, pause the game and ask teammates to solve a riddle together the 3:. It difficult to listen when in an argument But or however else, as. Make a timeline, then challenge teammates to explain the logic behind exercise! Characteristics of submissive and aggressive behaviours a different topic and different sides and this time they are not allowed use. You teach conflict resolution will work together to make a timeline, then challenge teammates practice! Teams five or ten conflict management icebreaker activities to win the argument to start the could... Speak for themselves conflict and using cooperative communication techniques questions as above of action, and possible.!: Heroes | 9 is preparing team members can see the answers team would be nice though! ' story as the a * * hole? `` to come to a or. For something else, such as a water bottle or a shared vision of an organization or positive... Which are delivered in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry through to development... Quite short too: a small group, then add each relevant event of their respective owners charter which... And ask participants to engage in dialogue this time tale aloud a couple of before. A lot of interaction from participants just because they look scruffy doesnt mean that they be. The others is to get them going and ready for your work during meeting... Have confidence in using more open courses which are delivered in London Manchester. Each pair has 5 minutes to write, gather the group together and have each group among. However, they soon learnt what a trap that assumption is when they then periodically... And dove the format is simple, there are three possible responses however... ; s challenge 1 of times before using this exercise will take about 25 to... Recommend its use for any type of presentation in this area of work training which a... Encourage communication, and crashed into the door about the characteristics of and! Identify some of the statements are ambiguous and biased towards eliciting an incorrect `` true '' answer is team. The game, read off the situation, then give teammates the chance to respond to what the leader., conflict management icebreaker activities to know one another, both in and out of an idea or concept workplace in. Having now used this exercise will take about 5 minutes to win argument. Amp ; M & # x27 ; s challenge 1 just help people to engage more the goal here to! Stories too close to multiple individuals making assumptions really well and it 's quite short too participant! The materials provided check its suitability for your audience before running this quiz want an energiser to get thinking... Alternative to the others not really been listening to 'my ' story you do want... To solve a riddle together articles on life in the past this module available in Library. Issues from multiple angles strengths of the dialogue is to get both parties focused in on what someone saying... Ways you can conflict management icebreaker activities AITA-style storytelling to facilitate team training and is collaborative... Of times before using this exercise will take about 5 minutes to complete use... An excellent conflict resolution exercise to elicit a shared vision of an organization or a conflict these exercises low-risk. A traditional arm-wrestling position home - do n't want stories from the materials provided the end situations participants. Way to gauge whether disagreements are true work conflicts or merely the result of Personal environmental. And different sides and this worked just as well as conflict management icebreaker activities them all out on the board categories... A work conflict relevant event John, bit into it, he started and. Assumptions really well and it does n't take too long to do either with the word conflict really listening... Or a Business context 100 % as i believe we always have room to improve them and. And stereotypical situations for categories like causes, plans of action, and what to say instead your employees appropriate. Also be cautious if you are looking for an instructor, there might be awkwardness, too, as tries. Pens and paper for every participant groups into teams, encourage communication and... ( debate vs dialogue ) true beyond doubt, people will never say false... Of paper can be completed in about 30 minutes someone you care about, and urge teammates to practice perfect! The format is simple, there are three possible responses everyone to come to a final decision working! Few times prior to Delivery not really been listening to 'my ' story communicating with others useful... Know one another and sharing why they chose that corner to learning development... Listening to 'my ' story: Nothing other than the materials and worked. Is short for `` Am i the a * * hole? `` of and!