Conflict Management Workshop

KELSEY NERLAND
EDUC 5130: ADULT LEARNING
ASSIGNMENT 7
FALL QUARTER

Sponsoring Organization
Phase 1

Institution: Seattle University

Phase 2

Professional Organizations

NASPA (National Association of Student

Personnel Administrators)
ACPA (American College Personnel
Administrators)

Other Institutions

Agreement to co-sponsor

Target Audience
Phase 1
Seattle University Student Affairs
Professionals
Seattle University Departments
Seattle University Student
Leaders

All Seattle University Students

Phase 2
NASPA or ACPA

Members, Graduate Students, or

Undergraduate Fellows

Other Institutional Student

Affairs Professionals
Other Institutional Student
Leaders

All Other Institutional Students

Type of Event: Workshop

Framework
-ThomasKilmann
Conflict Mode
Instrument
by Kenneth W.
Thomas +
Ralph H.
Kilmann

-Group Project
Implications

Characteristic 1: Andragogy
Adults need to know why they

need to learn something

(Merriam, 2007, p. 84).
An adult accumulates a
growing reservoir of
experience, which is a rich
resource for learning
(Merriam, 2007, p. 84).

Activity 1: Case Study

What Would You Do?

Activity

Student Affairs professionals and

student leaders are given four case
studies where they have to break up
into small groups and use one of
the five conflict handling modes to
go about managing the conflict
Rationalize their choice
Rationalize why they didnt choose
1 other mode
Listen and offer feedback to other
groups

Activity Time: 10-15 minutes

Characteristic 2: Narrative Storytelling

Stories in the form of cases are a good instructional

technique to teach problem solving. They site a

number of studies with practitioners who
understood their practice no from a technical or
rational perspective but rather through stories and
examples from experience (Merriam, 2007, p. 201).

Activity 2: Creative Project

Professionals and students will be given

paper, markers, scissors, pipe cleaners,

and other craft materials
They will be asked to think about what
conflict style mode they mostly resort
to, and be asked to create a symbol that
describes their conflict style

They should share a specific conflict situation

they were in and how they utilized their style
to successfully manage the conflict situation

Create Time: 4-8 minutes

They will be asked to break up into

small groups and share why they chose

that symbol to represent their conflict
style mode

Characteristic 3: Reflection-on-Action
Helping practitioners become aware of, and act on,

the discrepancies between their beliefs (their

espoused theories) an what they actually do
(Merriam, 2007)

Activity 3: Knowing Yourself & Applying Theory to Practice

2 Handouts

1) Understanding Self

Situational
Understanding the
consequences of
actions

2) How Should You

Respond?

Pick a conflict situation

Fill-in-the-blank
responses based on
conflict at hand
Students are asked how
they were initially going to handle the conflict and compare reactions

Activity Time: 5-10 minutes

Resource List
Abigail, R., & Cahn, D. (2011).

Managing
conflict through communication (4th ed.).
Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Corvette, B. (2007). Conflict management: A
practical guide to developing negotiation
strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall.
Gordon, J. (2003). The Pfeiffer book of
successful conflict management tools: The
most enduring, effective, and valuable
training activities for managing workplace
conflict. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Sande, K. (1997). The peacemaker: A biblical
guide to resolving personal conflict (2nd ed.).
Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument.
(2009, January 1). Retrieved November 4,
2014, from
http://www.kilmanndiagnostics.com/catalog
/thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument

References
Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2007). Learning in

adulthood: A comprehensive guide (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Publishers.
Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode

Instrument. Mountain View, CA: Xicom, a subsidiary of CPP, Inc.

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. (2009, January 1). Retrieved

November 4, 2014, from http://www.kilmanndiagnostics.com/catalog/thomaskilmann-conflict-mode-instrument

Thomas, K. W., Conflict and Conflict Management, in M. D. Dunnette (Ed.),

Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (pp. 889-935),

Chicago: Rand-McNally, 1976.