Handling Conflict in a Workplace

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  N/A

  Course Title:

  Business Leadership Skills

  Course Number:

  8200120

  Career Cluster:

  Business Management and Administration

  CIP Number:

  05079999LS

  Course Type:

  Orientation/Exploratory

  CTE Standard(s) or benchmarks:

  07.01 Select and use appropriate modes of communication including the Internet, for specific workplace situations.

  04.02 Apply appropriate strategies to manage conflict in work situations

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, "From Chaos to Clarity." See CPALMS resource ID#209283.

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will practice (demonstrate) how to handle internal conflict in workplace situations with colleagues and managers using communication skills and technology.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Apply conflict resolution skills in the workplace to the case study scenario.
  • Define and explain at least one conflict management solution.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with:

  • Understanding conflicts occur in many aspects of life, including workplaces.
  • Basic strategies on conflict resolution.
  • Different types of conflicts.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What are some proper ways to handle conflict?
  • Why is there more than one way to solve conflict?
  • What role does each person play when resolving a conflict?

• Procedure

  
  

  1. To introduce the lesson, ask students how they define conflict and to give examples of conflict. Allow students to share their answers as a whole group.

  2. Provide explicit instruction on the academic vocabulary below. Students will apply them to the case study (This list is not an inclusive list of conflict resolution strategies).

  • Self-control - the ability to control your emotions and desires in situations.
  • collaboration - working together to achieve a common goal.
  • meditating - mentally deep thinking about something
  • empathy - understanding others' point of view and sharing the feelings as if they were their own.
  • avoidance - actively staying away from something.
  • compromise - agreement or settlement of a disagreement or difference of opinion.
  • assertiveness (not aggressiveness) - being confident in what you believe, without being aggressive.
  • active listening - making an effort to learn and understand the information presented.

  3. Distribute a copy of the case study, “From Chaos to Clarity,” (See CPALMS Resource ID # 209283) and the graphic organizer (see attachments).

  • Have students read the case study with a partner to find the information necessary to complete the graphic organizer (see attachments). Remind the students they need four conflicts, four strategies and four reasons why.

  4. Discuss the case study as a whole group and display the graphic organizer. Use available technology (see Teacher Notes) to complete the graphic organizer based on student responses.

  • Suggested discussion questions to encourage students applying the conflict resolution terms:
    • What are the conflicts in the case study?
    • What are possible solutions? Why are they possible solutions?
    • If you were Jabari, how would you handle the conflict with the general manager?
    • Why does Shyanne, the assistant manager, tell Jabari to just do his job?
    • How could Shyanne, the assistant manager, help Jabari handle the conflict
    • How could the general manager help handle the conflict?
    • How do you effectively manage conflict in the workplace?
    • Why is important for employees and customers to avoid conflicts?
    • How could technology have helped prevent conflict?

  5. Pose the guiding questions for students and have students work with their shoulder partner to discuss the questions and share out. Students’ responses should include reference to the academic vocabulary related to conflict resolution.

  • What are some proper ways to handle conflict?
  • Why is there more than one way to solve conflict?
  • What role does each person play when resolving a conflict?

  6. To bring the lesson to a close, have students complete the exit ticket (see attachments). Have students pretend they are Jabari and select a conflict management strategy they think works best for the case study, write the definition in their own words of the strategy, and explain why it is the best strategy.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Conflict resolution strategies can include: (not inclusive list -suggestions only) Self-control, collaboration, meditating, empathy, avoidance, compromise, assertiveness (not aggressiveness), active listening.
  • For step 4, if technology is not available, the teacher can use the board or chart paper to record student responses.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas:

  • Review students exit ticket to ensure they understand at least one strategy for conflict resolution.