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Business Conflict Resolution

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Six Thinking Hats
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Gary Wong
Consultant, Canada

Business Conflict Resolution

Under an earlier forum topic entitled "Resolving a Business Argument", there was a great discussion using Six Thinking Hats. This posting is a more advanced version and describes how Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can be combined and integrated with Six Thinking Hats to accomplish a resolution for a (business) conflict.
The suggested 'hat sequence' for such situation is: Blue ⇒ White ⇒ Green, Yellow, Black, Red ⇒ Blue:

Step 1: BLUE HAT
The Blue Hat involves thinking about the process we will use, clarifying what is the end goal, and validating that everyone is willing and in the right frame of mind to resolve the conflict.
Habit 4 is Think Win-Win.
It is a level a maturity that requires a person to be open-minded and humble. By humble we mean not letting one's selfishness and ego get in the way. It also says be aware of people not interested in Win-Win and bringing a Win-Lose, Lose-Win, or Lose-Lose attitude.
As a Blue Hat facilitator, attempt to feel the initial tension in the room. If you sense someone is only present to argue and defend a position, then it is your role to declare and get it out onto the table. If an individual confirms what you sense, then simply state there isn't a level of maturity in the room to make forward. This is the essence of Think Win-Win. People must believe a comforting level of trust exists. It's a Go or No Go decision everyone must make together. I will even go around the room and ask each individual for their commitment. If everyone agrees, "Practice Habit 4" becomes their first Ground Rule posted on the wall.
Not all conflict, of course, is negative. Constructive conflict may be the end goal as the group purposely desires to do some disruptive "out of the box" thinking. But the first Ground Rule still applies.

Step 2: WHITE HAT
The White Hat involves collecting information, data, facts.
Habit 5 is Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood.
Habit 5 says you have 2 ears and 1 mouth; use them in that proportion. Listen more, talk less. Listening with empathy opens up the mind and the heart. Talking focuses on what you are saying and hence closes the mind and perhaps the heart as well.
Let's consider a conflict where two sides disagree and hold opposing positions on an issue. As the facilitator, I will ask for brief position statements. Then I quickly move to listening in order to understand.
A position held is usually a manifestation of past experiences and therefore contains a story that can be told. A story might be about failure, fear, punishment, being physically or mentally hurt. The key is to listen empathically to the stories and emotionally feel the underlying interests and needs (there are Narrative Inquiry methods to collect stories but that's another topic). Once stories have been shared and their content and context understood, collectively discover what's common. What is it that both sides want? Move away from positions to be defended to interests and needs shared by both.

Step 3: GREEN, YELLOW, BLACK, RED HATS
Habit 6 is Synergize.
Synergize is the verb; Synergy is the result. This means finding a Third Alternative - an entirely new position that is better than what either side was arguing for and defending in the beginning.
Focus the creative GYBR hat sequence on the common interests and needs. In what ways might we satisfy or achieve them?
Note this is different than compromising. Compromising is a form of Lose-Lose where neither side gets want they want, so they grudgingly move a bit from their original position and settle for something in between. However, neither side is really happy, because they recognize they will be back into the conflict later since it hasn't been fully resolved.
I am reluctant to accept compromise as a conflict resolution solution. Instead, I will state they have to reach "Win-Win or No Deal". At this level of interaction, both sides can leave the table feeling good and knowing they can come back later in a trusting relationship. It also acknowledges that external uncontrollable forces may alter the environment and serendipitously unveil an extremely attractive third alternative.

Step 4: BLUE HAT
H7 is Sharpen the Saw
Habit 7 says you renew your skills through learning and continue to build the level of trust in relationships.
Besides summarizing the conflict session outcomes, as a Blue Hat facilitator you also lay out next steps for the group - what worked well, what can we do to improve. I collect them under the 4 basic humans needs (physiological, emotional, mental, and spiritual) - Live, Love, Learn, Leave a legacy.

What are your thoughts, comments, experiences? What has worked well for you?
 

Rating

 
1
joseph, Morocco
 

Business Conflict Resolution

Hi, I found your analysis interesting, especially the approach for the third step refusing compromis... Sign up

 
2
Koffi Ganke, Ghana
 

Business Conflict Resolution

I am of the same opinion as Joseph. I can't remember having ''synergized'' in the past. Compromising... Sign up

 

More on Six Thinking Hats:
Summary
Discussion Topics
topic Resolving a Business Argument
topic Clarification: Team Process
topic Examples of Using Six Hats Thinking
topic Situational Thinking Hats?
topic Telecom Example of Six Thinking Hats
topic Techniques for Real Dialogue in Organisations
topic Wearing the Blue Hat
topic Challenging Plans or Ideas: The Ritual Dissent Approach
topic Six Thinking Hats is Parallel Thinking
topic 6 Thinking Hats are Rubbish
topic Systematic, Deliberate Thinking is not Easy to Do
topic Instilling Constructive Participation: 15-minute Soliloquy
topic Everybody Should Wear More Than 1 Hat
topic Six Hats Great for Teaching at University
🔥 View Response to COVID-19 Wearing Six Thinking Hats
👀Business Conflict Resolution
topic Six Hats is Universally Applicable
topic Switching Hats by Top Managers
topic Taking Advantage of Conflicts in Group Decision Making
topic Seventh Thinking Hat: Grey for Wisdom
topic Tools to Consider Multiple Perspectives
topic Avoiding Groupthink with 6 Thinking Hats Process
topic Distorted Western Adversarial Thinking
topic Six Hats really great
topic Can Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Improve Thinking?
topic Current Status of Six Thinking Hats? Hot News
topic Conditions for 6 Thinking Hats. Assumptions
topic Six Thinking Hats for Instructional Design
topic The Role of the Group Facilitator in Six Thinking Hats
topic Additional 7th Thinking Hat?
topic Edward de Bono Obituary
topic How to Facilitate Mutual Understanding and Conflict Resolution
topic Six Hats Certification
topic Six Thinking Hats for Software Testing at Google
topic Six Thinking Hats is Great for Exploring All Points of View
Special Interest Group
SIG LeaderGary Wong
Consultant


top

More on Six Thinking Hats:
Summary
Discussion Topics
topic Resolving a Business Argument
topic Clarification: Team Process
topic Examples of Using Six Hats Thinking
topic Situational Thinking Hats?
topic Telecom Example of Six Thinking Hats
topic Techniques for Real Dialogue in Organisations
topic Wearing the Blue Hat
topic Challenging Plans or Ideas: The Ritual Dissent Approach
topic Six Thinking Hats is Parallel Thinking
topic 6 Thinking Hats are Rubbish
topic Systematic, Deliberate Thinking is not Easy to Do
topic Instilling Constructive Participation: 15-minute Soliloquy
topic Everybody Should Wear More Than 1 Hat
topic Six Hats Great for Teaching at University
🔥 View Response to COVID-19 Wearing Six Thinking Hats
👀Business Conflict Resolution
topic Six Hats is Universally Applicable
topic Switching Hats by Top Managers
topic Taking Advantage of Conflicts in Group Decision Making
topic Seventh Thinking Hat: Grey for Wisdom
topic Tools to Consider Multiple Perspectives
topic Avoiding Groupthink with 6 Thinking Hats Process
topic Distorted Western Adversarial Thinking
topic Six Hats really great
topic Can Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Improve Thinking?
topic Current Status of Six Thinking Hats? Hot News
topic Conditions for 6 Thinking Hats. Assumptions
topic Six Thinking Hats for Instructional Design
topic The Role of the Group Facilitator in Six Thinking Hats
topic Additional 7th Thinking Hat?
topic Edward de Bono Obituary
topic How to Facilitate Mutual Understanding and Conflict Resolution
topic Six Hats Certification
topic Six Thinking Hats for Software Testing at Google
topic Six Thinking Hats is Great for Exploring All Points of View
Special Interest Group
SIG LeaderGary Wong
Consultant
Knowledge Center

Six Thinking Hats
Knowledge Center



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