SOLVE-IT! CONFLICT COACHING

Conflict coaching is a relatively innovative and distinctive form of conflict resolution, created for those who seek assistance with how to approach conflict communication in their own lives. It involves working one-on-one with those involved in interpersonal conflicts, rather than sitting all involved parties down in a mediation setting. Conflict coaching is designed to cater to folks who don't necessarily want to go through the mediation process, but would like assistance with HOW they handle conflict, given certain situations. In some cases, conflict coaching can focus on one particular issue that the participant is having, and involve breaking down that problem to discover it's nuances and how it can be approached. It is important to note that in these situations, legal advice is NOT given. The purpose of these coaching session is broadly to help participants think about conflict more productively in general, and to create in you a better sense of self- awareness in terms of how you handle it.

Just as there are different general types of coaching (sports, life skills, career, communication, etc.), so, too, are there different approaches to conflict coaching. Solve-It! utilizes a hybrid of two conflict coaching types: CONFLICT STYLE COACHING (Thomas-Kilman) and INTEREST-BASED, PROBLEM SOLVING COACHING (Tidwell, Fisher & Ury).

SOLVE-IT! CONFLICT COACHING APPROACH:

Our conflict coaching approach involves first using the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Styles Instrument to determine your individual conflict styles profile. We then move to an exploration of a particular conflict situation using the profile as conversational springboard. 

This model provides fairly structured coaching that remains sensitive to the unique life situations of each participant. Although the conflict styles approach to conflict coaching uses a standardized measurement device, your conflict coach will encourage you to draw from your own experience to evaluating conflict categories and relational behaviors. Once we have determined together what your personal conflict style is, we will then begin to talk about how your approach to conflict may applied to a specific conflict that you are experiencing, utilizing interest based, problem solving methods designed to uncover the likely interests of all parties to a conflict. During this time, the coach also supports your own exploration of common ground and creative solutions, giving you a firm foundation with which to approach the conflict on your own. 

WHAT A CONFLICT COACHING SESSION LOOKS LIKE:

1. Welcome and introductions
2. Discuss the confidentiality of the session and the information shared within it, sign confidentiality agreement
3. Talk through the goals of the session 
4. Discover and learn more about the participant's personal conflict style: take the Thomas-Kilman test, discuss tendencies in different contexts with different players, discuss how to amplify positive behaviors overall given multiple contexts, etc. 
5. Discuss how the conflict style might be adapted for a specific conflict 
6. Develop a "Conflict Handling" plan for the future: dissect a conflict to try to locate the origins, nature, dynamics and possibilities for resolution
7. Questions and Conclusions 

While typical conflict coaching sessions are allotted 3 hours, you may book a custom session on your own time frame, with the understanding that the coaching session format will be modified to fit your time frame and needs (in some cases, taking out either the conflict style evaluation or the conflict-handling steps). Please see the following fee schedule for coaching prices.

Standard 3-Hour Conflict Coaching Session (BEST VALUE): 

• $150.00 for residents of Apache Junction, Gilbert, and Queen Creek.
• $200.00 for residents of all other AZ municipalities.

Custom Conflict Coaching Sessions:

• $75.00 per hour for residents of Apache Junction, Gilbert and Queen Creek
• $100.00 per hour for residents of all other AZ municipalities.

For more information, please call Solve-It! or email Wendy at wendyh@theleadershipcentre.org today!