Turn stressful, difficult situations into experiences of openness and clarity. Communication & Conflict Resolution Skills provides practical applications for improving communication and personal or professional leadership effectiveness. Instructors and trainers can use this book as a reference, and as a workbook to supplement workshops and learning experiences in communication and conflict management. This book presents practical knowledge and skills in a series of small, understandable units that the reader can practice, master, and use as building blocks to enhance interpersonal and group success. Topics include: Information Sharing — learn to identify personal outcomes in communication and the outcomes of others. Establish and maintain rapport, and use language effectively to ensure that the message is accurate and clear. Reflective Listening — develop the ability to clearly hear what another is communicating and understand what is being said at both the content and feeling level. Problem Solving — formulate accurate problem statements, clarify problems, and facilitate the problem solving of others. The skills of transferral and referral are also covered. Assertion — communicate thoughts, feelings, and concerns directly in a way that does not damage self-esteem or endanger the relationship. Conflict Resolution — develop skills of conflict awareness, styles recognition, diagnosis, conflict resolution, and problem solving. Learn two processes of managing and resolving conflicts, one for managing conflicts around human needs and another model addressing conflicts of resources and/or values. Chapter overviews, exercises, and chapter summaries are included to promote understanding and skill development. This second edition now incorporates current research articles and reference links in every chapter so the reader can go beyond the material presented in the text for a more global perspective on communication and conflict resolution skills.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Preface Introduction 1 Communication and Information Sharing Communication Process Outcomes Information Sharing Speaking Listening Representational Systems and Sensory Acuity Flexibility Congruence Integrity Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Rapport Questions 2 Reflective Listening: Attending and Responding Door Openers Reflective Listening Attending Skills Responding Skills Reflecting Content Reflecting Feelings Reflecting Meanings Summarizing Communication Leads Reflective Listening Skills Practice When to Use—and Not Use—Reflective Listening 3 Problem Solving Seven-Step Problem-Solving Process Seven-Step Problem Solving Process Steps Problem Clarification Referral/Transferral 4 Reactive Responses and Assertion Reactive Responses Solving Evaluating/Judging Withdrawing Assertion Personal Space Submissive, Aggressive, and Assertive Behavior Choosing Behaviors Assertion Profile Assertion Messages Simple Assertion Messages Three-Part Assertion Messages Assertion Sequence Message Formulation Describing the Behavior Describe the Behavior Accurately Include Any Agreements Include a Brief Example Specify the Right Behavior Describe the Pattern of Behavior Avoid Using Inflammatory Words Avoid Using Generalizations Avoid Using Adjectives Don’t Use Adverbs Describing Your Feelings Use a Feeling Word That Accurately Describes How You Feel Don’t Use the Same Word to Describe All Your Feelings Don’t Use Stronger Feelings to Build Your Case Don’t Use “Victim” Words Describing the Negative Effect on Your Life Specify the Effect as Concretely as Possible State the Effect on Your Life Avoid Using Reasons Don’t Exaggerate the Effect Don’t Use an Effect That “Sounds Good” but Isn’t True Defending Assertion Messages Appreciating Assertion Messages Assertion Messages: Personal Examples Assertion Messages: Personal Examples Worksheet Message Sending Emotional Energy Altering the Three-Part Assertion Message Assertion Difficulties Guidelines for Skill Practice Physical Components of Assertion Handling Difficult Assertion Defenses Skilled Alternatives to Reactive Responses 5 Conflict Styles Conflict Ambivalence toward Conflict Social Barriers to Conflict Management Interdependence Emotions in Conflict Situations Positive Results of Conflict A Two-Dimensional Model of Conflict Conflict Management Style Conflict Management Style Survey Conflict Management Exercise Conflict Reflection Exercises Conflict Outcomes Forcing Styles = Resentment Win/Win Style = Mutual Respect Forcing and Win/Win Social Situations 6 Positions, Needs, and Interests Human Needs Physiological Needs Safety Needs Affection Needs Esteem Needs Self-Actualization Positions, Needs, and Interests Human Needs and Conflict Resolution Example: The Case of the Fresh or Frozen Air Practice 7 Conflict Resolution Models Conflict Resolution Model 1: The Human Needs Model Conflict Resolution Model 2: Resources and Values Model Some Distinctions among Resources and Values Conflicts Stages in Conflict Resolution Model 2: Resources and Values Model Resolving Conflicts of Resources and Values Problem-Solving Processes Important Points to Remember in Problem Solving Suggestions for Breaking Deadlocks What the Problem-Solving Approach Communicates Resolving Conflicts of Resources Resolving Conflicts of Values Chunking Up and Chunking Down: A Conflict Resolution Strategy Example of Conflict Resolution Model Application Appendices A. Meta-Model B. Feeling Words C. Role-Play Exercises References Index