A Systems Intelligence Approach to Conﬂict Facilitation ... · Lyssa & Michael project & program manager PMO director PMP Six Sigma Green Belt CST & CSC Co-Active Coach Org & Relationship

© 2012 Agile Coaching Institute

Leading ConflictA Systems Intelligence Approach to

Conflict Facilitation for Leaders

Lyssa AdkinsMichael K. Spayd

Lyssa & Michael

project & program managerPMO directorPMPSix Sigma Green Belt

CST & CSCCo-Active CoachOrg & Relationship

Systems Coach

Organizational change coachProcess re-engineerCPFPsychologist

Agile transformation coachCertified Org & Relationship Systems CoachCoaching the Agile Enterprise (in progress)

© 2012 Agile Coaching Institute 3

Quick Conversation

What had you come to THIS session?

What do you hope to get?


Conflict Facilitation Approach

Build the Container

“Process” the

conflict

Take a Systems Leadership View

Be a Conflict Facilitator


Leading from a systems viewpoint challenges us to develop as people

Image: http://jasminetargett.blogspot.com/

Systems Oriented Leadership

http://jasminetargett.blogspot.com

http://jasminetargett.blogspot.com


Systems Oriented Leadership Competencies

1.The ability to reinterpret the self through systemic experience (voice of the system)

2.Holding the needs of the entire system

3.Knowing that leadership is a role of the system – rather than a personal position or permanent structure

4.Creating an atmosphere of positivity

5.Practicing deep democracy, hearing from every voice in the system to empower self-organization

6.Facilitating and catalyzing change, as movements of the system

7.Embracing and navigating conflict

8.Fostering co-responsibility and peer accountability

9.Reads and articulates the emotional field, giving voice to the system’s experience

10.Helps navigate the ‘levels of reality’, (essence / visioning / practicalities)


Systems Oriented Leadership Competencies

1.The ability to reinterpret the self through systemic experience (voice of the system)

2.Holding the needs of the entire system

3.Knowing that leadership is a role of the system – rather than a personal position or permanent structure

4.Creating an atmosphere of positivity

5.Practicing deep democracy, hearing from every voice in the system to empower self-organization

6.Facilitating and catalyzing change, as movements of the system

7.Embracing and navigating conflict

8.Fostering co-responsibility and peer accountability

9.Reads and articulates the emotional field, giving voice to the system’s experience

10.Helps navigate the ‘levels of reality’, (essence / visioning / practicalities)

Sources: CRR Global, Coaching the Agile Enterprise (in progress), Michael Spayd


1. Self organization happens most effectively when all perspectives in the ‘field’ are represented

2. Everyone is right…

3. Conflict is a change urge, not a problem to be managed

See Conflict Through Right View

partially


• What’s the benefit of this View?• What’s the personal challenge for you?

Integration Time


Build the ContainerWhat is a Container?

• Structure• Culture• Environment• Behavior• Norms


Demo: Informal Constellation


How to Build the Container

Educateabout

conflict

⬆ Positivity⬇ Toxic Conflict

Establishconflict

protocols


0.36:13:1

5:1

Source: Marcial Losada And Emily Heaphy In American Behavioral Scientist 2004: 47: 740

medium-performing

high-performing

low-performing

Build the ContainerPositivity and Team Performance

ResearchFindings


Withdrawals

team interactions create deposits or withdrawals

Positive balance =

“Positive sentiment override”

Build the ContainerThe Emotional Bank Account

Source: John Gottman, The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work


Productivity

Build the ContainerIs your container strong?

Positivity

InsanelyGreat

HappyCamp

PrisonCamp

Sources: Team Coaching International; John Gottman, The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work ; Chris Venn (VennAdvisory.com)

SweatShop


Productivity

Build the ContainerIs your container strong?

Positivity

InsanelyGreat

HappyCamp

PrisonCamp

Sources: Team Coaching International; John Gottman, The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work ; Chris Venn (VennAdvisory.com)

SweatShop

Emotional Bank Account Withdrawals:• Blaming• Defensiveness• Stonewalling• Contempt• Excessive Advocacy

Emotional Bank Account Deposits:AppreciationsAcknowledgementsMore Inquiry, Less Advocacy


• What’s your team’s P/N ratio?

• When does your team engage in toxic conflict?

Integration Time


• “Agreements made when we’re cool and rational for handling times when we’re not”

• Need consensus of full team

• Leader takes facilitator/coach role in holding accountability to agreements

Build the ContainerConflict Protocols

Source: Howard Guttman, Great Business Teams


Conflict Protocol AgreementsHow do we want it to be when we’re in conflict?

Make agreements on:culture &behavior

How will we surface conflict?

What do you know about yourself in dealing with conflict?


24 hour rule: address it or drop it

Be candid and straightforward

Don’t triangulateLet�� go�� of�� stories

Depersonalize: feedback is a business issue, it’s not personal

Build the ContainerExample Conflict Protocols

Source: Howard Guttman, Great Business Teams


• Learn facilitation skills

• Get your facilitator hat on

• Know your own triggers

• Mind Training: Repeat the Right View beliefs until they become true for you

• Practice seeing everyone as right (partially)

Be a Conflict FacilitatorPersonal Mastery Practices


Your job: help the team process the change urge

• Re-frame conflict as an urge to change

• Use conflict protocol agreements

• Deep Democracy practices

• Separate individual interests from positions

Process the Conflict


Use ConstellationsOther Techniques:- Fist of Five- Roman Vote- Round Robin- Write on Stickies First- Make Space for

Unpopular or Minority Voices

Process the ConflictDeep Democracy Practices


Java!No,

Ruby on Rails!

PositionsWe need a flexible,robust

technologyYea!Yea!

Interests

Process the ConflictMove from Positions to Interests

to


• What’s one thing I will do based on my experience in this session?

Integration Time

© 2012 Agile Coaching Institute

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A Systems Intelligence Approach to Conﬂict Facilitation ... · Lyssa & Michael project & program manager PMO director PMP Six Sigma Green Belt CST & CSC Co-Active Coach Org & Relationship

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