Culture, Conflict, & Leadership

from interpretation → awareness → adaption

-01 INTERPRET: How do we assign meaning to behavior?

-02 UNDERSTAND: What shapes conflict behavior?

-03 APPLY: How do conflict styles collide clinically?

-04 ADAPT: How can we respond with curiosity and skill?

conflict is ___

interpretive

-same behavior, different meanings

-behavior is observable, meaning is interpreted

• our expectations shape the story we tell ourselves about what another person meant

conflict behavior can reflect

a lot of factors…

1. Culture & socialization: ex=how we act at home

2. Personality & preferences: true color assessment

3. Past experiences: how did past conflicts go, shapes your approach

4. Identity & belonging: psychological safety, do you feel wanted

• Power Relationship: ex=how long know them

• Professional norms: ex=no slang or medical jargon

• Stress/Stakes /Situation: change strategies in high stakes

conflict defined

-A substantive disagreement — a difference in goals, needs, wants, expectations, or desired outcomes.

-An affective/emotional response — the disagreement produces some degree of stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, fear, or other emotional activation

-Conflict = Disagreement + Affective Response

Hammer’s 2 dimensions

1. How disagreement is communicated 2. How affect is expressed

Disagreement

-How directly is the difference communicated?

Affective Response

-How visibly is emotion communicated during the disagreement?

direct vs indirect

-Indirect ≠ passive. Direct ≠ disrespectful.

Direct

-Meaning is carried primarily in explicit words.

• “I don’t think this patient is safe to discharge.”

-They mean and do as they say; weight of conversation on them

Indirect

-Meaning relies more on context, implication, relationship, or questions.

• “Would another stair trial change anything?”

-Burden on listener, who has to interpret what they’re saying

expressive vs retrained affect

Emotionally Expressive

-Emotion is visible in voice, face, gesture, intensity

-Visible affect may communicate sincerity or investment

-“I’m really worried about sending her home today.”

*does not mean uncontrolled/unprofessional/aggressive

Emotionally Restrained

-Emotion is more controlled or less visibly displayed

-Composure may communicate credibility or respect

-“I’d like us to reconsider today’s discharge.”

*seem less interested; does not mean person doesn’t care

4 conflict styles

patterns of preferred behavior in conflict

-discussion

-engagement

-accommodation

-dynamic

4 conflict styles: direct

-Discussion Style: direct + restrained

-Engagement Style: direct + expressive

• Both clearly name the disagreement; affective expression differs

*problem w/ direct: if just direct, might miss the point

4 conflict styles: indirect

-Accommodation Style: Indirect + restrained

-Dynamic Style: Indirect + expressive

• Both clearly name the disagreement; affective expression differs