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Category 1: Category 2:
Effective Communication Business Focus
• Speaking unit • Writing unit

Unit Resolving Conflict 1 You’ve been looking miserable all week.

2 All I have been doing …

Effective Communication A Discuss these questions as a class. ANSWER
Answers will vary.
Find this unit in the following modules: 1 Have you ever experienced conflict in your workplace?
• Management & Leadership 2 What did you do?
• Telephoning 3 How was the issue handled?
4 Was the outcome to your satisfaction?
• Meetings
• Presentations
• Business Communication
Most jobs nowadays involve working in a team. Being
Business Grammar:
a good team member and learning to modify your own
views for the good of the team is important. There will
• Present perfect continuous
inevitably be conflict within the team but as long as this
is managed and controlled, then this can be healthy
and can lead to improved team performance. If conflict
arises, it’s up to the manager and team members to
work together to resolve it.
B  hich of the following are good ways to resolve
W There’s obviously a problem here.
conflicts (G)? Which are bad (B)?
1 Raise your voice if the another person starts shouting
at you.
2 Sort out problems quickly and effectively.
3 Remain calm, courteous and professional at all times.
4 Ignore difficult members who cause trouble.
5 Deny there is a problem.
6 Listen attentively and show concern.
7 Never admit fault and definitely never apologise.
9 Encourage open and frank discussions.
10 Understand exactly what the problem is.
KEYS, NOT FOR PUBLICATION
D Listen to the conversation. Does John E  isten again and identify two
L
handle the situation well at the beginning? examples of present perfect
How does Maria react? continuous.
No, he doesn’t. Maria gets angry. Grammar Focus
• Present perfect
F  ead the conversation. Identify nine examples which help resolve the
R continuous
conflict successfully.
How to resolve conflict Example
Cherie: Come in, Phil. Is everything OK? Why
don’t you sit down and tell me what’s Use the person’s name Come in, Phil.
wrong? Is everything OK? Why don’t you sit down
Find out what the problem is
Phil: This deadline I’ve got is ridiculous. and tell me what’s wrong?
There’s no way I can get all of this Apologise I’m sorry to hear you feel that way.
done by Wednesday.
Show concern I understand your frustration.
Cherie: O
 h no! I’m sorry to hear you feel that
Admit there is a problem There’s obviously a problem here.
way. I understand your frustration.
Clarify what the problem is Let’s see what we can do about it right now.
Let’s see what we can do about it
Suggest ways to resolve it Here’s what I suggest we do. I’ll see if I can …
right now. What else have you got on
at the moment? Check the outcome is
Will that work?
B satisfactory
Phil:  y main concern is not getting the
M
G Go the extra mile—don’t just How about you stay late this week to get this
end-of-month accounts finished on
solve the problem, make the done and I’ll give you Monday off in lieu so
G time. person feel better you get a nice relaxing long weekend?
B Cherie: Here’s what I suggest we do. I’ll see if
B I can get someone from Accounts to help you with the end-of-month accounts. Will that work?
G Phil: It’s still going to be difficult because I had to spend last week covering for Bob’s sick leave.
B Cherie: Ah yes, thanks for that, Phil. I know it was short notice. How about you stay late this week
G to get this done and I’ll give you Monday off in lieu so you get a nice relaxing long weekend?
G Phil: That would be very helpful.
Cherie: Is there anything else you need to discuss?

C Imagine you are a manager having to deal with

conflict within your team. Tick the responses that G  ead your role-play card. In pairs, role-play a
R
are unhelpful and likely to make the situation worse. conflict resolution meeting. Then change roles. B

1 ‘Please take a seat and tell me what’s happened.’
2 ‘Don’t worry. These things happen all the time in this
office. You’ll get used to it.’
3 ‘Yeah, well, that’s how life is. It’s unfair.’
4 ‘I don’t know what went wrong, but let me try and
straighten this out for you.’
5 ‘Yes, I can see how you might feel that way.’
6 ‘I’m sorry. That should’ve been explained to you earlier.’
7 ‘Well, it’s not my fault. What do you expect me to do
about it?’
8 ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never agreed
to that.’
A You are the manager of the team. One of your
You work in the Paris office, and are having
3
trouble with a member of another team based in
3
the Vienna office. You feel that the emails from
this person are rude, and that she
talks to you in a way that you think
is inappropriate and unprofessional.
She keeps referring to how your
predecessor in the job did the job
3 much better than you. Talk to your
manager about the issue.
3
team members is having trouble with a member in
another team. To resolve the conflict between the
two members of the organisation, you suggest that
your team member forward you copies of the emails
that he / she thinks are inappropriate, so that you can
have a look. You also suggest that your team member copies
you in on future correspondence with the person in Vienna,
so that you can monitor how they are working together and
get involved to resolve conflict if necessary.

EF Business English DVD: Practical Supplements

48 © Signum International, S.à.r.l. Luxembourg, Zug Branch, Zug, 2009 ISBN 978-3-03758-064-6 www.ef.com 49