How to Calm the Storm: Managing conflict with learners

Transcription

1 How to Calm the Storm: Managing conflict with learners Zubin Austin BScPhm MBA MISc PhD FCAHS Professor and Murray Koffler Chair in Management Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy University of Toronto, Canada

2 Target Audience: Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians ACPE#: L04-P/T Activity Type: Application-based Target Audience: ACPE#: Activity Type:

3 Zubin Austin has no conflicts of interest to declare Target Audience: ACPE#: Activity Type: The American Pharmacists Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

4 Learning Objectives After completion of this application-based activity, participants will be able to: 1. Identify conflict management tools and models 2. Discuss examples of effective conflict management tactics to resolve issues that arise from generational gaps 3. Develop strategies to appropriately manage conflicts between preceptors Target Audience: and learners, and tension between pharmacists and other health care professionals ACPE#: Activity Type:

5 1. Assessment Question The Forcing/Imposing Conflict Management Style: A. Is most common for pharmacists B. Places a high premium on long-term relationships with others C. Typically involves use of direct communication Target Audience: D. Rarely is effective in health care settings ACPE#: Activity Type:

6 2. Assessment Question Attributes of a direct communication style include: A. Frequent use of the word you B. A clear belief in right and wrong answers C. Overuse of open ended questions Target Audience: D. Inattentiveness to non-verbal cues ACPE#: Activity Type:

7 3. Assessment Question In the conflict management model, worldview: A. Describes a core personality trait of individuals B. Is generally a function of socialization, family, and peer influences Target Audience: C. Is generally fixed by the age of 20 D. Can ACPE#: be readily modified through use of effective listening Activity Type:

8 4. Assessment Question Strategies for effective conflict management include: A. Self-awareness regarding personal conflict management style B. Use of mirroring as a communication strategy C. Modification of personal communication style where possible Target Audience: D. All of the above ACPE#: Activity Type:

9 Context Moving from more solitary models of professional practice to more interdisciplinary systems requires development of new skills Working effectively with others is essential in patient care the primary vehicle for getting things done Technical expertise and content knowledge must be complemented by interpersonal skills and abilities and must be taught and modelled to students!

10 Conflict Management Inevitable during transition from silo to patient care practice Single most frequently cited reason for job dissatisfaction and stress amongst pharmacists Frequent challenge in precepting situations: learning to anticipate and diffuse conflict is a critical skills for educators

11 What is conflict? An expressed struggle between at least two parties A situation where one perceives incompatible goals An environment where rewards/resources are scarce and contested A behaviour perceived as interference in attainment of a goal

12 Assumptions in any conflict Conflict is a disagreement through which parties involved perceive a threat to their needs, interests or concerns Disagreement: conflict tends to exaggerate the perceived disagreement considerably if we can understand the TRUE areas of disagreement, this will help us to solve the right problems and manage the true needs of each party Conflict = intellectual disagreement + emotional involvement

13 Assumptions in any conflict People respond to perceived threats rather than true/actual ones Perception can therefore become reality Working to understand the true threat and develop solutions to manage it is a constructive way to avoid conflict

14 Conflict is a normal part of everyday life In small groups, discuss the following questions. Please be prepared to share your group s discussion What are some of the key sources of conflict with learners? When do these tend to occur? How do people respond to these conflicts as they arise? How do we balance the need to solve an immediate problem vs. putting in place systems to prevent problems from occurring in the future?

15 Conflict Identification Sources of conflict include: - Personal differences - Informational deficiencies - Role incompatibility - Ineffective/unacceptable methods - Environmental Stress

16 Personal differences Fundamental values/morals and beliefs Socialization processes Cultural/family traditions Level of education Breadth of experience Inter-generational differences

17 Intergenerational differences Traditionalists Baby boomers Generation X Millennials Worldview Practical Optimistic Skeptical Individualistic Work ethic Chain of command Driven, hierarchical Balanced, selfdirected Need to peer reference What is leadership? Feedback Hierarchy Consensus Competence Getting things done No news is good news Documentation 360 degree Vulnerable to constructive feedback Motivation Survival/Thriving Achievement Personal Success Fun

18 Informational Deficiency Misinformation Misrepresentation Message not received Message misinterpreted Differing information basis

19 Role Incompatibility Misalignment between goals, responsibilities, accountabilities Most likely to arise when tasks are interdependent and people must function as teams May also arise when individuals simply have different priorities

20 Ineffective/Unacceptable Methods Conflict can occur despite agreement over objectives if there is disagreement over methods Such conflict can unfortunately spill over into disagreement over initial objectives

21 Environment Scarce resources breed competition and uncertainty, leading to stress and conflict Competition for scarce resources (including money, praise, promotions, etc.) can breed conflict as quickly as it can breed creative problem solving

22 Conflict Management Styles A way of examining one s own approach to dealing with conflict Each style is a way of achieving one s own goals in a dispute, but will impact on other people in different (and sometimes unpredictable) ways Reflecting upon one s own conflict management style can be a useful tool for managing the emotional response that is an inevitable part of conflict

23 Conflict Model Communication Style DIRECT Imposing Settling Worldview PRINCIPLED PRAGMATIC Thwarting Avoiding INDIRECT

24 The Imposing (Forcing) Style One s own needs are advocated over the needs of others Relies upon aggressive style of communication Low regard for future relationships Values expediency over efficacy

25 The Settling Style Characterized by low assertiveness and high cooperativeness Tend to allow needs of others overwhelm their own (which may not even be known or stated) Preserving relationships is seen as all-important

26 The Avoiding Style Characterized by low assertiveness and low cooperation Needs and concerns go unexpressed in the name of peace and civility; however they will fester and likely grow

27 The Thwarting Style Characterized by low assertiveness and low cooperation Generally occurs where individuals perceive hierarchical/power differentials between themselves and others, and feel powerless to address it Most frequent when individuals have opportunities for subversion due to the nature of work itself

28 Case 1 Your new pharmacist Kevin was an award winning student, and has completely embraced the idea of pharmacists as medication therapy managers. He enjoys speaking with other prescribers and patients and has developed excellent relationships outside the pharmacy. Unfortunately, it s a different story within the pharmacy. Technicians and other pharmacists view him as lazy and inefficient, not interested in actually doing the work of pharmacy but instead simply talking, talking, talking. As Kevin s mentor, you ve been asked to speak with him to address the concerns raised by staff, without discouraging or inhibiting his patientcare orientation

29 Case 2 Your pharmacy student Sharon is her own worst enemy. You believe her heart is in the right place but she consistently disappoints you in terms of her performance: she is frequently late, overpromises but under-delivers, and always seems to have a reason/excuse each time. She appears unwilling/unable to understand the consequences of her actions, particularly on her reputation in the pharmacy and pharmacy community. You ve tried to level with her and each time it has resulted in her agreeing vigorously with you and promising to turn over a new leaf. And indeed her behaviour does improve for the first day or so. How would you address these issues with Sharon in a productive way?

30 Case 3 Dr Johns has had it with your pharmacy! For the third time this month, he has sent a patient who has just suffered a miscarriage with a prescription for misoprostol. Each time, the misoprostol is dispensed as a po rather than pv medication and the patient has followed the pharmacy instruction. As a result, it has been ineffective and the patient has returned and had to endure much more (and unnecessarily complex) procedures following the miscarriage The first time this happened Dr Johns spoke to someone in the pharmacy who apologized and promised it wouldn t happen again. The second time, Dr. Johns spoke to someone else who did the same thing. This time you are in the pharmacy. This is the first time you ve heard anything about this

31 Summary Conflict is inevitable When stripped of its emotional baggage, conflict is merely a different way of communicating and delivering information Conflict can be managed Understanding oneself is the first, most important step in conflict management

32 For further reading Austin Z, Gregory PAM and Martin JC. Pharmacists experience of conflict in community practice. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2010:6(1);39-48 Austin Z, Gregory PAM and Martin JC. A conflict management scale for pharmacy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2009:73(7):Article 122 Fisher R, Ury W and Patten B. Getting to Yes: negotiating agreement without giving in. 2011: Penguin Books.