The Exchange: A Bold and Proven Approach to Resolving Workplace Conflict

Studies indicate that on average, managers and supervisors spend a little more than forty percent of their time resolving workplace conflicts. All this time adds up to a lot of headaches, a hit to morale, and a significant loss in productivity. The Exchange: A Bold and Proven Approach to Resolving Workplace Conflict is for every director, manager, and supervisor who is tired of using trial and error to put out fires.

Supplying readers with proven tools for resolving emotionally charged disputes, this go-to-guide details a four-stage process derived from the conflict resolution model used for more than 25 years at the National Conflict Resolution Center. Designed specifically for the workplace, this highly structured process facilitates the discussion of intense emotional issues so you can learn to preempt and de-escalate disputes before they become volatile. Whether your company is restructuring, downsizing, or merging—or simply needs helpful techniques for use in meetings with angry, disruptive, and disputing employees—The Exchange is for you!
Praise for:
… the authors deliver an extraordinary method for resolving disputes quickly and simply and for the greatest benefit of the organization.—Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times Best-Selling Author

It could be the difference between having a so-so organization and a great one.—Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager® and Lead with LUV


… we finally have a professional, well-organized program to refer to when conflicts arise in our hospitals and clinics.—Evan Burkett, Chief Human Resource Officer, Sanford Health

… a way to facilitate mutual understanding and common goals in order to move to a better place.—Bill Geppert, Senior Vice President, Cox Communications, Inc.

Barbara Filner has been the director of training for NCRC since 1984. She has a master’s degree in teaching from Indiana University and has worked as a teacher, a labor union official, and an analyst in local and state government. She has designed and conducted workshops on mediation and conflict resolution in the workplace in both the United States and Europe. She has lived in Pakistan, India, and Egypt, and thus brings a multicultural perspective to this book. She has also co-written two books about culture and conflict, Conflict Resolution Across Cultures (Diversity Resources) and Meditation Across Cultures (Amherst Educational Publishing).

Steven P. Dinkin is president of NCRC. He received his law degree from George Washington University, where he taught a mediation clinic as an adjunct law professor. He has also taught mediation courses in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. For several years with the Center for Dispute Settlement in Washington, DC, Steve served as an employment and workplace mediator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other federal agencies. In 2003 he moved to San Diego to lead NCRC. His experience managing a talented and opinionated staff has contributed to the realism of this book.

Lisa Maxwell has traveled all over the world as a senior trainer for NCRC, a position she has held for almost 20 years. She has trained people in The Exchange, and in mediation in general, in Mexico and other Latin American countries, as well as in Latino communities in the United States. Lisa has a master’s degree in education from San Diego State University and has developed curricula and taught courses at the high school and university levels. Lisa has worked with businesses, with the military, and with nonprofit organizations on finding creative and effective ways to manage conflicts.

A Different Approach to Resolving Workplace DisputesWho This Book Is forWhat This Book OffersThe Exchange in BriefStage I: Hold Private MeetingsStage II: Develop an Issue ListStage III: Conduct a Joint MeetingStage IV: Facilitate Problem SolvingWhy This Book Is DifferentWorkplace Challenges

How the Exchange Works: A Case StudyResolving a Dispute at Smart AlarmsSome Final Thoughts

Getting ReadyStep 1: Assess the SituationStep 2: Clarify Your Interests, Roles, and ResponsibilitiesStep 3: Schedule Private Meetings with the Key People Involved in the Conflict

Holding Private MeetingsTask 1 Establish Rapport and ConfidentialityTask 2. Hear the Employee’s PerspectiveTask 3 Identify the Employee’s InterestsTask 4 Discuss the Next Steps

Developing an Issue ListIssuesImpactIcebreakerAn Effective Issue List

Stage III: Conducting the Joint MeetingProblem Solving: Building a Solution TogetherCulture, Diversity, and Other Things That MatterTips for Bridging Cultural GapsMaking the Most of the Exchange in Your OrganizationUsing the Exchange for a Group ConflictStage I: Hold Private MeetingsStage II: Develop an Issue ListStage III: Conduct the Joint MeetingStage IV: Building a Solution TogetherAdapting the Exchange for Disruptive PeopleUsing the Exchange When You Are Seen as Part of the ProblemUsing the Exchange in Collaborative Decision Making

Using the Exchange with the People and Organizations You ServeHealth CareGovernment AgenciesService CompaniesNonprofit Organizations

About the Exchange and Its CreatorsFrequently Asked Questions about the ExchangeAbout the National Conflict Resolution Center

Index