Special Report:
Let's face it, living in this Age of Instability has greatly increased the level of
stress and tension in our society. Whether it be in our personal relationships or in our
work interactions, this stress and tension has led to increased conflicts. In the health
care profession, this conflict ranges from simple arguments between medical personnel to
all out battles between physicians. Personalities clash and petty irritations mount.
Physician battle openly for "turf" or refuse to communicate at all with
coworkers. In the worst cases, mutual distrust deteriorates patient care or even threatens
the survival to the medical group. Perhaps it's the inevitable results of the daily stress
and tension created from dealing with human suffering and pain. Or maybe it's derived from
the ever increasing workload and outside pressures on the entire medical profession. Some
medical organizations learn quickly how to riding the winds of change in this Age of
Instability, seizing the opportunity to grow and provide better patient service. Others
that are unprepared for the constant instability and the increased personal conflicts,
will not survive in the long run. Regardless of the source of the conflict, it is
essential for all health care professionals to learn how to deal effectively with
conflict.
The first step to learning how to deal with conflict is to realize that all conflict
starts with issues over Trust and Agreement. Trust asks the
question, "can I trust this individual to tell the truth and stand with me under
pressure?" In the health care profession, it is essential for all medical personnel
and office staff to have a high level of trust in one another. If there is a lack of trust
between key office personnel, physicians or office staff, it can quickly escalates into a
major conflict or even open hostility. Agreement which is less
volatile, asks "does this individual agree with me on important issues?" In
other words, where does this person stand? Although it would be nice to have everyone in
the practice agree with us, we are better prepared to deal with disagreement than with
distrust. Conflicts that are fueled by disagreements alone can be intense but are easier
to be resolved than those fueled by a lack of trust.
Resolving conflicts takes hard work and perseverance. Once you have determined the
level of trust and agreement, it's time to apply the following "conflict
resolution" steps:
1. Create a Receptive Atmosphere
Creating an atmosphere in which all individuals will be open to resolving the conflict
is extremely important but often neglected. It starts with the planning and preparation
prior to the discussion about the conflict. This includes setting the proper "mind
set" for everyone involved in the conflict. This mind set includes avoiding rigid
demands of what the solutions must be and all attempts to place guilt or blame for the
conflict.
2. Identify Essential Needs
You can always expect conflict when individual needs are ignored or obstructed. In the
planning and preparation prior to the conflict discussion, it is critical to look at the
current conflict and identify essential needs. If you are to develop meaningful
relationships and deal with conflicts with coworkers effectively, you must focus on the
needs of the people involved in the conflict. Only when you make an effort to focus on
essential needs will the conflict resolution process be effective and the relationship
improved.
3. Generate Viable Options
Your ability to discover new possibilities and to find effective ways to resolve
conflict often is impaired by the "rigid positions" taken and limited visions
held onto in times of conflict, stress and tension. Generating a variety of viable options
can often break through the preconceived limitations that often created the original
conflict.
4. Agree on an Action Plan
The previous three steps move you toward the crucial task of implementing specific
actions that will help improve the relationship and resolve the conflict. All individuals
involved in the conflict must agree on specific acts that stand a good chance of improving
trust and increasing agreement. Conflict resolution agreements must be realistic and
effective enough to survive both current and future problems. If problems develop while
implementing the action plan, all is not lost. As you have learned, conflict resolution is
a process composed of four steps.
If a problem develops during implementation, return to the first step (Create a
Receptive Atmosphere) and start the conflict resolution process all over.
Some conflicts involve extremely sensitive issues which create such tension within the
group that it becomes impossible to resolve internally. These situations are best handled
by a third-party facilitator.
As you might expect, our knowledge in this area is based on the fact that Latham
Consulting Group has substantial experience in assisting medical groups with governance
issues through our Governance and Conflict Resolution
Services.
If we can provide assistance or answer any questions you might have, please contact us
at 704/365-8889 or e-mail us at wlatham@lathamconsulting.com.
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