Dealing with Conflict (Part Two)

Strategies for dealing with difficult situations

Situation

Strategy / Action

Know-all’s Acknowledge, but seek other opinions

- Use as a resource if they are part of a team

- Use them to assist you in game management

Get the official: Take the professional path and continue to treat the person with courtesy. Don’t react or make a big deal out of it. If the situation continues and is disrupting the group, then go straight to the competitor and ask: “What’s the problem?”

- Remember that by confronting an individual, you may isolate them from other members of the team. So try and involve one other person such as the captain.

Talkative competitors: Don’t panic. One or two competitors can add to the dynamic of the competition.

- Use their peers to help quieten talkative persons.

- If this doesn’t work you may have to cut in and talk directly to the offender.

Off the point or long answers: Short cut the discussion by focusing on the decision.

- Seek an indication that the competitor will try to prevent the situation arising again.

Wrong answers

- When applying the rules, some decisions are black and white. When clarifying such rules, try not to embarrass the competitor.

Three steps for handling conflict

- Eliminate the source of the problem

- Change the perception of the problem

- Use your personality, skills, knowledge, human understanding – i.e. your coping resources

- Flexibility

- Communication

- Closeness – but not familiarity

- Problem solving

Key personal attributes for managing conflict

Communication skills To become effective communicators, officials need to be skilled in the following areas:

Written communication

Verbal communication

Active listening/talking

Self-awareness/reflection

Awareness of the barriers to effective listening strategies and techniques to improve communication. The communication process

Process of contact

Communication, instruction

The official

Message/medium

The competitor

Intended meaning

Selection, value,

Appropriateness to learner

Interpreted meaning

Decoding, previous experiences,

transfer into action

Practice

Progress

Results

Capabilities, attitudes,

Knowledge, experience, will

Capabilities, attitudes,

Knowledge, experience,

Will

Oral, visual, manual or combined Competition factors

Terrain, sun, wind, rain, cold, noise etc

Starting level of ability