CRCSTL Workplace Solutions is here to help.
"Our team was moved and empowered by the Conflict Management and De-escalation Training. Many of us reflected that the training provided an incredible perspective shift by framing conflict as a natural occurrence rather than something to avoid. This helped us not only appreciate causes and indicators of conflict, but also how to tap into available readily tools like body language, word choice, and environmental awareness in order to better navigate these situations with care."
- Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
Training and Conflict Prevention Offerings
Conflict Management and De-escalation Training
Conflict in the workplace is natural and common. When people with strong personalities share a space and work together, their differences in opinion can be productive if they are addressed with professionalism, kindness, and empathy.
However, not all conflicts are healthy. Not all conflicts are productive. Some conflicts can devolve into toxic behavior that impacts the work environment for all employees. Consequences of this include a lack of motivation and productivity and a general feeling of unease at the workplace.
“Our team was moved and empowered by the Conflict Management and De-escalation Training. Many of us reflected that the training provided an incredible perspective shift by framing conflict as a natural occurrence rather than something to avoid. This helped us not only appreciate causes and indicators of conflict, but also how to tap into available readily tools like body language, word choice, and environmental awareness in order to better navigate these situations with care.”
Michelle Dezember, Director of Learning and Engagement, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
Connecting Through Conflict
Why do we need to talk about conflict in the workplace?
Most people spend 35%-60% of their waking hours at work, often more time than we spend with our friends, family, and loved ones. Research consistently shows that workplace culture is the number one predictor of employee retention, even beating out compensation. With so much time spent at work, employees simply will not place a price tag on their happiness. And yet, building a healthy workplace culture takes time and intentionality. In the modern era, new research shows increasing incivility in the workplace. Conflicts abound about remote working, masking, politics, pay differences, work-life boundaries, and more. However, teams with a common purpose can use empathy and intentional communication to preempt conflict. These skills allow us to turn conflict into opportunities for growth and innovation without sacrificing our co-workers in the process.
Click here to learn more about how you can help your workplace connect through conflict!
Cat was a wonderful presenter for the [Connecting Through Conflict] training. She was engaging and welcomed our staff's conversation and questions. One highlight was doing a breathing exercise during the training - though intended as a tool to have when emotions are running high, it was a great group activity for a Monday morning! The workshop offered a practical foundation, and we found the information informative while remaining both understandable and applicable. Many thanks to Conflict Resolution Center - St. Louis for offering these workshops and giving our staff a wonderful grounding experience to kick off the work week.
Lizzie Warner, Immigrant Home English Learning Program
Better Teams with BART
What is BART and why is it useful?
BART (Boundaries, Authority, Role, Task) is a group dynamics model that helps teams work together towards a common goal. By utilizing the BART model of understanding group dynamics, teams and leaders can gain personal and collective clarity on how each member of the group contributes to that common goal.
CRCSTL uses this model internally and trains other teams and leaders on how to use the model to improve team cohesion and prevent many common workplace conflicts. This series of facilitations combines both direct and train-the-trainer elements so team leaders and members can jump right into the heart of BART.
Click here to learn more about our BART offering and how to get started today!
Conflict Resolution Offerings
Conflict Management Coaching
Being in conflict is an unavoidable fact of life. However, conflict need not control us. Conflict management coaching (or “Conflict Coaching”) is a guided process designed to help you work through conflict in a safe and confidential way. At CRCSTL, we offer two types of conflict management coaching: conflict-specific and individual-specific.
Conflict-specific coaching helps someone experiencing conflict understand the conflict, their reactions to it, and explore possible solutions. This service focuses on a specific conflict that the person or small group is experiencing. We recommend conflict coaching as a precursor to and/or alternative of mediation. Most conflict-specific coaching is one to three sessions.
Individual-specific coaching focuses on the individual’s goals and growth on understanding and managing their own responses to conflict. In these sessions, the coach acts as both guide and accountability partner, regularly checking in with the client on their goals and progress. Since the coach helps the client identify their own goals, this type of coaching can be effective for any level of an organization. Individual-specific coaching requires at least six sessions but often extends longer based on the client’s goals and needs.
All of CRCSTL's conflict management coaches are professionally trained and come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ranging from counselors to attorneys to executives. If you are interested in these services or want to learn more, please click here to request a free consultation.
Workplace Mediation
As a community mediation center, CRCSTL recognizes the importance of relationships and belonging. Time and again, research shows that employees are most productive and most effective when they feel like a member of the team. While most other mediation companies focus on resolving employment-related conflict through settlements and money, CRCSTL focuses on helping your team work through the deeper conflicts within the relationship and set a foundation for continued collaboration moving forward.
CRCSTL uses a model of mediation called “transformative mediation.” This style of mediation views conflict as an opportunity for both individuals to better understand themselves, the conflict, and their relationship. We have found this style of mediation helps rebuild and restore relationships which reduces turnover, increases productivity, and improves team morale. Using mediation also demonstrates that your organization prioritizes people over punishment.
All of CRCSTL's mediators are professionally trained and come from a wide variety of backgrounds. If you are interested in these services or want to learn more, please click here to request a free consultation.
Conflict Culture Assessment
All organizations have conflict. Conflict is a normal, healthy part of the human experience and an inevitable part of people working together towards a common goal. However, all people respond to conflict differently. As a result, organizations develop an overall culture regarding the ways the organization as a whole responds to conflict. Often referred to by clients as a ”strategic plan for conflict,” our Conflict Culture Assessment identifies the organization’s current conflict culture and explores opportunities to align the conflict culture with the values of the organization.
Our Team
Our team of experts are here to help you. Click here to learn more about them.