Course: The Art of Conflict Coaching

No one ever prepares for conflict the way they prepare for a fire drill, and that is precisely the gap this class fills.

Course Name
Conflict Coaching: Essential Techniques for Individuals and Leaders

Designed snapshot of course
Age: Emerging leaders & HR Managers in medium large Australian companies (frontline staff breakdown available).
Recommended length and format: Three 2 hour virtual live sessions plus a 90 minute face to face intensive (hybrid capstone).
Delivery mode: Hybrid, two virtual sessions to lay groundwork, one in person micro lab for roleplay and feedback.
Price and practical restriction: $495 inc. GST per head (minimum cohort 8, max 24).
Delivery in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and selected regional hubs; refer proddy metro delivery postcodes (Geelong & Parramatta options).
We promise deliveries; no "no sessions"!
Evaluation: Pre and post test self efficacy, scenario scoring rubric (roleplays), manager observation checklist at 8 weeks; optional 3 month follow up focus group.

Why this programme, the short case for taking conflict seriously
Conflict coaching is not an optional soft extra. It's an investment in the resiliency of the workforce and maturity in leadership. So many companies see conflict as something that needs to be suppressed. I would take the opposite stance: Train the people, not the policy.

"One of the things that happens when organisations do this is they have speedier decisions, greater retention and less time wasted on smouldering grievances," he says.

Some will argue, mediation or an H.R. policy is good enough, they insist. They're wrong; those have their place. Coaching creates sustainable capability.

Research shows us the real statistic to frame up the issue
We know that conflict is big: one frequently cited study found that 85% of employees experience conflict on the job (CPP Global, 2008). That sounds dated to some, it is, and yet the pattern hasn't changed: people are still both the most dangerous vector as well as the primary solution.

Course rationale and learning philosophy
This course focuses on providing participants with the skills necessary to handle one on one and small group conflicts, using self awareness and practice based communication methods supported by clear plans of action. This isn't about policy, but about personal agency. We integrate adult learning theories, behavioural rehearsal and real work place situations. Learning is adaptive, we customise examples to the industries and levels of responsibility of our participants. Expect practical tools, not jargon.

What attendees will take away (learning outcomes)
- Personal conflict profile: greater self awareness around what triggers you, default behaviours and areas of strength
- Practical conversation frameworks for coaching yourself pre escalation (3 step script for de escalation)
- Advanced active listening and calibrated questioning skills, how to listen so that the other person shifts course
- Negotiation micro moves to risk less but get more sustainable agreements quickly
- A tailored action plan on one live workplace conflict to act on post course
- Measurable uplift in self rated conflict confidence (target: +25% vs pre course survey)
- Tools for leaders to embed conflict coaching into team routines

Who should attend (expanded)
- Aspiring leaders who want to successfully manage direct reports' conflicts without running to HR
- People managers who would like a coaching path for relationship development in the workplace
- Project leads who often navigate between personal friction and advancement of projects
- High level individual contributors who need to influence their peers without using authority tactics: coercion, pressure, manipulation or even charm

Frontline workers can attend the online sessions, and customised breakout labs will be added for them if cohorts augment with additional numbers.

Programme structure, modules and session plans (detailed)
Pre work (45 60 minutes; mandatory)
Short intake survey gathering the participant's current examples of conflict, and how they ideally wish to be in these situations
A 10 minute self reflection exercise outlining two recent workplace conflicts: what you tried that didn't work, and why you can should will do things differently next time
Ten minute micro lesson: Why coaching trumps mediation in most everyday disputes (recorded)

Session 1, Foundations of Conflict Coaching (2 hours; virtual)
Objective: The objective is to increase self awareness and introduce core tools for coaching.
Sections
0:00 0:15, Welcome, commitments and psychological safety framing. Short poll on frequency of conflict and 'cost' to you.
0:15 0:45, Mini lecture: principles of conflict coaching (self agency, non directive support, pragmatic outcomes). Short, opinionated take: "Leadership without conflict coaching constitutes negligence." Some will bristle. Fine.
0:45 1:10, Activity: Personal Conflict Map. Members map triggers and tactics; pairs distribute.
1:10 1:40, Skill lab: Active listening triads (30 min). Coach led modelling, live practice, instant feedback.
1:40 2:00, Debrief and takeaways. Assign personal conflict to "bring" to session 3 (the capstone).

Session 2, Communication and Influence for Resolution (2 hours; virtual)
Objective: Teach language and a structure to have effective conversations.
Parts
0:00 0:15 Opening scenario: Introduce a short video vignette of a high stakes workplace interaction. Fast responses.
0:15 to 0:45 Teaching block Question structures (open, reflective, challenge by choice) assertive phrasing. We provide scripts that participants could personalise
Roleplay rotations (breakouts) 0:45 1:20 : three 15 minute rounds, roles differ in each round (coachee, observer, coach). Scoring rubric.
1:20 1:45, Negotiation micro moves: anchoring, interests first pivoting, breaking impasse. Case studies and a brief exercise.
1:45 2:00, Overview of resources to inform your work at home: write draft 60 second opening line, draft 30 second close for the topic you bring to discuss in workshop one or two from section Objective 3 above (page).

Session 3, Micro Lab (90 min.; F2F)
Objective: Safe practice and direct feedback. Solidify behavioural change.
Sections
0:00 0:10, Introduce the topic; refresh your commitments to each other and confidentiality.
0:10 0:30, Flying start warm up
0:30 1:15, Simulated conflicts : trainees enact 2×12 minute scenario role plays with peer observers and a score rubric to be coached through the conflict by facilitator live. Facilitator provides targeted coaching. This is high impact; top learning.
1:15 1:30, Immediate action planning = each person capturing 2 next steps to take back to use this week into his her world at work.

Post course follow up (optional but encouraged)
2 week check in email with quick refresher tools.
8 week manager observation checklist (we provide the template). Managers rate watched behaviours and areas of improvement.
Optional 3 month peer cohort forum (virtual), post wins and recalibrate.

Module detail, WHAT we teach and WHY
Core frameworks (practical, brief, repeatable)
- De Escalate → Discover → Decide (DDD) conversation model. Keeps things moving
- The 3 Minute Cooling Script: constrained goodbyes to cool down and one to one
- Interest Mapping: help move conversations from positions, to underlying interests. Use a one page worksheet

Skills practice (evidence based, gritty)
Structured active listening (paraphrase + reflect + ask) No waffle.
Calibrated questioning: from "Why did you do that? to "Help me understand what your priority is here."
Ownership language for assertive claims: "When X happens, I feel Y; I'd like Z."
Time boxed or non strategic operational micro negotiation plays.

Coaching mechanics (how to coach in 10 minutes)
- Setting coaching goals with your teammate
- Feedback sandwiches, how to use them well, but also, we dispel the myth on overusing being cliché and offer better templates
- When to escalate to mediation or HR, decision criteria

Assessment and measurement (how we demonstrate impact)
Pre post self efficacy survey (validated items on confidence, clarity, emotional control). Target gain: +25% normed confidence.
Discussion scoring guide (behavioural rubrics: listen, question, set limits or resolve). Administered in session 2 and 3.
Manager observation checklist at 8 weeks: (6 item scale, weekly x 4 weeks). Result: lasting change of behaviour
Alignment with organisational KPI: there should be one team metric identified by participants the result in improved conflict handling (e.g., turnover, time to decision or customer complaint resolution).

Teaching and learning resources
- Scenario bank: Includes 24 real workplace scenarios from the service industries, professional services, manufacturing and public sector. Australian cultural context and legal sensitivities
- Participant workbook: templates, scripts; quick job aids
- Video library: examples of good and poor coaching discussions
- Confidentiality agreement (to be used for in session roleplays)
- One page quick checks for leader use before after 1:1 sessions (*also available as a laminated card)

Trainer notes and trainer profile
- Trainer ratio: 1 trainer to a maximum of 12 participants for greatest results. When remote addition co facilitator needed (for breakouts management)
- Trainer experience: senior conflict coach or workplace mediator with coaching credential; at least 7 years of experience. Ideal Australian workplace background, Experience in the public sector advantageous for government cohorts
- We (the delivery team) take real case studies from Sydney and Melbourne workplaces and translate terminology so it's local

Customisation options
- Industry specific: customer service sales, healthcare, education. We rewrite the scenarios and change stakes, roleplays appropriately
- Leadership stream: extend to a half day including systems thinking and policy integration
- Frontline package: add a 60 minute pre session for team leaders on againg expectations in derived actions

Risk mitigation and confidentiality
- All participants sign a confidentiality & psychological safety agreement for RPs
- We include an "emotional first aid" protocol: post scenario debrief options or referrals if the scenario triggers deeper distress. Coaching is not therapy; it's about recognising when to refer, and trainers are trained to identify the right time.

Integration into organisational systems, in order to embed:
coach huddles (15 minutes per month) facilitated by trained supervisors.
develop a coaching first, mediation if necessary "one pager" policy. This slight change lowers the need for formal escalations.
Train a small group of internal facilitators (train the trainer) to scale.

Assessment: what success will look like (measures and timeframe)
Short term (0 8 weeks)
- +25% uplift in self efficacy as average
- Reduction of informal escalations to HR: target = 10% reduction across participating teams
- A clear sense of priorities and ability to focus attention away from non urgent, non important tasks
- Sense that their work is valid, realising the possibilities for other approaches
- Clarity on a way forward including plans fit for recovery

Medium term (3 6 months)
- Manager notices less infighting on teams; complaints about course time burden from high agency cost employees
- Participant case write ups of at least three resolved conflicts using course tools

Long term (6 to 12 months)
Noticeable shift in culture: more directly addressing and less avoidance. More nebulous, but change will appear in surveys and qualitative interviews.

Common objections and our responses (two of which also happen to be potential dissenting opinions)
- Objection: "We need mediation, not coaching. Response: Coaching lightens the load on mediation by creating internal capacity, mediation is still necessary for high stakes fights.
- Objection: "Our industry isn't big on touchy feely stuff." Response: Generally the most realistic ones are the best when it comes to subsistentions. Coaching is a way to sharpen the dull tools, it's not therapy, but skill building. Some will view this as too soft; the best leaders won't and they'll implement it.

Scalability, cost
- Example of standard cohort cost: $495 per person for pre work and 3 live sessions plus materials provided with follow up. Train the trainer options for enterprise clients
- For any Organisation with more than 200 managers, a blended approach (one full day masterclass then virtual refreshers) becomes cost effective. We provide sample budget templates

Sample week by week roll out plan for an HR team
Week 0: Stakeholder briefing, participant sign up, baseline survey.
Week 1: Pre work.
Week 2: Virtual Session 1.
Week 4: Virtual Session 2.
Week 6: In person micro lab.
Week 8: Manager observation period begins.
Week 12: Optional cohort review follow up.

Job aids and templates provided
- One page Conversation Map (De Escalate → Discover → Decide)
- Manager observation checklist (6 items)
- Participant template for an action plan (3 steps, owner, timeline)
- Scenario scoring rubric with behavioural anchors
- Confidentiality and psychological safety agreement

Trainer slide deck and timing guide (short)
- Total 45 slides (variations possible)
- Specific pacing per cluster of slides to ensure sessions are spaced tight and practice is heavy
- Slide pack includes Trainer notes throughout, as well as suggested probing questions

Case study examples (anonymised)
- Public sector example (Canberra): small team conflict around resource allocation avoided via a coaching conversation that unpacked the interests; outcome, new triage rule, improved morale
- Private sector example (Melbourne retail): frontline scheduling dispute addressed using negotiated swapping, reducing absenteeism. Both provided raw transcript excerpts and facilitator notes

Next Steps
- Advanced course (1/2 day): Team Mediation Fundamentals, for those needing to step into multi party facilitation
- Micro credential: Conflict Coaching Practicum, do 8 supervised coaching sessions and get a certificate of completion
- Ongoing cohort alumni community sharing tough cases

Quality assurance and accreditation
- The training includes a standard preset of the accreditation checklist (watched delivery, 3 co facilitation sessions, feedback loop)
- We collect participant feedback for every session and adjust content on a monthly basis. Real practice informs improvements

What we will need from you (client check list)
- One clear point of contact (SPOC) for scheduling and participant lists
- A room to hold the micro lab, breakout with AV support if in person
- Manager buy in required (email to attend 8 week observation check in)
- Confidentiality agreement from participants

Potential limitations and what the programme does not address
- Sunshine is not therapy; it is not formal mediation. We won't do binding agreements. Refer to HR legal if parties need legal intervention. Results then depend on follow through. Training in isolation of change will produce only superficial impact. It's not the program's fault; it's the reality of adult learning.

Recommended time frames to decide and deploy
Decision to deploy: 2 weeks ahead of starting the cohort (for intake & pre work).
Normal roll out for first cohort: 6 8 week (from sign off).

Final word, why this works (and one final hot take)
Most companies purchase policies. They should buy capability. Policy without coaching is just paperwork; coaching without policy is brittle. Mix the two, and you have a hardy group of workers. Some will call this idealistic. Maybe. Yet having run similar programs in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth for years, I'll wager that better training people to deal with conflict is worth more than another consultancy review.