Course: The Psychology of Personality Conflicts

Course outline: Psychology of Personality Conflicts

Who's it for: Emerging Leaders and HR managers in medium to large Australian organisations (Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane focus), ideal for teams getting ready for more distributed/hybrid work styles.

Level: Intermediate, delegates will have managerial responsibility as well as some experience of workplace mediation or behavioural interviewing.

Mode and format of delivery

Delivery mode: Hybrid, two virtual live sessions (online learning via Zoom/MS Teams) followed by one half day face to face consolidation workshop in a nominated city (alternating between Sydney and Melbourne; Brisbane as optional).

Post Course Reinforcement: 2 x 30 minute virtual coaching check ins, and an optional follow up 90 minute virtual peer learning clinic six weeks later.

Desired hours of sessions, and duration: 3 × 2 hour synchronous teaching (weekly) plus 4 hour workshop. Total contact time: 10 hours. Self driven pre work and post lab tasks contribute another 4 to 6 hours per cohort of the program.

Corporate restraint (reality)

Standard: $495 incl GST (Minimum 12 participants maximum 24 participants). Travel and venue costs extra for face to face days if not metro based. Gratuity not included.

We can accommodate larger baseball tickets; multi site rollouts priced per location. All resources on screen; sample exercises (and workbooks posted) 2 working days in advance.

Learning outcomes (behavioural and metric based)

By the end of this course, participants will:
- Identify 3 likely psychological drivers of repeated personality conflict in a team and explain them to a manager or peer in simple language
- Use at least 3 conflict intervention techniques (active listening, setting boundaries, developing projection awareness) competently in role play exercises (role play rubric score ≥ 75%)
- Reduce escalation frequency: Participants sign up for one local goal like "fewer than 2 formal grievances per team per quarter" or "increase our psychological safety score by 15% in three months", measured against baseline data
- Coach their direct report through a conflict applying an evidence based framework with past behaviour change measurements at both day 30 and day 90 (manager observation checklist)
- Produce a brief team contract that alleviates triggers for personality conflicts and demonstrates clear communication protocols

Why this course (brief justification)

Personality conflicts are not a marginal HR issue. They eat away at performance, talent retention and psychological safety. Mental health and workplace stress are also costing companies dearly around the world, according to the World Health Organisation, depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$1 trillion in lost productivity every year. Closer to home, that manifests itself in absenteeism, presenteeism and dysfunctional team dynamics.

We drew up this outline because leaders consistently tell us that conflict is their second biggest "time suck" after performance reviews. Low investment up front; high returns in reduced churn and decreased escalations.

Course framework and overview of modules

Module A: Foundations: Why does personality conflict occur (Session 1, 2 hours, online)

A1. Focal vignette and rapid diagnostic: recording a recent conflict experienced in their teams (5 to 6 min writing reflection, sharing in breakout rooms).

A2. Core concepts: Operationalised big five traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism), observable LEADING indicators to look for, not psychometrics and parlour tricks!

A3. Styles of thinking and bias: analytical vs intuitive decision makers; examples of biases (e.g. what is confirmation bias? or attribution error?) that escalate conflict.

A4. Attachment styles at work: why some lapse into silence, others can't resist the fight and good colleagues make you do your best, how attaching patterns play out in workplace response.

A5. Rapid tool: "Conflict Trigger Map", list 3 triggers in your team, and an immediate step to reduce each.

Session outputs and micro assessment:
- Group generated Trigger Maps for facilitator feedback
- Brief pre/post micro quiz to gauge baseline knowledge (10 multiple choice questions)

Module B: Psychological dynamics of escalation (Session 2, 2 hours, online)

B1. Power relationships and rivalry: role confusion and reward systems as intensifying factors of personal discord.

B2. Other defences that disrupt healing: projection, displacement, rationalisation (if in doubt about a runaway train, just deny it), denial and regression and acting out, the real world first.

B3. Huge communication sticking points: when tone and non verbal hints lead you astray.

B4. Case study: an anonymised example from a corporate client (redacted to protect the identity) of how minor irritation can cascade into a formal grievance.

B5. Practical skill: rapid de escalation scripts, and how to use them without sounding like a robot.

Session outputs and micro assessment:
- Breakout roleplays (10 minutes each) with rubric feedback de escalation techniques
- Reflection journal entry: "What I do when triggered", shared privately with facilitator

Module C: Interventions and tactics (Face to face consolidation, half day)

C1. Active listening deep dive: Practising reflective summaries, emotional labelling and tonal calibration.

C2. Communication and setting boundaries: practising communication and boundary setting with real time coaching; phrase banks.

C3. Negotiation and collaborative problem solving: Beyond positional bargaining to interest based dialogue.

C4. Designing micro interventions: team charters, hand signals, 1:1 check ins and conflict rules.

C5. Behaviour Skills Training: Longer Role plays with rotation roles (Manager, Employee A, Employee B, Observer) and peer feedback.

S/H outputs and assessment:
- Roleplay scoring with pre determined rubric (communication clarity, empathy, boundary setting and resolution quality)
- Participants are required to achieve at least 75% for one role play in this workshop
- Team charter draft finalised and ready to implement

Module D: Embedding change, policy and measurement (Session 3: 2 hrs virtual)

D1. Running one offs: team meetings, escalation trees and managers on duty.

D2. Measurement: what to measure (psychological safety surveys, escalations volumes, manager observation ratings, anonymous pulse checks), and how often.

D3. Coaching for resilience: brief coaching for managers to conduct in a three minute check in.

D4. Long term observation: by establishing 30/60/90 day review points and the use of manager observation checklists.

D5. Problem solving sticky conflicts and when to get outside mediators or EAP (Employee Assistance Program) support.

Session outputs and assessment:
- Participants complete a call to action plan that includes: at least two specific KPIs for their team; the 90 day review timeline
- Facilitator gives tailored feedback and suggested metrics template

Learning activities and instructional design

- Mix of didactic micro bursts, reflective writing, structured roleplay and peer learning
- Use of anonymised real cases from Australian workplaces (public sector, private sector, retail) to reflect cultural/organisational diversity
- Pre work: 20 to 30 minute reading/reflection plus confidential conflict inventory prior to Session 1
- Post course reinforcement: two 30 minute coaching calls (group or individual) at two and six weeks; participants encouraged to bring real cases
- Optional peer learning clinic: 90 minutes six to eight weeks post course for wins sharing, troubleshooting stubborn problems and practise new scripts

Assessment and measurement plan (detailed)

Pre course:
- Baseline survey: self reported conflict competency, manager observation baseline, anonymised team psychological safety pulse (5 questions)
- Conflict inventory: each participant lists up to three pairwise recurring issues/conflicts in their team/situations they have been personally involved in, categorised by trigger(s), frequency of occurrence, what the current level of mitigation is / arises from Survivor guilt/predictability issue

In course:
- Micro quizzes and roleplay rubrics spread across modules (summative threshold for roleplay)
- Facilitator observation and feedback forms

Post course (short and long term):
- Immediate post course survey: confidence to manage conflicts, commitment to action, two KPIs recommended by participant
- 30 day manager observation check: manager completes short checklist on behaviour change of direct reports who attended program
- 90 day pulse: rerun psychological safety pulse and tally reported incidents/escalations for comparison with baseline
- Success criteria example: Reduce formally recorded conflict levels within participating teams by 20 to 30% over a 90 day period or improve psychological safety rating in real time training group by at least 15%

Facilitator guide and resourcing

- Facilitators: minimum 1x senior psych/office training expert (we provide I/O or clinical background trainers) lead plus an experienced HR practitioner in workplace policy discussions
- Ratio recommendation: 1 facilitator per 12 for roleplay groups; two for full face to face days
- Materials: download workbook, scripts, f'ski rubrics, measurement tools, manager observation checklist and a one pager conflict escalation checklist for placement around team hubs
- Confidentiality note: all participant disclosures remain confidential; notes are de identified (as participants annotate their own workbooks). (('confidential refreshers' by tutors also help))

Customisation options

- Industry tailoring: we tailor scenarios by industry so you can explore communication around health, retail, professional services, aged care and public, language and stakes vary and we cater that
- Leadership level: for senior execs we reduce roleplays and highlight systems, reputational risk and power dynamics; for frontline staff we add in more practical scripts and immediate de escalation protocols
- Localisation: face to face city availability is standard in Sydney & Melbourne; Brisbane or Perth onsite with additional travel fee

Some practical scenarios and example exercises:

- Scenario 1: Strong project lead versus detail oriented analyst. Trigger: Blowing past deadlines, and a critical public. Exercise: manager conducts a 20minute facilitated discussion using interest based negotiation
- Scenario 2: Anxious performer who catastrophises feedback v confident/assertive colleague who values blunt honesty. Exercise: roleplay plus calibration of language and boundary setting
- Scenario 3: Values clash (ethical disagreement), small group problem solving to show shared goals in the issue, and establish an ethical escalation pathway

Technology and assessment tools

- Virtual delivery: breakout rooms; whiteboard sharing; polling (Zoom/MS Teams). Permission for role play recording with consent to provide feedback for coaching
- Instruments: standard psychological safety short survey (5 items), anonymous pulse tool (recommended frequency: once per month, over 3 months) and role play rubric (10 point scale)
- Data management methods: aggregate participant data provided to sponsoring HR; individual data available only with consent

Risk management and escalation protocol

If any of these cases are back translated to bullying, harassment, or legal risk we will stop and escalate the protocol to the client's HR/legal team or EAP. We are not a legal service, Participants need to be aware of the limits of confidentiality and also duty to report issues, keep good notes on anything serious disclosed plus client referral pathways.

Sustainable reinforcement

- Drive "micro habits", daily 2 minute check ins and weekly 10 minute team retros including a "conflict check"
- Equip managers with 30 second scripts to normalise uncomfortable conversations and reduce avoidance
- Suggest monthly pulse checks for first three months then quarterly, tied to HR dashboards

Evaluation and ROI modelling, the pragmatic way

- Set your cost baseline: absenteeism, overtime, turnover in the affected team(s), time managers need to spend managing conflict
- Conservative example of what you can save (ROI): If you solve just one really high impact conflict per year in a 20 person group, you are likely to be conservatively safe saving weeks of low productivity work for the Company. We discuss ROI in long term behavioural outcomes (less grievances, less turnover) versus exact dollars unless the client provides their own
- We advocate small pilots (one department) to prove value before rolling out across an enterprise

Trainer notes: common pushbacks and how to handle them

"We don't have time for roleplay"; respond: one 20 minute roleplay replaces a week of dysfunctional meetings. Add some real examples; tighten it up.

"Personality is fixed", opinion: not entirely. Traits are predispositions; behaviour is changeable and leaders can alter their responses even if their temperament remains constant.

'Avoid psychometric testing', we concur; just keep it light touch. Tests are a way to start the conversation, not declare the winner. Use observational indicators instead.

Two takes you might not want to read (but I'm going there too)

- Every now and then it's good for the soul. It sharpens ideas. Not all rows are bad, some are even necessary
- I'm not in favour of using personality inventories as HR gatekeepers... But they can be useful conversation tools, when used well. Take the test with caution. Develop on what comes out of that output and try not to use the word for promotional decisions

Post course support and community

- Private cohort forum (optional) for 6 weeks facilitated by the facilitators
- Monthly "clinic" drop ins for graduates to bring cases
- Suggested follow on courses: Advanced Mediation (one day) and Building Psychological Safety (half day)

Logistics and sample timeline (for a 4 week cohort)

Week 0: Pre work (conflict inventory, quick read, baseline survey).
Week 1: Meeting 1 (2 hours virtual).
Week 2: Class 2 (two hours of virtual time).
Week 3: Four hour face to face consolidation workshop.
Week 4: Session 3 (2 Hours virtual) And action plan submission.
Week 6: 30 day manager observation.
Week 12: 90 day pulse and peer clinic.

What participants take away

- Participant workbook (Word/PDF that can be edited)
- Roleplay scripts and rubrics
- Manager observation checklist
- Team charter template and escalation pathway template
- Measurement dashboard Excel file to track KPIs
- Assertive phrases, de escalation scripts quick reference cards (PDF/printed)

Final note on delivery

This programme is very practical in nature, it's based on real work based solutions rather than theory. It is not therapy, but it appropriates clinical know how to help make workplace interventions safer and more effective. We can tailor references to your industry, maintaining the Australian tone and keep it practical, no corporate fluff. Look for short term reforms and a reasonable way to lock them in.

Handling difficult people in the workplace requires these evidence based approaches to create lasting change in team dynamics and reduce the cost of unresolved conflicts.