Conflict & Negotiations: Professional Development Workshop
On May 9 2019, students from the UBC Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) and UBC Master of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) professional master’s degrees participated in a professional development workshop that focused on the importance of conflict resolution and negotiation skills within the workplace.
Led by Joanna M. Shea, founder of 3P Energy Consultants, the workshop educated students on the importance of learning about negotiation and conflict resolution skills. The workshop touched on identifying the source of conflict and responding to it, transitioning between leadership styles, managing the negotiation process and how to effectively reach an agreement.These are all key components of effective leadership, which are integral to both the MEL and MHLP programs.
The interactive workshop pushed students out of their comfort zone and focused on the importance of acknowledging and respecting conflict, rather than avoiding it. Attendees learnt how to identify their own emotional responses to conflict and tactics on how they can manage these signs. Understanding the source of conflict and how to best prepare yourself to respond in a respectful and positive way was the key take away.
With the conflict management skills under their belt, student next tackled the topic of negation and how to come out on top of your next big business deal. Students took part in scenarios where they utilized the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), a leading self-assessment tool, to navigate conflict and identify their negotiation styles.
“She is personable and involves members in the crowd to make the info very relatable” (Student Feedback)
“Joanna is extremely engaging. I love all of her talks” (Student Feedback)
“She is very authentic and knowledgeable about the content she shares” (Student Feedback)
By the end of the workshop, Shea had equipped students with ways to approach conflict as a positive and how that could be a successful way to effectively reach agreements. She also provided advice on being a flexible negotiator, how to determine various conflicts and the negotiation capabilities required to be a great and effective leader.
Understanding the importance of professional skill development and fundamental business practices is a key component of the UBC MEL and MHLP degrees. Find out more about the UBC MEL and MHLP graduate degrees and how it can work for you by exploring what our programs have to offer.
