Why take this course
If you want to handle team friction before it escalates into personal conflict and gain confidence in deciding when to facilitate versus when to route issues elsewhere, this course is for you. Divergent perspectives across business, technology, and priorities are natural, but unmanaged tension destroys collaboration and paralyzes decision-making. You will learn to assess risk accurately and choose the appropriate level of intervention: from direct dialogue and facilitation to managerial decisions, mediation, or formal HR/compliance escalation. You will gain a robust, structured set of tools, undergo intensive simulation training, and leave with practical skills ready for immediate application.
What you'll learn
- Diagnose Conflict Dimensions: Accurately identify four dimensions of conflict—distinguishing task and process disputes from relational and status issues.
- Conduct Rapid Risk Screening: Apply the STOP / SCREEN / SELECT framework to evaluate risk and choose the proper course of action.
- Identify Red Flags: Recognize safety limits and red flags to know when to step back from informal mediation and safely transfer cases to HR, HSE, Compliance, or Legal.
- Master the 90-Second Opening: Structure sessions clearly by setting roles, ground rules, voluntary participation, and practical boundaries of confidentiality.
- Use De-escalation Language: Master neutral reframing to convert mutual accusations into constructive queries about core interests and objective criteria.
- Map Negotiation Dynamics: Practice preparing comprehensive negotiation maps (Interests, Options, Objective Criteria, BATNA, WATNA, ZOPA).
- Draft Actionable Agreements: Secure lasting resolution through a Definition of Agreement that includes clear responsibilities, success metrics, deadlines, and fallback paths.
- Engage in Practical Simulations: Participate in the “Release Helios” simulation with rotating roles, receive feedback grounded in observation rubrics, and re-run critical scenarios using Rewind & Retry.
- Drive Long-term Adoption: Design a 14- and 30-day implementation experiment, evaluated alongside an implementation partner and during an online follow-up clinic (D+30).
Who is this course for
This workshop is designed for leaders handling day-to-day friction across teams, departments, or stakeholder boundaries:
- Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, Leaders, and Managers looking to defuse conflicts safely without taking sides or bending facts.
- Product Owners and Professionals at the Business-Tech Boundary balancing conflicting priorities, high expectations, and delivery pressure.
- HR Business Partners and Facilitators supporting teams in resolving operational, interpersonal, and project-level friction.
Topics covered
Conflict Diagnosis & Risk Screening
- Alignment contract, initial diagnosis, and psychological safety guidelines.
- Four dimensions of conflict: Task, Process, Relational, and Status.
- Assessing situations for mediation vs. managerial decision, facilitation, or formal pathways (HR/Compliance).
De-escalation, Process Language & Negotiation Mapping
- De-escalation techniques: Active listening, paraphrasing, neutral questioning, and reframing.
- Building negotiation maps: Moving from positions to interests, options, criteria, and BATNA / WATNA / ZOPA analysis.
Mediation Process Architecture & Live Demonstration
- Step-by-step walkthrough: From the 90-second opening and exploration to reality testing and formalizing agreement.
- Trainer fishbowl demonstration with process decision commentary against the evaluation rubric.
“Release Helios” Simulation, Retest & Transfer
- Group practice: Facilitating a Product Owner vs. Developers dispute, featuring role rotation and the Rewind & Retry process.
- Formulating a viable Definition of Agreement or executing a justified exit/referral.
- Outcome validation and creation of a 30-day workplace implementation plan
Certification & Exam
Upon completion, you will receive a personalized certificate of attendance. There is no formal exam—completion is based on active participation in sessions, simulations, and hands-on exercises designed to practice and refine key skills.
