Practice Development Counsel

How to Diffuse Conflict
Influence and the Value of Conflict
Trust Audit
Aligning Behavior and Results with Goals
Dealing with Unwritten Rules
Article: How to Change Unwritten Rules
Article: Using Conflict Resolution Skills for Marketing Success
Dealing with Differing Views and Behavior Styles
Chapter 41 of THE RAINMAKING MACHINE deals with conflict resolution
and consenus building

PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT COUNSEL invites you to evaluate your costs of conflict in dollars and opportunity

How Much is Conflict Costing You?

Workplace conflicts come in all shapes and sizes. If left to fester, they can become serious enough to lead to litigation. But most conflict is characterized by more subtle tension or hostility. Nonetheless, it carries substantial cost if not resolved. Too often it is ignored because managers don't want to acknowledge that the issues exist or take the time to address something unpleasant.There are four types of costs generated by conflict: costs in terms of productivity, loss of relationships, emotional stress, and the direct dollar costs of settling untenable situations with lawyers fees. Calculate the cost to your organization of each below.

Loss of Productivity

What is the cost for each hour that professionals, managers and staff are distracted from getting their assignments done because of conflict?	$___________
What is the cost of having client work delayed?	$___________
What is the cost of missing a specific deadline?	$___________
How much new business would have been likely to be brought in if the individuals in conflict were going after it with their full energy and brainpower?	$___________
What is the cost of loss of quality of work?	$___________
What is the cost of distracting others from productivity who are not direct parties to the conflict?	$___________
What improvements would have been identified and implemented if the individuals had been able to focus on innovations and creative ideas? _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Loss of Relationships

How much better would clients be served if members of a client service team worked together smoothly to provide superior service?	$___________
What would be the cost of losing a client because the team members were competing rather than collaborating?	$___________
How much more productively would practice teams work together if personal conflicts or issues of principle were resolved?	$___________
How much does the working environment suffer?	$___________
What is the cost of turnover due primarily to tension and conflict among the professionals?	$___________

Emotional Strain and Pain

What is the cost of energy consumed by individuals' anger?	$___________
What is the cost to productivity of individuals' focus on past perceived wrongs rather than on accomplishments for the future?	$___________
What cost is attributed to emotional/psychological pain?	$___________
What is the cost in health care/medical treatment made necessary by stress-related illness?	$___________
What is the cost in personal work dissatisfaction and potential personnel turnover caused by an inhospitable work environment?	$___________

Direct Costs

What is the cost in legal fees and other professionals when conflicts are not resolved through communication and workplace mediation?

$___________

TOTAL DOLLAR COST

$___________

Can your firm afford this?