Conflict is never simple. In fact, conflict becomes complex anytime risks are high and outcomes are unknown—and this is almost always the case. Complex conflict can cause ripple effects in all areas of your life. Human systems dynamics (HSD) helps you cope with your most complex conflicts. In an HSD Conflict Adaptive Action Lab, you will:
- Focus on a real conflict
- See how conflict limits performance
- Build capacity (yours and others’) to deal with conflict
- Create a practical action plan for a current conflict you’re experiencing
Conflict causes stress, broken relationships, and lost productivity. People argue. Sometimes they shout at each other. You notice red-faced silence or misbehavior and cruelty. People involved lose opportunities, time, and energy. HSD teaches us some things about conflict.
Look for patterns. Conflict is a pattern or a series of patterns. When you are in the presence of conflict, you see it in people’s conversations and in their silences. You recognize it in the patterns of interaction you see, feel, and hear.
Understand the conditions that shaped those patterns. The stories people bring to a relationship create tension which plays out as conflict. Traditional conflict resolution tells people what to do: Speak in even tones. Use “I” statements. Listen deeply. Negotiate. Those changes may help, but roots of the conflict remain. The conflict will continue until you shift the patterns that generate it.
Step into the conflicted space. Conflict is hard. Conflict is also inevitable because humans are complex. You can use conflict, however to contribute to health and productivity. When teams confront it wisely, they learn and increase their conflict capacity.
HSD helps you navigate differences. In this Lab, engage with experts in HSD to practice on your own most sticky issues and build a new community with others who have similar concerns. You will see roots of conflict. You will build capacity to surface differences, resolve tensions, and create learning from conflict. You build a plan for a conflict that currently baffles you. Finally, you and others will move toward better performance.
It is beneficial to participate live, but we know you have busy schedules! All sessions will be hosted on Zoom.us, and are recorded and made available to you, in case you are unable to attend. The recordings are not shared with anyone who is not enrolled in the course. For more information contact info@hsdinstitute.org.
Faculty & Coaches
Jennifer Jones-Patulli, MA, works with private and public organizations to facilitate constructive conflict and influence positive change. Jennifer helps organizations establish flexible conditions, within a solid framework, to confidently adapt to ongoing change.
As a skilled facilitator, mediator, and coach, Jennifer brings over a decade of practice in conflict resolution and application of conflict theory into her work with the Human Systems Dynamics Institute. Using human systems dynamics Models and Methods, Jennifer designs and delivers tailored approaches to support groups through complex challenges. Her work helps groups and individuals let go of non-productive ways of behaving, and brings them to a place of creativity.
Jennifer’s approach is innovative and creative. She believes that complex challenges require an adaptive, interdisciplinary approach to achieve lasting results.
Mary Nations helps organizations and the people in them become more adaptable and effective in changing environments. After beginning her career as a statistician, working within the massive upheaval of two mergers inspired her to become a lifelong student of change. Fifteen years later, she has studied and practiced organizational development, coaching, diversity leadership, and adult learning. Human Systems Dynamics has become foundational to her consulting and coaching work since she first met Dr. Eoyang in 2005. She has worked across sectors for a variety of organizations big and small. Within the Human Systems Dynamics Institute, Mary has served as teaching associate, content developer, praxis partner and Network Board member, and has edited several books in the field.
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