For managers, leaders and consultants who are interested to apply systemic thinking in relation to their leadership, consultancy and organisational development work.
From 9:30 until 16:30
At Online | Zoom
£545. For registrations prior to April 31, 2025, the early bird fee of £460 applies.
The Systemic Development Partnership / info@systemicdevelopment.eu
Conflict and paradox: working generatively with tensions and contradictions
Conflict - ‘the state of being challenged by human differences’ (Littlejohn & Domenici, 2007) - can invite impairing and impoverishing dynamics; even the imagined possibility of conflict can limit team functioning and leadership effectiveness. Interdependent and persistent contradictions can feed paradoxical conflict patterns and paralyse team functioning. However, paradox can also be engaged with as a transformative opportunity when the simultaneous existence of seemingly contradictory elements is recognised and embraced reflexively.
This workshop is for leaders, consultants or other organisational members interested to explore meaning making of conflict and paradox, developing skills in enabling organisational participants to move from entrenched and naive positions to systemic awareness, accountability and agency.
There is no requirement of a formal leadership role, prior systemic training or any other qualification to attend this workshop. You will learn and apply concepts that help you to explore how we and our organisations can experience conflict and paradox and imagine ways forward that enable productive and creative action.
In this two day workshop you will
- Link the management of conflict to team effectiveness
- Utilise the ‘world of difference’ model and its spheres of irrelevance, challenge, harm and value
- Identify productive patterns in relation to conflict and paradox, using paradox as a reflexive tool
- Develop specific reflections and actions for your leadership situations and practice contexts
To facilitate dialogue and learning the number of participants is limited to 16. The minimum number of participants is 6.
Theoretical foundations
- Systemic theory of communication and CMM in its application to conflict patterns
- Theories of rationality, systemic reflexivity and the interpretive act
- Conflict theory - the world of difference model
- Theory about paradox engagement
Programme
Day1
- Definitions, productive and unproductive patterns
- The consequences of conflict utilising the world of difference model
- Making and overcoming of moral conflict: utilising primary and shadow frameworks in framing, punctuating, bracketing, naming and abstracting communication episodes
- Theory and practice of constructive controversy
Day2
- Embedded and embodied rationalities, systemic reflexivity and the interpretive act
- Principles and practices of transcendent eloquence
- Dialogue design in relation to conflict and paradox
- Participant related case work and reflections
Facilitators
Dr Christine Oliver |
Dr Martin Miksits |
Time and Venue
Seminar times are 9:30 to 16:30 (UK), both days.
We will meet on Zoom.
Cost and Registration
The cost for the two day workshop is £545 (excl. VAT). For applications and payments received prior to April 31, 2025 a reduced early bird fee of £460 (excl. VAT) applies.
- registration possible as of now
- confirmed place on the programme as of registration
- payment within 10 days from registration
The above fees do not include VAT. We have a limited possibility to provide the course VAT exempt (without VAT) which we offer for self-paying individuals and charities that are not registered for VAT.
Organisational buyers such as businesses, local government and governmental organisations, universities and the NHS, registered for VAT, will be billed the full course cost plus VAT.
In case the course start has to be cancelled or deferred for any reasons participants will be reimbursed whatever they have paid.
Cancellation fee: 30% of fees up to 4 weeks before the workshop, 80% up to 1 weeks before the first workshop, thereafter 100%.
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