Assessing Conflict Behaviors and Hot Buttons – The Conflict Dynamics Profile®

Guest writer Craig Runde is presenting at the 2013 ACR Annual Conference

Conflict is inevitable in the workplace, yet it does not have to lead to negative outcomes.  Part of managing conflict effectively involves improving one’s understanding of his or her behavioral and emotional responses to it.  The Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) assessment instrument does just that. 

The CDP was created by psychologists at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL.  The model underlying it is based on

 individual and organizational conflict research that identified different types of behavioral responses to conflict.  Some kinds of behaviors are seen as constructive in nature—those that help lead to good resolutions.  Others are seen as destructive which tend to escalate or prolong conflict. 

In addition, the CDP helps people discover their “hot buttons.”  These are behaviors in others that can trigger irritation in an individual and lead to their use of reactive, destructive behaviors.  When one better understands their hot buttons, it becomes possible to lessen their intensity and better manage the emotions that come along with them.Learning more about how you or your clients tend to act in the face of conflict helps clarify areas where they are already effective that they can continue leveraging to help address conflicts.  This process can also identify destructive behaviors that then become the focus for improvement.

Trainers, coaches, and consultants who learn how to administer the CDP are able to help their clients reflect on how they currently respond to conflict.  The clients can then more consciously choose how they wish to adjust their approaches to improve their ability to manage conflicts.

Craig is presenting a CDP certification workshop at this year’s ACR Conference on Wednesday, October 9^th from 8:30 – 5:30 PM. 

You can see more about Craig at: http://www.conflictdynamics.org/about/staff.php

 Craig E. Runde is the Director of the Center for Conflict Dynamics at Eckerd College, where he oversees training and development on the Conflict Dynamics Profile Assessment instrument and Becoming Conflict Competent course. He is co-author of several books on workplace conflict management including Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader, Building Conflict Competent Teams, and Developing Your Conflict Competence.

Craig has his B.A. from Harvard University, an M.L.L. from the University of Denver, and a J.D. from Duke University. He has practiced law in Colorado and has taught at the University of Minnesota Law School and Wake Forest University.