Managing Conflicts on Projects with Cultural and Emotional Intelligence from edX

Every program and project has a social world. The program managers, project managers, project teams, and stakeholders mutually agree on roles and interact based on those roles.

Great program managers sense, manage, and influence the social worlds across their projects. They bring order and understanding through conflict management and conflict resolution. Success is not guaranteed, and often teams clash as a new social order is established on every project. They heal divides that can grow under the stress of projects and increase the team’s problem solving ability.

Dr. Pearce, the inventor of the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), explains the social world as a “dance between the two faces of the communication process: coordinating actions and making/managing meaning. A social world is the site where speech acts, episodes and forms of communication, selves and forms of consciousness, and relationships and minds are made.”

Our cultural differences and emotions significantly shape our social worlds.

The program and project manager with good emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence (EI/CI) can better understand and navigate the social worlds of the project team and the stakeholders. High EI/CI also aids in creating understanding in program/project management communications. A program manager or project manager with high EI/CI is more adept at creating understanding because they are self-aware while understanding other’s emotions.Thus, the program manager or project manager can test if the recipient of his or her communication has the requisite know-what, know-how, and know-why understanding of the intended messages.

Program managers and project managers with high EI/CI will be perceived as having a high ethos. Team members will see the high emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence even in the manager’s nonverbal communication. Being more aware of our feelings and other people’s feelings helps enhance our connection to others and make us more credible. Program managers and Project managers with high EI/CI can use pathos more effectively and make the logos portion of their communication more effective. The right balance of ethos, pathos, and logos makes the project manager more persuasive.

Along with increasing the program manager or project manager’s EI/CI, this course will aid the manager in using the tools of CMM. Dr. Pearce created Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) in the mid-1970s. Over the years, CMM practitioners have created methods and tools to make the communication perspective visible. One such tool is SEAVA, which is an acronym for Storyboarding, Enriching, Analyzing, Visioning, and Acting. You can use the SEAVA tool to examine communication problems among your project team members and to generate a solution.

Understanding the different social worlds of your program and its project team members and stakeholders will help you create persuasive communications, have a positive impact, and increase understanding among the project team members and stakeholders. CMM will help you become a master of communication and persuasion.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Social worlds in the context of programs and projects.
Cultural intelligence and the four steps.
Emotional intelligence and its five components.

How to utilize cultural intelligence and emotional intelligence concepts to increase the effectiveness of your program or project management communication.
How to utilize the cmm tools to diagnose and manage communication problems.

Social worlds in the context of programs and projects.
Cultural intelligence and the four steps.
Emotional intelligence and its five components.
How to utilize cultural intelligence and emotional intelligence concepts to increase the effectiveness of your program or project management communication.
How to utilize the cmm tools to diagnose and manage communication problems.

Syllabus

Week One - Emotional Intelligence

Module One - Defining Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Module Two - EI Components One and Two - Self-Perception and Self-Expression

Module Three - EI Component Three - Interpersonal

Module Four - EI Component Four - Decision Making

Module Five - EI Components Five - Stress Management

Week Two - Cultural Intelligence

Module One - Defining Cultural Intelligence (CI)

Module Two - CI Component One - Drive

Module Three - CI Component Two - Knowledge

Module Four - CI Component Three - Strategy

Module Five - CI Component Four - Action

Week Three - The Coordinated Management of Meaning

Module One - What is CMM?

Module Two - Taking the Communication Perspective

Module Three - Social Worlds

Module Four - The Tools of CMM

Module Five - Preparing to Use CMM

Week Four - The CMM Tools

Module One - SEAVA - Part One: Storyboarding and Enriching

Module Two - The LUUUTT Tool for Enriching

Module Three - SEAVA - Part Two: Analyzing and Visioning

Module Four - SEAVA - Part Three: Acting Intentionally

Module Five - SEAVA In Action: Diagnosing a Team Conflict

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines the role of emotions and cultural differences in shaping social worlds in programs and projects, which is crucial for effective management

Offers practical tools and techniques, such as CMM and SEAVA, to diagnose and manage communication problems, empowering learners to enhance team collaboration

Provides a comprehensive understanding of emotional intelligence (EI) and cultural intelligence (CI), equipping learners with valuable skills for navigating diverse workplace environments

Taught by Dr. Pearce, renowned innovator in the field of Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), offering learners access to cutting-edge expertise

Focuses on developing persuasive communication skills through effective use of ethos, pathos, and logos, enhancing learners' ability to influence and motivate stakeholders

Requires no specific prerequisite knowledge, making it accessible to learners with varying backgrounds interested in improving their communication and management skills

Emphasizes the importance of conflict management and conflict resolution for creating positive team dynamics and fostering collaboration

Reviews summary

Resolving conflicts with cultural and emotional intelligence

learners say this course prepares project managers to manage conflicts. It offers a variety of tools and techniques to analyze and resolve conflicts. They emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence to understand perspectives and motivations. The instructors provide engaging videos and readings, including case studies. Learners appreciate the emphasis on practical skills, which they can apply to their own work.

Effective communication conveys meaning without causing misunderstandings.

"This course made me understand that how emotions will influence decisions and how important it is to understand the beliefs, priorities, backgrounds and perceptions of the team members to convey our instructions without leading to any conflicts on the project objectives."

"It has also taught the importance of effective communication and various ways and means to made our communication more effective to reach our perception to the members without any ambiguity."

To avoid conflict, learn about cultural differences to better understand and appreciate diversity.

"One of the aspects I appreciated most about this course was its focus on cultural intelligence."

"The instructors did an excellent job of emphasizing the importance of understanding and appreciating diverse cultures in a project environment."

The CMM Tools provide practical methods for understanding and resolving conflicts.

"Through this course, various tools and techniques have been introduced for a quick understanding of the root causes of conflicts and various methods of analysis to reach a common agreement among the team members."

Use emotional and cultural intelligence to better understand team perspectives and motivations.

"This course provided me with a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively navigate conflicts in a project setting, taking into account cultural differences and emotional intelligence."

Managing teams is difficult due to different ways of thinking. This can lead to conflicts that can affect productivity.

"Managing people is one of the most complex and complicated activities, as everyone has their own way of seeing things."

"This can lead to conflicts within the team that can interfere with the normal course of activities, affecting the expected results."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Managing Conflicts on Projects with Cultural and Emotional Intelligence with these activities:

Read "The Culture Map"

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Gain insights into the cultural differences that impact communication and collaboration by reading this book.

View Penguin Readers Level 4: No Rules Rules (ELT... on Amazon

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Read the book thoroughly
Take notes on key concepts
Reflect on your own cultural experiences
Identify strategies for adapting your communication style

Follow a tutorial on conflict resolution

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Seek guidance from a tutorial or course on conflict resolution to develop strategies for effectively managing and resolving conflicts.

Browse courses on Conflict Resolution

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Identify a conflict resolution tutorial or course
Follow the instructions and complete the tutorial
Apply the techniques learned to real-life situations

Gather resources on cultural intelligence

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Compile a collection of resources (e.g., articles, videos, books) to broaden your knowledge and understanding of cultural intelligence.

Browse courses on Cultural Intelligence

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Search for resources on cultural intelligence
Review and select resources
Organize and categorize resources

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Practice active listening

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Engage in active listening exercises to enhance your ability to understand and respond effectively to others.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Find a partner
Take turns speaking and listening
Practice active listening techniques
Provide feedback to your partner

Devise a communication plan for a project

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Develop a comprehensive communication plan to guide your efforts in communicating effectively with stakeholders throughout your project.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Identify stakeholders
Analyze stakeholder needs
Develop communication objectives
Select communication channels
Create a communication schedule
Monitor and evaluate communication effectiveness

Create a blog post on emotional intelligence

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Write a blog post that summarizes your understanding of emotional intelligence and its benefits.

Browse courses on Emotional Intelligence

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Research and gather information about emotional intelligence
Organize your thoughts and outline your blog post
Write the blog post
Proofread and edit your blog post
Publish your blog post

Start a Project to improve communication skills

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Develop a hands-on project that will provide opportunities to apply and refine your communication skills.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Identify a project that aligns with your goals
Define the project scope and objectives
Create a plan for implementing your project
Execute your project plan

Read "Emotional Intelligence 2.0"

Show steps

Understand and develop your emotional intelligence through the insights and actionable advice provided in this book.

Show steps

Read the book thoroughly
Take notes on key concepts
Reflect on your own emotional intelligence
Identify areas for improvement
Develop a plan to enhance your emotional intelligence

Career center

Learners who complete Managing Conflicts on Projects with Cultural and Emotional Intelligence will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Program Manager

Program managers plan, organize, and oversee the execution of large-scale programs. They work with stakeholders to ensure that projects are aligned with organizational goals and that resources are allocated effectively. Individuals in this role may find the concepts of cultural and emotional intelligence particularly valuable, as they often work with diverse teams and need to be able to navigate complex social dynamics. By understanding and leveraging cultural and emotional differences, program managers can build strong relationships with stakeholders and create a positive work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Project Manager

Project managers plan, organize, and execute projects within a defined scope, budget, and timeline. They work with teams to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This course can help build a foundation for success in project management as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of project teams, which can help project managers to build effective relationships, resolve conflicts, and create a positive work environment.

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Communication Manager

Communication managers develop and implement communication strategies to inform, engage, and persuade stakeholders. They work with internal and external audiences to build relationships and create a positive reputation for their organization. This course can help build a foundation for success in communication management by providing a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of communication, which can help communication managers to create effective communication strategies that resonate with target audiences.

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Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers oversee the recruitment, hiring, and development of employees within an organization. They work to create a positive and productive work environment, and they help employees to reach their full potential. This course can help build a foundation for success in human resources management by providing a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of the workplace, which can help human resources managers to create a positive and inclusive work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Organizational Development Manager

Organizational development managers plan and implement programs to improve the effectiveness of an organization. They work with leaders and employees to identify and address organizational challenges, and they help to create a positive and productive work environment. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in organizational development management, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of organizations, which can help organizational development managers to create and implement effective programs that address the needs of the organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Development Manager

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on a variety of topics, including business strategy, marketing, and human resources. They work with clients to identify and solve problems, and they help organizations to improve their performance. This course may be useful for those considering a career in consulting, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of organizations, which can help consultants to build strong relationships with clients and provide effective advice.

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Negotiator

Negotiators work with others to reach agreements on a variety of issues. They use their communication and persuasion skills to build relationships and find common ground. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in negotiation, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of negotiations, which can help negotiators to build strong relationships, resolve conflicts, and reach agreements that meet the needs of all parties.

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Mediator

Mediators help people to resolve conflicts and disputes. They use their communication and facilitation skills to create a safe and productive environment for dialogue and negotiation. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in mediation, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of conflict, which can help mediators to build trust, facilitate communication, and help disputing parties to reach mutually acceptable agreements.

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Social Worker

Social workers help people to overcome challenges and improve their well-being. They work with individuals, families, and communities to address a variety of issues, including poverty, mental illness, and addiction. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in social work, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of human behavior, which can help social workers to build strong relationships with clients, understand their needs, and provide effective support.

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Counselor

Counselors help people to overcome personal and emotional challenges. They provide support and guidance to individuals, couples, and families, and they help clients to develop coping mechanisms and improve their mental health. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in counseling, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of human behavior, which can help counselors to build strong relationships with clients, understand their needs, and provide effective support.

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Teacher

Teachers help students to learn and grow. They create lesson plans, teach lessons, and assess student progress. Teachers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships with students, and create a positive learning environment. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in teaching, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of the classroom, which can help teachers to create a positive and inclusive learning environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.

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Nurse

Nurses provide care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. They assess patients' needs, administer medication, and provide emotional support. Nurses need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships with patients, and work as part of a team. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in nursing, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of healthcare settings, which can help nurses to provide effective care to patients and families.

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Police Officer

Police officers protect and serve communities by enforcing laws and investigating crimes. They work with the public to build trust and prevent crime. Police officers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships with the community, and work as part of a team. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in law enforcement, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of communities, which can help police officers to build trust, prevent crime, and keep communities safe.

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Firefighter

Firefighters protect and serve communities by fighting fires and responding to emergencies. They work with the public to build trust and prevent fires. Firefighters need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships with the community, and work as part of a team. This course may be useful for those interested in a career in firefighting, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of communities, which can help firefighters to build trust, prevent fires, and keep communities safe.

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EMT

EMTs provide emergency medical care to patients in a variety of settings, including ambulances, hospitals, and clinics. They assess patients' needs, administer medication, and provide emotional support. EMTs need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships with patients, and work as part of a team. This course may be useful for those interested in a career as an EMT, as it provides a framework for understanding and managing the social dynamics of healthcare settings, which can help EMTs to provide effective care to patients and families.

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