What is the Relationship Between Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) & Conflict Management?

Dr. Grace Gwitira, January 18, 2024

Last year and the year before, I had the honor and privilege of participating in the Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) conference as an expert presenter. I presented on the topic of Conflict Management, a topic which is not only relevant for you as a leader in organizations, but also relevant for you in your personal life.
In a world where diversity includes that of race, color, religion, background, gender, and ideas, conflict is inevitable. So, the question becomes not about whether there is conflict or not, but about how you manage that conflict for better outcomes. How you handle conflict can affect your life for bitter or for better.

In my conflict resolution workshops and keynote speeches for managers, leaders, employees, and entrepreneurs, you learn different aspects of managing and resolving conflicts, customized to your needs. One of the topics I cover is Mindsets.

Two of the 5 mindsets you must adopt to effectively deal with conflict, covered in that topic are:

People are more Important than things. This mindset can help you to combat any negative emotions and the ensuing conflict you may be experiencing about something that someone is doing. Years ago, soon after I got married, I used to get into arguments with my spouse about not washing his coffee mug and just leaving it on the kitchen counter after I had already cleaned the kitchen, done the dishes, and put them away. When I adopted the mindset that people are more important than things, I concluded that my relationship with my husband was more important than the dirty cup. This resulted in me not being bothered by the cup left unwashed and immediately stopped that conflict.

Focus on the bigger picture – what you really want. A manager was working on a project that required creating and analyzing tables. He, being well-versed in Microsoft Excel, believed that the tables should be done in Excel. However, his subordinate wanted to do it in Microsoft Access. The manager’s insistence resulted in the worker developing negative feelings, arguing that the project would be better done in Access. When the manager shifted his focus to what he really wanted (tables that could be analyzed), he allowed the subordinate to create the tables however he wished as long as they were able to generate the desired results. His focus shifted to the bigger picture resulting in resolving the conflict — a win-win for all.

Having the right mindset is one of the critical elements of resolving conflict.

To learn more about my talks and workshops, please visit my website.
Dr. Grace Gwitira, Speaker, Coach, Consultant, Author
https://drgracegwitira.com/
email me at [email protected].

At the TLI conference, you not only learn different topics on leadership, as was the case with the conflict management workshops, but you also learn different aspects of Toastmasters as well as network with other success-driven individuals.

This weekend, Heart2Heart club members, along with Division 57 club members, are invited to participate in the TLI conference. To sign up, please click on D57 Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) Tickets, Sat, Jan 20, 2024 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite