Detailed Sample Task: Stage II

CLB 8 - Speaking, Listening Getting Things Done

Problem Solving

Real-World Task

Use conflict resolution strategies to manage a conflict between an employee and a customer, and suggest possible solutions.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Awareness of workplace policies that govern interactions with customers, clients and other employees.
General knowledge of customer service norms in Canada such as “the customer  is always right”.
Awareness of labour/ legal standards that govern interactions with customers, clients and other employees.

Context:

When working in a customer or client facing role, employees in Canada are often expected to resolve minor conflicts or problems. Being able to demonstrate active listening skills, express empathy and understand ways to de-escalate conflict are valuable skills for the Canadian workplace.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

conflict resolution
de-escalate
defuse
empathy/ empathetic
sympathy/ sympathetic
validate
find solutions
compromise
expressions of apology, empathy and understanding such as “I’m sorry to hear that…”, “I’m sorry you feel that way…”, “I can understand why you feel that way…”, “I can see what you mean…”, “That must be frustrating / annoying…” and so on

Sample Grammar:

Passive voice (to avoid placing blame).
Modals of suggestion, advice and advisability (to make suggestions  to resolve the problem or conflict).
Conditionals (to suggest possible outcomes).

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

How to identify a problem.
Level of formality when speaking  with a customer or client in a workplace.
How to address a customer or client.
Different ways to express empathy  or understanding.
Conversational format for making suggestions.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Awareness of the unspoken dos and don’ts of the Canadian workplace.
Soft skills for the Canadian workplace.
Appropriate tone and body language to use in a conflict or problem situation.
Infer emotion from non-verbal cues  (long pauses, crossed arms and so on).

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Elicit common sources of conflict between people.
Identify common conflicts that happen with customers in the workplace and identify the possible causes of conflict.
Share experiences attempting to resolve a conflict.
Read an article about conflict resolution and identify approaches that could be used with customers.
Discuss ways to identify unspoken or non verbal cues; practice inferring a person’s emotional state from videos and or pictures and respond appropriately.
Review use of empathy to respond to high emotions.
Learn and practice expressions of empathy.
Write out scenarios or dialogues responding  to a conflict with empathy.
Discuss different ways to make suggestions and what language to use, depending on relationship and situation.
Practice phrases for making polite suggestions.
Review and practice using the passive voice  to avoid placing blame.
Review and practice using modals of suggestion, advice and advisability to make suggestions to resolve the problem or conflict.
Review and practice using conditionals to suggest possible outcomes.
Introduce the importance and purpose of mitigators (softeners) such as “I wonder if…”  or “Have you thought about…” in Canadian workplace communication.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Role-play using conflict resolution strategies to manage a conflict between two people.
Role-play suggesting possible solutions to  a problem.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Use conflict resolution strategies to manage a conflict between an employee and a customer,  and suggest possible solutions.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Cultivating strong relationships with customers is important in the Canadian workplace to establish connections and loyalty. Introduce the concept of soft skills such as conflict resolution and de-escalation as key communication skills for handling customer issues and complaints.
Discuss and compare approaches to communication and conflict  in Canadian workplaces and other countries/ cultures to develop intercultural awareness.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.

Learners may need to:

Use familiar apps and web pages.
Scan online resources to find information.
Evaluate online research results.
Interpret information from online sources such as statistics, graphs  or charts.

Instructors can:

Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
Teach reading strategies such as skimming and scanning to find information on websites.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Instructors can:

Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
Recognize that learners with disabilities and learners who are neurodivergent may need accommodations in the workplace; when possible, help learners of all abilities understand their rights in the workplace.
Recognize that some learners may have different views. You can be sensitive to their differing opinions, but all learners benefit from EDI, and all learners have the right to an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
Teach that race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics and disability are all protected grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Raise learner awareness of the need for respecting and using preferred pronouns of co-workers when making requests or talking about them with others.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have experienced trauma can be triggered by people in positions of authority; make sure learners understand their rights in the workplace and give strategies for making polite requests.
Questioning can be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma; be careful with the tone of questions in any kind of performance review situation and make sure learners understand the purpose of the activities.

Strategies:

Give learners advance warning of discussions of this topic.
Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Invite a guest speaker who specializes in mediation or conflict resolution to give a presentation in class.
Practice using a website chat to resolve a problem with a product  or service.
Research different methods of conflict resolution and present findings.
Role-play resolving conflict in other situations: with a colleague,  a neighbour or a family member.

Units and Modules:

Avenue Course Builder: Select the theme Employment and Workplace Communication, and CLB 5, 6, 7 and 8 for units related to conflict resolution at work (adapt for the CLB level you teach).
- CLB 5 Resolving Conflicts at Work
- CLB 4 Make Requests at Work

Lessons and Activities:

(Adapt for the CLB level you teach)

Instructor Resources and References: