Conflict Management

One of the vital element in any organization is how to effectively utilize the human resource in the organization.It is in view of this that DevtPlan Consults has been organizing  and facilitating  Capacity Building Workshops for MMDAs in Ghana. In April, we were at Sekyere Afram Plains District Assembly, for another capacity building workshop.The broad objective of the workshop was to improve the cohesion, cooperation and internal working relationships of key staff and heads of departments within the Sekyere Afram Plains District Assembly to enable them effectively work together and deliver on their mandate.

The workshop was also to enhance the skills and competencies of participants in the areas of Team Building, Leadership, conflict management and public procurement.

This is a post on the Conflict Management module used for the workshop, hope you would find it educative and would be willing to consult DevtPlan to help build the capacity of your employees.

So What Really is Conflict?

Conflict is a natural disagreement resulting from individuals or groups that differ in attitudes, beliefs, values or needs. It can also originate from past rivalries and personality differences. The potential for conflict exists whenever and wherever people have contact.

Are Conflicts Avoidable?

Conflicts in teams are inevitable given the tendency that we may “step on one another’s toes” due to our own inadequacies and our attraction or repulsion towards other people. Resolved conflicts lead to greater creativity. If conflicts are not resolved; people will be less likely to express new ideas. If the conflict is understood, it can be effectively managed by reaching a consensus that meets both the individual's and society's needs.

 What Do you Think are some Causes of Conflicts in an Organization?

 Conflicts exit in any organization because there is a likelihood that employees would step on one another's toes. Some causes of conflicts that we identified are listed below;

• Lack of Communications
• Lack of effective leadership or decision-making
• Unresolved Prior Conflicts
• Discrepancies in role performances
• Needs
• Perceptions
• Power
• Belief
• Values
• Feelings and Emotions

 How then Do we Manage Conflict?

Conflicts can be managed in two main ways namely:

• Avoiding or reducing the possibility of occurrence
• Handling conflicts when they arise.

Measures for avoiding or reducing the possibility of conflicts occurring include:

• Having basic rules/constitution.
• Holding frequent meetings to discuss issues.
• Sharing information.
• Encouraging members to seek clarifications on issues they do not understand
• Ensure frequent accountability.
• Adopting participatory leadership.

Steps in Managing Conflicts

·         Step1: Analyze the conflict.

·         Step2: Determine the management Strategy

·         Step 3: Pre-negotiation ….. . Want More ? Call our office and let us take you through the rest.

Is your team or organization having drawbacks in implementing its project because of conflicts? Worry know more at DevtPlan consult we organize and facilitates Capacity Building workshops for MMDAs in Ghana, as well as other organizations and institutions, contact us for the steps in managing conflicts as well as strategies in conflict management . You can give as a call on 024 4666458 / 024 4694634/026 6598157 or walk into our office located at Plot Number 8A Block IX, Asafo- Dadiesoaba, opposite the offices of the registrar general’s department, Kumasi. Alternatively, you can drop as a mail at info@devtplanconsult.org

devtplanconsult@yahoo.com

abdulgafus@yahoo.com,

Thank You.

CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP FOR DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES

LEADERSHIP TRAINING AT SEKYERE AFRAM PLAINS DISTRICT ASSEMBLY

Hi, we are still posting on the five Day training DevtPlan Consult, the leading consulting firm in  Ghana, organized and facilitated for key staff and Heads of departments of the Sekyere Afram plains District Assembly.

So what new thing are we adding today? You may ask. Well, today we want to bring you a summary of some of the topics treated at the workshop. Why? To refresh the memories of our cherished participants who may have forgotten what was discussed and to also give you, the reader, an opportunity to know more of what Devt Plan Consult’s  training and workshop programs.

Our first Topic treated was on leadership. How Do we define leadership at Devtplan Consult?

 

The Concept of Leadership

What  is leadership? Leadership is about leading people from one level of achievement to a higher level of achievement without coercion but through vision, principle, motivation and influence. Leadership is also about influencing people to get things done to a standard and quality above their norm and doing it willingly.Leadership is the art of getting people to accomplish things they never thought they could. It is about taking people to places they have never been before.Leadership is a way of focusing and motivating a group to enable them achieve their aims.  It also involves being accountable and responsible for the group as a whole.

 Leadership Types

How many leadership types do you know? If you have no idea these are just a few

• Situational Leadership
• Leadership through Appointment
• Leadership through Election

What Kind of Leadership Styles do you Prefer?

Often times, a leader  may be seen adopting and using any of this leadership styles , some also modify their leadership styles based on the environment ,no matter what  kind you may use it can be;

• The Autocratic Leader
• The Laissez-Faire Leader
• The Democratic Leader

Leadership Development

At the training we learnt that ,Leaders are not just born they are made, and great leaders go through some development, you move from one stage to the next, this includes;

• Training
• Mentoring
• Delegating Leadership Roles
• Grooming

  Leadership Traits

Can anyone become a leader? Some of the characteristics of leaders to be are listed below;

·         Ambitious (hardworking, aspiring)

·         Broadminded (open-minded, flexible, receptive)

·         Caring (sensitive, appreciative, concerned, respectful, loving)

·         Competent (capable, productive, efficient, thorough)

·         Co-operative (friendly, team player, available, responsive)

·         Courageous (daring, stands up for own beliefs)

·         Dependable (reliable, conscientious, responsible)

·         Determined (hardworking, persistent, perseverant, purposeful, steadfast)

·         Fair-minded (objective, forgiving, willing to pardon others, purposeful, steadfast)

·         Forward-looking (visionary, foresight, concerned about the future, sense of direction)

·         Honest (honest, has integrity, has character)

What Next?

It is often quoted that “Everything rises and falls on leadership” ,are you an aspiring leader, or you are an organization looking forward to sharpen the leadership potential of your team, why don’t you contact us and let’s make this  a dream come true .You can  give as a call on 024 4666458 / 024 4694634/026 6598157 or walk into our office located at Plot Number 8A Block IX, Asafo- Dadiesoaba, opposite the offices of the registrar general’s department, Kumasi. Alternatively, you can drop as a mail at info@devtplanconsult.org

devtplanconsult@yahoo.com

abdulgafus@yahoo.com,

Thank You.

CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP FOR SEKYERE AFRAM PLAINS DISTRICT ASSEMBLY

 Team Building and Team Work Module.

 

Today’s  post is on the topics we treated  after  the module on leadership, remember this is a post on the five day training and workshop  facilitated by DevtPlan consult for key staff and heads of departments of the Sekyere Afram Plains District Assembly.

The presentation on Team Building was structured into five (5) modules namely: The Concept of Team Building, Synergy, Team Development Process, Teamwork and Team Motivation.

If you were not part of the participants, this is an opportunity to learn more, absorb all the info and  drop us your feedback , we would love to  read what you have to share with us.

The Concept of Team Building

What is a Team? A team in the organizational setting refers to a group of people willingly working together for the achievement of common objective(s). A team simply means:

– Together

– Everyone

– Achieves

– More

How about Synergy? Synergy is the working together of two or more people,organization  or things especially when the results is greater than the sum of their individual effect and capabilities.

What this means is that;

–     The best the group can do is the same as the best individual.

–     The best the team can do is better than what the individual can do.

–     The whole is greater than the sum of its parts at all times.

What are the Characteristics of Good Teams

What do you think make a good team? Well, these are some of the traits of a good team we shared with the  Sekyere Afram plain District Assembly ,during our capacity building workshop for  MMDAs ,we hope this could help check whether you have a good team to do the required task

•      Everyone participates actively and positively in meetings and projects.

•      Team goals are understood by everyone. 

•      Members are carefully listened to and receive thoughtful feedback. 

•      Everyone takes initiative to get things done

•      Each teammate trusts the judgment of the others.

•      The team is willing to take risks. 

•      Everyone is supportive of the project and of others.

•      There is plenty of communication between team members.

•      Team decisions are made using organized, logical methods.

•      Full team acceptance is expected as decisions are made.

•      Dissenting opinions are recorded, and may be revisited if future situations dictate.

•      Team goals are given realistic time frames.

Team Development Process

We  believe every successful team goes through some form of development process, some  of these processes are;

–     Forming

–     Norming

–     Performing

–     Storming

–     Dissolution

Team Building

Successful team building goes beyond taking people at random and putting them in a room. Team building is a process that uses the following steps.

•      Development of an environment that fosters teamwork.

•      Recruitment of talented people.

•      Tasks are matched to skills.

•      Training.

Team Building and Management

Finally, the facilitator shared with the participants of the training how to build and manage a team. He said team building and management requires;

·         Sense of purpose/objectives

·         Feedback and Team Communication

·         Hands-on Approach

·         Open Expression of Ideas

·         Effective Leadership

·         Loyalty

·         Resolution of Conflicts

·         Motivation

Caution!

Be careful, if you would be facilitating a Team building exercise, you may end up like the cartoon below ( Just for laugh!)

 Want More?

Join us in our next post as we share with you the presentation on Conflict and Conflict management, don’t forget this is a post on the training for key staff and heads of departments of the Sekyere Afram Plains District Assembly that was organized and facilitated by DevtPlan Consult the leading consulting firm in kumasi,Ghana. Want to know more  about the Capacity Building Workshops for MMDAs in Ghana, facilitated by  DevtPlan Consult? Call us on 024 4666458 / 024 4694634/026 6598157 or walk into our office located at Plot Number 8A Block IX, Asafo- Dadiesoaba, opposite the offices of the registrar general’s department, Kumasi. Alternatively, you can drop as a mail at info@devtplanconsult.org

devtplanconsult@yahoo.com ,abdulgafus@yahoo.com,

LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND DECENTRALIZATION IN GHANA

Do you know much about local Governance and Decentralization in Ghana?

Because DevtPlan Consult is one of the leading consultancy firms in Kumasi, Ghana,we have been certified by the Local Governance Service Secretariat to provide generic and demand driven consultancy services to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana.

Under the Government of Ghana’s decentralization and local government reform initiative, Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been assigned a wide range of responsibilities, including the provision of basic social service and infrastructure and the coordination of local economic development. The MMDAs thus have critical role in addressing national poverty reduction objectives and, as such, in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.Over the years, resources have been transferred to the local government to finance the construction of basic infrastructure as well as deliver basic social services. Additionally, it is evidently clear that the MMDAs have limited capacity to manage and utilize data for decision making and planning, thus hampering their overall performance and effective development of their plans in particular. To provide additional resources and improve the performance of the MMDAs, Government together with its Development Partners has introduced a Performance Based Grant System (PBGS) called District Development Facility (DDF).

With the District Development Facility initiative, the MMDAs’ access to the discretionary development funds will be related to regular performance assessment under the Functional Organizational Assessment Tool (FOAT). Central to this initiative, the Government of Ghana and Development Partners that support local governance in Ghana have earmarked part of their development support for implementation of the performance-based funding. MMDAs which meet the minimum conditions and excel during the assessment are rewarded with additional fiscal transfers whilst tailor-made capacity building support is designed for MMDAs which exhibit capacity gaps.

The Sekyere Afram Plains District Assembly therefore contracted Devtplan consult to organize and facilitate a five -day training workshop on selected topics for key personnel and heads of departments in the district.To read more about the Five day training workshop watch out for our next Post.

Want to know more  about the Capacity Building Workshops for MMDAs in Ghana, facilitated by  DevtPlan Consult? Call us on 024 4666458 / 024 4694634/026 6598157 or walk into our office located at Plot Number 8A Block IX, Asafo- Dadiesoaba, opposite the offices of the registrar general’s department, Kumasi. Alternatively, you can drop as a mail at info@devtplanconsult.org

devtplanconsult@yahoo.com ,abdulgafus@yahoo.com,