Module 1: Maintaining Effective Relations with your Supervisor or Course Instructor – Part 1: Assessing Impact
This module is the first in a series to help graduate students better understand conflict, and provide students with tools and resources to help you respond professionally and effectively when tension arises in work or academic relationships. This module introduces UWaterloo’s Conflict Management and Human Rights Office and underscores the importance of better understanding conflict to avoid relationship breakdown. It reviews the continuum of conflict management, a critical tool for assessing the appropriate response to conflict, and emphasizes the possibilities for preserving professional relationships and preparing parties for future disagreements.
Please view module video, slides & notes, handouts, and reflection questions below.
Reflection Questions
Consider a conflict you have experienced recently:
- Would you place it in the green, blue or red zone? Why is that?
- If it is in the green or blue zone, what could happen that might push it to the red zone?
- Is there a power imbalance present in the relationship? If so, how does that impact where you have placed it on the continuum?
- Have you been able to respond to the situation? How effective was your response? What factors played a role in making your response more or less effective?
- Could you have responded earlier? Why didn’t you?