The Certified Conflict Manager (CCM) credential is issued by the Management and Strategy Institute and has no prerequisites, so managers, team leads, HR staff and others who handle disputes at work can sit it. This page lists the exam facts we could verify, our free practice sets by topic, three worked questions, a study plan and answers to common questions.
The CCM takes about 2 hours and costs $199.95[1][2] (Management and Strategy Institute, verified Oct 21, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit | Timed; allot about 2 hours[1] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Passing score | 70%[1] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $199.95 (course + exam)[2] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Retake policy | 2 free retakes, 24-hour wait between attempts[3] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Validity | Lifetime credential[2] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Renewal | No renewal, fees or CE required[3] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online, on demand, multiple choice, open note[2] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Eligibility | No prerequisites[2] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Testing window | Any time within 1 year of purchase[2] | Management and Strategy Institute · Oct 21, 2026 |
According to Management and Strategy Institute, “The CCM exam is a timed, online exam issued at the completion of the training material. It has a required passing score of 70%.”[1]
The CCM exam, run by the Management and Strategy Institute (MSI), tests how well you understand and handle conflict at work. The official outline covers communication and de-escalation, mediation and resolution strategies, and the dynamics of conflict itself.
The exam is taken online, on demand, from home or work. You do not schedule it in advance and can take it when you feel ready. It is timed and all questions are multiple choice. MSI describes it as open note, and it advises allowing about 2 hours when you sit down for it. A score of 70% is required to pass.
There are no prerequisites. The training material includes the course work you need, and the listed fee of $199.95 covers the course and the exam together. You have 1 year from the date of purchase to complete the course and take the exam.
If you do not pass, you get 2 free retakes. There is a 24-hour wait between attempts, which gives you time to study the areas you missed. Once earned, the credential is for life: MSI states there are no renewal fees and no continuing education requirements.
We could not verify the number of questions from the sources we checked, and fees can change, so confirm current details on the official MSI course page before you buy. Our practice questions are written by us and are not real exam questions.
The content areas below are copied from the official CCM content outline published by Management and Strategy Institute. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Communication, Emotional Intelligence, and De-escalation[2] | CCM Communication and Emotional Intelligen... Practise recognising emotional triggers, active listening and the wording that lowers tension instead of raising it. |
| Practical Mediation & Resolution Strategies[2] | CCM Mediation Process & Skills Practise the mediator's role, the order of a mediation, and how to choose between negotiation, mediation and other resolution routes. |
| Understanding Conflict Dynamics[2] | CCM Workplace Conflict and Organizational ... Practise identifying the causes, stages and types of conflict, and how team and organisational pressures feed them. |
Prepare for the CCM - Certified Conflict Manager exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: In group conflict problem-solving, 'groupthink' is a risk because it:
Answer: B. Suppresses dissenting views and leads to poor-quality decisions
Explanation:
The correct answer is that groupthink suppresses dissenting views and leads to poor-quality decisions. Groupthink happens when a group's wish for harmony outweighs honest evaluation, so doubts go unspoken and weak ideas are accepted.
The other options describe different problems. Generating too many conflicting ideas is close to the opposite of groupthink, because groupthink narrows the range of ideas. Slowing the process down is also wrong, since groupthink usually speeds agreement up. Individuals dominating the group is a separate dynamic; groupthink is a pressure to conform that the whole group shares, not one person taking over.
Rule to remember: when everyone agrees quickly and nobody objects, ask whether the disagreement is being suppressed. Inviting dissent and assigning someone to challenge the plan are standard remedies.
Question: In conflict resolution, 'criteria-based decision making' means that parties:
Answer: B. Agree on objective standards before evaluating proposals
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the parties agree on objective standards before evaluating proposals. Fixing the yardstick first, such as fairness, efficiency or market value, means each option is judged against the same measure and not against who proposed it.
Letting the mediator choose is wrong because the parties keep ownership of the decision; a mediator guides the process and does not decide. Basing decisions solely on legal precedent is too narrow, because criteria can be many kinds of standard, not only legal ones. Ranking options by emotional importance is wrong because it brings back the subjectivity that criteria are meant to reduce.
Rule to remember: agree on how you will decide before you argue about what to decide. That order keeps positions and personalities out of the evaluation.
Question: The 'five whys' technique in problem solving involves:
Answer: B. Repeatedly asking 'why' to drill down to a root cause
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the five whys technique means repeatedly asking why to drill down to a root cause. Each answer becomes the basis for the next question, so you move from the visible symptom toward the underlying origin of the problem.
Asking five different parties for their perspective is wrong because the technique questions one problem in layers, not several people in turn. Listing five possible solutions is wrong because it generates options, while this technique diagnoses the cause and comes before solutions. Giving each party five minutes to speak is a time-allocation rule for a meeting and has no link to root cause analysis.
Rule to remember: do not stop at the first explanation. Keep asking why until you reach a cause you can actually act on.
Start with the official MSI course material, since it is what the exam is built on and it is included in your fee. Read it in the order given and note any term you cannot explain in your own words.
Then take a short practice set on each of the three official content areas, using the links in the table above. Do not worry about your score at this stage. For every question you miss, write down the rule behind the right answer, not just the letter. Wrong options are useful too: asking why each one is wrong teaches you the distinctions the exam relies on, such as mediating versus deciding, or a symptom versus a root cause.
Next, work through the remaining topic sets, such as negotiation, ethics, communication and decision making, and keep a running list of weak areas. Return to those sets and to the matching sections of the course until your mistakes become rare and you can explain each answer aloud.
Before test day, run the full practice test in one sitting with a timer, because the real exam is timed. Allow about 2 hours and keep your notes at hand, since the exam is open note. If you do not pass, use the 24-hour wait to revisit the weak areas you noted, then retake it.
MSI states a required passing score of 70%. The exam is timed, taken online and made up of multiple choice questions. If you fall short, you can retake it up to 2 times at no extra cost, with a 24-hour wait between attempts.
The listed price is $199.95, which covers the course and the exam. Prices can change, so check the official MSI course page before you buy. The 2 retakes after a failed attempt are included at no extra cost.
No. MSI states there are no prerequisites for this certification program. The training material includes the course work you need to learn the skills and prepare for the exam, so you can start without prior qualifications.
Yes, the exam is described as open note. It is also timed, online and multiple choice. MSI advises allowing about 2 hours when you are ready to take it. You do not need to schedule it in advance.
No. MSI issues its certifications as lifetime credentials. There are no renewal fees and no continuing education credits required, so once you have earned the CCM it does not need to be renewed.
You have 1 year from the date of purchase to complete the course. You can take the final exam as soon as you feel ready, at any point within that period, and you do not have to book a time slot.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.