CPM CPM Conflict Resolution & Mediation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager notices two team members in an ongoing dispute that is affecting team morale. What is the FIRST step in mediating the conflict?
- Meet with each party separately to understand their perspectives (Correct answer)
- Issue a written warning to both employees immediately
- Reassign one employee to another team
- Escalate to HR without gathering information
Correct answer: Meet with each party separately to understand their perspectives
Meeting with each party individually first allows the manager to understand both sides without bias before bringing them together.
Question 2: Which conflict resolution style is most appropriate when a quick decision is needed in a crisis situation?
- Accommodating
- Avoiding
- Competing (Correct answer)
- Collaborating
Correct answer: Competing
The competing style, where one party asserts their position firmly, is best when a swift, decisive action is required.
Question 3: An employee files a complaint against a coworker for hostile behavior. What documentation should a manager create after investigating?
- A written summary of findings, actions taken, and follow-up plan (Correct answer)
- A verbal note shared only with HR
- Nothing, if the issue is resolved informally
- An anonymous report to avoid naming individuals
Correct answer: A written summary of findings, actions taken, and follow-up plan
Written documentation of findings, actions, and follow-up ensures accountability and protects the organization legally.
Question 4: What does 'interest-based negotiation' focus on during a workplace conflict?
- Underlying needs and concerns of each party (Correct answer)
- The formal positions each party has stated
- Seniority and power dynamics
- Company policy compliance only
Correct answer: Underlying needs and concerns of each party
Interest-based negotiation looks beyond stated positions to the underlying needs that drive each party's stance.
Question 5: A manager is perceived as taking sides during a team conflict. Which behavior BEST demonstrates impartiality?
- Applying the same standards and process to both parties consistently (Correct answer)
- Alternating support between employees to appear balanced
- Delegating the conflict to a senior peer
- Avoiding interaction with either employee until they resolve it
Correct answer: Applying the same standards and process to both parties consistently
Consistent application of process and standards is the clearest demonstration of fairness in mediation.
Question 6: Which outcome is the hallmark of a successfully mediated workplace conflict?
- A mutually agreed-upon solution that both parties commit to (Correct answer)
- One party winning the dispute outright
- The manager imposing a compromise without input
- The conflict being permanently suppressed
Correct answer: A mutually agreed-upon solution that both parties commit to
Successful mediation results in a mutually owned agreement, which increases commitment to resolution.
CPM CPM Conflict Resolution & Mediation 1
A manager notices two team members in an ongoing dispute that is affecting team morale.
What is the FIRST step in mediating the conflict?