Exercise #7
Conflict Resolution
Authors: Prof. Karmen Erjavec and Sabina Krsnik, MBA
20–25 minutes
Description
This exercise develops conflict resolution skills in multicultural healthcare teams. Students practise recognising the causes of intercultural misunderstandings and apply strategies such as active listening, empathy, and assertive communication to de-escalate tension, foster mutual respect, and reach collaborative solutions across cultural and professional boundaries.
Methodological Guide
Objectives
Recognise common sources of intercultural conflict in healthcare teams.
Apply active listening and empathy to reduce tension in multicultural communication.
Demonstrate respect for diverse cultural and professional communication styles.
Develop assertive communication strategies that support collaborative conflict resolution.
Understand the role of digital message clarity in preventing intercultural misunderstandings.
Avoid stereotyping when interpreting the behaviour of colleagues or patients from different backgrounds.
Apply active listening and empathy to reduce tension in multicultural communication.
Demonstrate respect for diverse cultural and professional communication styles.
Develop assertive communication strategies that support collaborative conflict resolution.
Understand the role of digital message clarity in preventing intercultural misunderstandings.
Avoid stereotyping when interpreting the behaviour of colleagues or patients from different backgrounds.
Expected Outcomes
After completing this exercise, students will be able to: Identify and apply effective strategies for resolving intercultural conflicts in healthcare teams. Demonstrate empathy and active listening in cross-cultural communication. Recognise the risks of stereotyping and avoidance in conflict situations. Use assertive communication to support respectful, collaborative dialogue.
Exercise Procedure
Stage 1 (about 5 minutes): answer seven true/false statements about conflict-resolution strategies and check your answers. Stage 2 (about 12 minutes): read four short team-meeting scenarios; for each, choose the response that best demonstrates collaborative conflict resolution. Stage 3 (about 3 minutes): write one short paragraph answering the reflection prompt; your post appears on the class wall anonymously.
Mode of Implementation
Individual self-paced activity across three sequential stages. Students complete each stage, receive immediate feedback on the auto-scored stages (1 and 2), and contribute an anonymous reflection in stage 3 that is visible to classmates without names.
Role of the Teacher
Introduce the concept of intercultural conflict resolution before the exercise. After completion, facilitate a brief reflection discussion linking student responses to theoretical frameworks. The anonymous reflection wall in Stage 3 surfaces which choices the class found hardest — use it as the starting point for the debrief.
Theoretical Basis
This exercise draws on the conflict resolution theories of Deutsch & Coleman (2000) and Marcus et al. (2011), who identify active listening, mutual respect, and collaborative problem-solving as core competencies in multicultural settings. Thomas & Kilmann's (1974) conflict mode instrument highlights how different cultural orientations toward competition, avoidance, or accommodation shape team dynamics. Ting-Toomey's (1999) face-negotiation theory explains how high- and low-context cultures (Hall, 1976) differ in managing conflict and maintaining relational harmony. Together these frameworks underpin the exercise's focus on empathy-based, assertive communication as the most effective path to intercultural conflict resolution in healthcare.
Practical Application
Students apply conflict resolution strategies to realistic clinical scenarios: responding to a patient who refuses a procedure for cultural reasons, interpreting ambiguous digital messages across cultural boundaries, and avoiding stereotyped explanations of colleagues' behaviour. Stage 2 places students inside a multidisciplinary team meeting about a new digital information system, where each of four decision points maps to Thomas & Kilmann's conflict modes (collaborative, assertive, avoidant, aggressive).
Knowledge Transfer
By completing this exercise, students learn to transfer intercultural communication theory into daily clinical practice. They develop the habit of pausing before reacting to perceived conflict, choosing empathic and assertive responses over avoidance or confrontation, and applying structured de-escalation techniques that respect both patient values and professional standards.
Reinforcement & Reflection
Which statement or scenario challenged your assumptions most? How would you respond differently to a patient or colleague from a different culture after completing this exercise? What concrete steps can you take to prevent stereotyping in your team?
Required Resources
Computer or tablet with internet access. No additional materials required.
Assessment / Evaluation
Formative self-assessment through immediate answer feedback on Stages 1 and 2. Stage 3 is non-scored and surfaces collective learning. Optional teacher debrief can be used to identify common misconceptions across the group.
Practical Tips
Encourage students to read each statement and scenario carefully — distractors are designed to resemble common misconceptions. After Stage 2, prompt students to notice which Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode they were most often drawn to. After Stage 3, read a sample of anonymous posts aloud to open the debrief.
Discussion Topics
When is avoidance an appropriate response to intercultural conflict, and when is it harmful? How do power dynamics within a healthcare team affect conflict resolution strategies? What role does institutional culture play in enabling or hindering open intercultural dialogue?
Further Resources
Deutsch, M., & Coleman, P. T. (Eds.). (2000). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice. Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Marcus, A., et al. (2011). Cross-cultural user experience design. Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Ting-Toomey, S. (1999). Communicating across cultures.
Additional Remarks
This exercise builds on earlier modules covering empathy (Exercise 3) and building relationships (Exercise 4). It extends students' repertoire by focusing specifically on conflict scenarios, equipping them with targeted strategies for the most challenging intercultural interactions they are likely to encounter in clinical practice. Converted from single-stage true/false to three-stage Timer Stage Manager composite on 2026-04-21 to absorb PRD Stages 2 and 5 (scenario analysis and reflection debrief).