Working with senior leaders across many sectors on change and conflict, I am reminded over and over again how important it is to get below the surface of any conflict.

Harrison Ford and Michelle Pheiffer starred in a movie (2000) whose title really helps me recall this vital aspect of diagnosing conflict: What Lies Beneath. It can be so tempting to deal with issues on the surface only, as time and energy have their limits in the busy life of a leader. The challenge is to consider when it may be crucial to enquire below the surface, to know when a band-aid approach will not work. While, in most contexts what I call the ‘fix it brain’ is great and just what is needed, we need to be able to admit when the easy wins and easy fixes are just not addressing the deeper concerns being experienced. That is when we need to deploy the skill of being able to look below the surface. In my work in the area of change and conflict management, I have developed a tool that assists to do just that:

The Four D’s of Change and Conflict Intervention.

Diagnose: when you consider that a situation of change or conflict is not going to be easily ‘fixed’, this first D is essential in getting to ‘what lies beneath’. Here the focus is to take time and inquire from all involved and impacted what might be the sources of concern. It is important to clarify your brief, your scope to ensure you have ‘authority’ to deal with the matter. This is of course different depending on your role – internal or external to the situation for example. The nature of the diagnosis phase is dependent upon the nature of the issues and the dynamic of the context. It is vital not to rush this phase, it can be too easy to accept the first ‘narrative’ of the issues and to ignore or miss something deeper, something hidden, something often avoided. Be on the lookout for bias, assumptions, defences and mis-directions – all provide vital clues. Therefore, the key skills here are:
➢Active, engaged listening
➢Focused and deep inquiry

Dilemma: This is the core of the Four D’s for any working around conflict and change management. The diagnosing phase aims to identify the core dilemma(s) that need to be addressed:

➢What is really going on?
➢What really needs addressing?
➢What needs saying?
➢What needs to be identified?

If the dilemma is accurately and credibly identified then the work of dealing with the conflict or change can be undertaken with confidence. The obvious danger here is that the real dilemma is missed or avoided. In leading such a process, it will be important to articulate criteria by which the dilemma can be identified in an evidence-based framework. The dilemma, however unpopular to some, needs to have credibility if those impacted are to engage with the subsequent proposals for action. Key in this phase are:

➢Professional detachment
➢Credibility and courage

Design: With the accepted identification of the core dilemma(s), the process moves to design what would the most effective intervention approaches to address the issues. In this phase, the need is to:
➢Craft a process to address the core dilemmas
➢Build a core coalition for the process proposed
➢Ensure as much buy-in as possible
➢Communicate, communicate, communicate…

Deliver: Finally, follow through on the plan. At this phase, those involved will rightly need to see the outcomes of their commitment to the process. During this phase carefully monitor effectiveness and be agile when needed to respond to feedback.

See the work of John Kotter, his book – The Heart of Change, outlines an eight-step process is invaluable and so very practical.

Having assisted in some deeply troubled and challenging conflicts and change processes in organisations over the last twenty years and more, I know how difficult such a process is… but ignoring and hoping that it’ll magically ‘go away’ prompts thoughts of cans and kicking and roads…