How do you run a workplace conflict role-play?

Tell the learner only their own side of the story. Give the colleague the private brief with the part the learner does not know. Run the conversation for ten minutes, then ask the learner what they heard before you score anything.

How do you stop a conflict role-play from feeling like a test?

Use made-up people and a made-up workplace. Tell learners the colleague will push back and that this is the point. Let them pause and restart once if they get stuck.

What should you score in a conflict role-play?

Pick one or two skills and say which before the start. Good ones are how the learner responds to the first strong reaction, and whether both people agree on a next step by the end.

Workplace conflict role-play scenarios

Two workplace conflict scenarios you can run in your next session. Each has a situation, a private brief for the colleague and a short scoring guide. Judge the answers by your own method.

A colleague keeps editing your part of a shared document
A team member says she will not work with a colleague again

Two colleagues standing and talking through a disagreement

What is a workplace conflict role-play?

A workplace conflict role-play is a practice conversation about a clash over roles, priorities or behaviour. One person plays a colleague with a hidden brief. The learner has to work through the clash and leave with something agreed.

Where it fits in a programme

Run these after you have taught your approach to difficult conversations and before learners face a real one. Most people avoid conflict until it is large, so a safe place to practise the first step is worth having.

What good looks like

Stays calm when the colleague is defensive or hurt.
Finds out what is behind the first complaint before offering a fix.
Ends with a next step both people have said yes to.

Scenario 1

A colleague keeps editing your part of a shared document

10 minutes
Starter

The situation

The learner and Chris work on the same project and share a document. Twice this week the learner has opened it to find their section changed, with no message. The learner is annoyed and has asked Chris for a few minutes.

The learner’s goal

Understand why the changes were made and agree how to handle shared work from now on.

Private brief for the colleague

Chris, a colleague on the same project, at the same level as the learner.

You are a little wary. You can tell the learner is cross and you think you were only helping.
Your boss asked you to tidy the document before Friday. You assumed the learner knew, so you never mentioned it.
If the learner describes what the changes did to their work and asks what happened, tell them the full story. If they say you went behind their back, stop sharing and defend yourself.

The colleague’s opening line

"Is this about the document? I was only trying to help."

What to look for

1 Describes the effect on their own work in plain terms.
2 Asks what happened before saying what they think Chris meant.
3 Stays calm when Chris gets defensive, and keeps asking.

Debrief questions

What did Chris say that changed how you saw the situation?
At what point did Chris relax or tighten up, and what had you just said?

Make it harder

Have Chris be cooler from the first line and give shorter answers. The learner has to draw the story out with less to work from.

Scenario 2

A team member says she will not work with a colleague again

12 minutes
Intermediate

The situation

The learner manages a small team. Amira has asked for a meeting and says she will not work with her teammate Joe again. This is the second time she has raised it, and last time nothing changed.

The learner’s goal

Find out what is behind her request and agree a next step she will accept.

Private brief for the colleague

Amira, a team member who has worked for the learner for two years.

You are tired and a little angry. You feel you were not heard last time, and you expect the same again.
The real hurt is one meeting where Joe presented your idea as his own. You have also drafted a transfer request and have not sent it.
If the manager listens without defending Joe and asks for a specific example, tell them about the meeting. If they say that is just how Joe is, or tell you to sort it out between yourselves, say nothing more and keep the transfer to yourself.

The colleague’s opening line

"I’ve told you before. He talks over me in every meeting."

What to look for

1 Listens to the whole complaint without defending Joe.
2 Asks for one specific example of what happened.
3 Checks what Amira wants to happen before suggesting a plan.

Debrief questions

What did you learn from Amira that you did not know when she sat down?
What did you do when you felt the urge to explain Joe’s side?

Make it harder

Have Amira start the meeting by saying she wants an answer today. The learner has to take their time with her and still respect that she needs a clear response.

Common questions

How do you run a workplace conflict role-play?: Tell the learner only their own side of the story. Give the colleague the private brief with the part the learner does not know. Run the conversation for ten minutes, then ask the learner what they heard before you score anything.
How do you stop a conflict role-play from feeling like a test?: Use made-up people and a made-up workplace. Tell learners the colleague will push back and that this is the point. Let them pause and restart once if they get stuck.
What should you score in a conflict role-play?: Pick one or two skills and say which before the start. Good ones are how the learner responds to the first strong reaction, and whether both people agree on a next step by the end.

Build these scenarios on your method

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