Managing Challenging Behaviour & Conflict

Tuesday 22 September, 10:00–16:00 (with a one-hour lunch break) | Online via Zoom | £149 per person

A practical full-day course to help you respond confidently to challenging behaviour, conflict and difficult conversations in creative, cultural and heritage settings.

Conflict, tension and challenging behaviour can show up in many forms: a colleague becoming defensive, a freelancer pushing back, a volunteer dominating the room, a partner withdrawing from discussion, or a team avoiding a difficult issue until it becomes harder to resolve.

These situations can be uncomfortable to manage, particularly in creative, cultural and heritage work, where teams are often collaborative, values-led, project-based and under pressure. Staff, freelancers, artists, volunteers, educators, partners and community members may all be working together, often with different roles, expectations, communication styles and levels of power.

This course is not about labelling people as “difficult” or trying to control behaviour. Instead, it offers a practical and psychologically informed approach to understanding what may be sitting beneath challenging behaviour and conflict, so you can respond with greater clarity, confidence and care.

Throughout the day, you will explore why conflict arises, how behaviour can communicate unmet needs or pressure, and how communication can break down when people feel under threat. You will be introduced to practical models and tools that can help you diagnose what is really happening, reduce defensiveness, set clear boundaries and support more constructive conversations.

Using realistic scenarios, reflective discussion and applied activities, this course will help you build confidence in responding to challenging moments without escalating tension, avoiding the issue or taking responsibility for fixing everything yourself.

Who is this course for?

This course is ideal for anyone working in or with the creative, cultural and heritage sectors who wants to feel more confident managing challenging behaviour, conflict or difficult conversations.

It will be particularly useful for:

• Team leaders and managers
• Project managers, producers and coordinators
• Participation, engagement and learning professionals
• Facilitators, educators and workshop leaders
• Volunteer managers and those supporting freelance teams
• Staff with emerging leadership or supervisory responsibilities
• Anyone who regularly works with groups, partners, communities or cross-disciplinary teams

You do not need to be in a formal management role to attend. This course is suitable for anyone who needs to navigate tension, disagreement, difficult behaviour or complex working relationships as part of their role.

What will this course cover?

During the course, you will explore:

• Why conflict arises in teams, projects and partnership settings
• How challenging behaviour can be understood as communication
• The role of pressure, unmet needs, unclear communication and emotional threat
• How bias, assumptions and misinterpretation can escalate conflict
• Different conflict styles and how they show up under pressure
• How to diagnose the root causes of conflict before choosing a response
• Ways to de-escalate tension and reduce defensiveness
• How to reframe challenging behaviour without excusing its impact
• Practical boundary language for keeping conversations constructive
• How to move from fixed positions towards shared interests
• How to support others through conflict without rescuing or taking over

Key models and approaches explored include:

• Thomas–Kilmann conflict model
• Circle of Conflict model
• Emotional intelligence and self-regulation
• SCARF model
• Interest-Based Relational Approach
• Interest-Based Negotiation
• GROW model for conflict coaching
• Notice → Name → Normalise → Navigate response framework

You will learn how to:

• Recognise what may be sitting beneath challenging behaviour or conflict
• Understand how pressure, power, communication and unmet needs affect behaviour
• Identify whether a conflict is rooted in data, structure, values, relationships or competing interests
• Respond to defensive, withdrawn, dominant or resistant behaviour with more confidence
• Use de-escalating language to slow conversations down and reduce threat
• Set clear, respectful boundaries without shutting people down
• Facilitate conversations that support clarity, dignity and accountability
• Move conversations away from blame and towards constructive next steps
• Support healthier team dynamics

Why attend?

Challenging behaviour and conflict can quickly affect trust, morale, decision-making and delivery. When difficult dynamics are ignored, personalised or handled mainly through authority, they can strain relationships and make teams feel less safe, less connected and less able to do good work.

This course explores tools and frameworks to help you understand what is happening beneath the surface, choose a more effective response and guide conversations with calm authority. It will help you feel more prepared for the moments where behaviour challenges or people disagree strongly.

By the end of the course, you will leave with a clearer understanding of conflict dynamics and a set of practical approaches you can apply immediately within your own work.

Course Cost: £149 per person

When: Tuesday, 22 September, 10.00am-4.00pm - Online via Zoom

Career Development Support:

We understand that funding training opportunities can be challenging, especially during defining moments in your life or career.

At Artswork, we believe in investing in the future of our sector, and we want to support those who are passionate about safeguarding and cultural development. That’s why we offer our Career Development Support pricing.

We have reserved three places on each course at a 25% discount for individuals who could use a little extra financial support. If you feel this applies to you, please contact us at [email protected] to explain your situation and receive the next steps.

All of our training courses are delivered using Zoom.

If you require further information or would like to discuss your needs in advance of the session, please contact us at [email protected]

Can this training be delivered specifically for our organisation?

Yes! All of our training courses can be delivered either online or in person at a time and date that works best for your team. We’re happy to adapt the content to ensure it aligns with your organisation’s needs and priorities.

If you’d like to learn more or discuss your requirements, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

*Read our course terms and conditions here.Important Notice:

Please note that any discounts must be applied at the checkout. They cannot be redeemed retrospectively once the transaction is complete.