CDP-Individual
The Conflict Dynamics Profile self-assessment (CDP-I) provides a simple way of helping individuals understand more about how they respond to conflict both behaviorally and emotionally.
CDP-360
The CDP-360 enables individuals to compare their own perceptions about how they act during conflict with those of their colleagues. It is particularly helpful for leaders, managers, and high potential employees for whom conflict can be particularly challenging.
Both instruments also identify emotional triggers called hot buttons which help individuals understand behaviors that negatively impact their relationships with others.
Everyone receiving a CDP report will receive a corresponding development guide with concrete suggestions for how to improve behavior patterns and cool down elevated hot buttons.
TABLE:
CDP-I Benefits
- Quick and easy to take
- Inexpensive to administer
- Provides behavioral feedback which is easy to understand
- Includes information on emotional aspects of conflict
- Each report is accompanied by a comprehensive development guide
- Group reports are available
CDP-360 Benefits
- In-depth view for participant
- Detailed analysis of the 15 scales
- Colleagues perceptions
- Each report is accompanied by a comprehensive development guide
- Concrete suggestions on improving behavior patterns
- Group reports are available
Utilization of the CDP
The CDP can be used in a number of ways to help people reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of how they currently respond to conflict.
The CDP works well in coaching settings with leaders and managers. It is quite effective for new managers and high potential individuals who could otherwise be derailed by ineffective responses to conflict. The CDP is used in leadership development training and with teams that are having difficulties dealing with internal conflicts.
Orientation programs
The CDP is an excellent tool to begin the exploration of managing conflict in an organization. The components of the instrument can be used to describe and measure a desired approach to workplace conflict. New employees exposed to these components as part of an orientation session can learn how they may need to adjust their personal behavior to match up with the cultural norms of the organization.
Team Conflict
The CDP is particularly helpful in team settings. In addition to each individual report, a team report can be generated that outlines team behaviors and responses. This report can open up the door for effective conversation about acceptable responses to conflict and hot button triggers. Members of the team can learn how certain behaviors might inadvertently trigger irritation in their colleagues as well as how to avoid pushing these hot buttons.
Coaching
When a client is sensitive to feedback from others or reluctant to use a multi-rater instrument, the CDP can still be used to focus on conflict patterns. The CDP can help the client consider his or her responses to conflict and provides comparisons to a large norm group. It can be a helpful first step in diagnosing areas of strength and developmental opportunity.
Scales
The CDP covers seven constructive behavioral scales including Perspective Taking, Creating Solutions, Expressing Emotions, Reaching Out, Reflective Thinking, Delay Responding, and Adapting.
Definitions of constructive behavioral scales:
Perspective Taking – Putting yourself in the other person’s position and trying to understand that person’s point of view.
Creating Solutions – Brainstorming with the other person, asking questions, and trying to create solutions to the problem.
Expressing Emotions – Talking honestly with the other person and expressing your thoughts and feelings.
Reaching Out – Reaching out to the other person, making the first move, and trying to make amends.
Reflective Thinking – Analyzing the situation, weighing the pros and cons, and thinking about the best response.
Delay Responding – Waiting things out, letting matters settle down, or taking a “time out” when emotions are running high.
Adapting – Staying flexible, and trying to make the best of the situation.
It also provide scores on eight destructive behavioral scales including: Winning at All Costs, Displaying Anger, Demeaning Others, Retaliating, Avoiding, Yielding, Hiding Emotions, and Self-Criticizing.
Definitions of destructive behavioral scales:
Winning at All Costs – Arguing vigorously for your own position and trying to win at all costs.
Displaying Anger – Expressing anger, raising your voice, and using harsh, angry words.
Demeaning Others – Laughing at the other person, ridiculing the other’s ideas, and using sarcasm.
Retaliating – Obstructing the other person, retaliating against the other, and trying to get revenge.
Avoiding – Avoiding or ignoring the other person, and acting distant and aloof.
Yielding – Giving in to the other person in order to avoid further conflict.
Hiding Emotions – concealing your true emotions even though feeling upset.
Self-Criticizing – Replaying the incident over in your mind, and criticizing yourself for not handling it better.
The instrument includes nine scales related to Hot Buttons (behaviors in others that trigger upset or frustration in us): Unreliable, Overly-Analytical, Unappreciative, Aloof, Micro-Managing, Self-Centered, Abrasive, Untrustworthy, and Hostile.
Definitions of Hot Button scales:
Unreliable – Those who are unreliable, miss deadlines and cannot be counted on.
Overly-Analytical – Those who are perfectionists, over-analyze things and focus too much on minor issues.
Unappreciative – Those who fail to give credit to other or seldom praise good performance.
Aloof – Those who isolate themselves, do not seek input from other or are hard to approach.
Micro-Managing – Those who constantly monitor and check up on the work of others.
Self-Centered – Those who are self-centered or believe they are always correct.
Abrasive – Those who are arrogant, sarcastic and abrasive.
Untrustworthy – Those who exploit others, take undeserved credit or cannot be trusted.
Hostile – Those who lose their tempers, become angry, or yell at others.
CDP Feedback Reports & Development Guides
It is not uncommon to have questions after completing a psychometric assessment. A personalized feedback session with a certified CDP coach accompanies each purchase of the CDP to help the participant understand his or her results. As part of the session, the participant will receive a comprehensive Development Guide containing valuable information such as:
- Interpretive material, suggestions for development, and recommended readings on each of the 14 scales
- Effective action planning tips and,
- Guidelines for continuous improvement
This practical and user-friendly resource combined with the feedback session will help participants synthesize their results and generate a plan to leverage their constructive responses to conflict and helps identify developmental opportunities as related to conflict.
Feedback Reports
The CDP-I report is eight pages long and contains graphs measuring constructive behaviors, destructive behaviors, and hot buttons. It is accompanied by a forty page development guide which gives suggestions for improving behaviors and cooling hot buttons.
The CDP-360 report is twenty-one pages long and contains graphs measuring constructive behaviors, destructive behaviors, and hot buttons. It also has sections on narrative comments of other raters, measures of the organizational importance of various conflict behaviors, and how the individual is seen acting at different stages of conflict. It is accompanied by a one hundred fifteen page development guide which gives suggestions for improving behaviors and cooling hot buttons.
Authors
Sal Capobianco, Ph.D. was the Director of Assessment at the Management Development Institute and a Professor of Psychology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sal’s research interests are in organizational behavior, particularly the characteristics of effective leaders and the psychological variables underlying group functioning. He received his Ph.D. from Rutgers University and his M.A. from the University of Kansas.
Mark H. Davis, Ph.D. is an award-winning Professor of Psychology at Eckerd College and has authored several highly-regarded assessment instruments, including the Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP®). He is the author of over 45 articles and chapters in the area of Social Psychology as well as a book, Empathy: A Social Psychological Approach. Mark is also a consulting editor for Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. In addition to his primary interests in studying empathy, interpersonal conflict and entrepreneurial mindset, Mark has also done research into such topics as why movies released late in the year receive more Academy Award nominations, and whether major league batters perform more poorly in pressure situations. This may explain why he watches so many movies and has season tickets to the Tampa Bay Rays. Mark received his B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Iowa and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Texas and his B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Iowa.
Linda A. Kraus, Ph.D. is a court and family mediator as well as a consultant to organizations on issues of conflict, curriculum and training, and evaluation research. She has over 15 years experience in teaching Sociology and conducting research on social relationships. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Indiana University and her M.A. in Sociology and B.A. in Psychology from East Carolina University.
PRICING
The CDP can only be purchased through the Mediation Training Institute at Eckerd College or a CDP certified practitioner.
