Imagine you are working as a door supervisor. There is a queue and it starts to get rowdy. A group is obviously drunk and getting a bit loud and arguing. What do you do?
Well, the first thing is that you don’t worry. Your training for your SIA Door Supervisor license has equipped you with the skills to handle these situations. It has taught you to know that your actions can diffuse or aggravate a situation.
A quick summary of conflict 101
- A conflict occurs when all parties perceive a threat. It doesn’t matter if the threat is real or not.
- If ignored, a conflict situation simply does not go away. It tends to fester.
- Responses to conflict situations are based on the perceptions of the people involved.
- Conflicts create strong emotions in all participants and bystanders.
- Conflict can provide a learning opportunity.
To safely manage a potential or escalating conflict situation, you need to be aware of what is going on. Plus an awareness of your own reaction to handling the situation. With this information, you will have the opportunity to reduce the risk, reduce the tension and have options if further action is needed.
Conflict Management – Security Personnel
Once you hold your AIS licence, you are employed to ensure the safety of the public and property. The Door Supervisor course, from April 2021, will become a 6 day course with 4 units.
- Unit 1: Working in the private security industry
- Unit 2: Working as a door supervisor
- Unit 3: Conflict management for the private security industry
- Unit 4: Physical Intervention Skills for the Private Security Industry
All units are divided into segments that will give you knowledge of the relevant legislation for the industry – knowledge of what the job entails and the skills needed to do the job.
The conflict management section of Unit 3 includes.
- Avoiding conflict and reducing personal risk
- De-escalating conflicts
- Resolving and learning from conflict
- Applying communication and conflict management skills for door supervisors
Managing your reactions
SIA training courses help to avoid unnecessary responses and replace them with more professional and thoughtful ones. Responses that show that you can compromise or see the other person’s point of view. The courses also teach you to act in a calm, non-defensive and respectful manner. Provide you with personal resources so that you can move beyond the conflict, without holding on to resentment or anger.
The stress that can arise whenever you have to deal with conflict affects you. It is essential to be aware of your reactions to stress so that you can manage them effectively and professionally.
Skills covered in the training sessions
- Be able to read body language
- Accurately hear what someone is saying, sometimes hidden behind swearing or chanting
- An increased awareness of your prejudices and reactions
- The ability to react quickly in a calm and effective manner
Being able to communicate is another skill you will learn – non-verbal as well as verbal skills. Learn to understand non-verbal communication and how your facial expressions and stance can help solve a problem. Look more open, like not standing with your arms crossed and a stern expression on your face. Let your arms relax, avoid clenching your teeth, project a look that is both listening and professional. Use your judgement to see if humour will defuse a situation or make it worse. These are all learnable skills that grow as you use and train them.
Tips for reducing a tense situation
- Find out what the problem or disagreement is
- Act in a calm and relaxed manner
- Speak clearly and without irritation or anger in your voice and tone of voice
- Ask what is happening from their point of view
- Ask for their suggestions to ease the tension
- Agree on the best way to overcome the problem
- Agree on who does what to reach a resolution
- Continue to monitor the situation – presenting a calm but firm presence
