Ldr/531 Conflict Resolution Research Paper
Conflict Resolution Team A
Rajeshwari Banda, Alexandria Coon, Maria Valles, Lisabeth Jeffries, Stephen R. Brockelman
LDR/531
October 22, 2014
Michael Sawyer
Introduction
Conflict is something that is bound to happen even with groups, family and friends. Understanding what causes conflict and ways to resolve conflict are important for relationships, especially in business. Communication styles, barriers and the conflict and negotiation process involved are important in handling the three situations that were presented in each storybook. The three storybooks this week help to provide guidance on conflict resolution.
Being Vague
When a team member is being vague, he or she is causing …show more content…
the communication barrier known as filtering to hinder progress. Spinning bad news and telling only part of the story are types of filtering that cause the managers or higher management to have an unclear view of their organization. Addressing the issue of filtering immediately is important; it sets the pace for clear communication. Also, the direct response lets the team member know ambiguity causes a distorted view of actuality (Wordpress.com, 2013).
Encourage Communication
A manager should encourage the people to provide the opinion openly by making them feel comfortable in what they are doing at work place. The manager should also focus on below idea’s to encourage someone who is hesitant:
Lead by example and practice what you preach.
Communicate clearly
Recognize individual efforts and reward progress.
Give an opportunity to talk
Encourage individuals by providing constructive and encouraging feedback, like “You’re the best that we have in our department to do the reporting tasks.”
Get on their level. Avoid speaking as a superior.
Workplace Example
There was a situation in the workplace where an employee was suspected of using drugs, but no-one had witnessed the person using or possessing drugs. The situation was handled by asking each employee on the team to take a urinalysis. When the results came back, it turns out the employee was not using drugs; however, the word spread that the purpose of the testing was only to test the one employee. The employee quit the next day, citing embarrassment as the sole reason. The manager could have handled the situation differently by asking the employee if he or she was on drugs, and then asked for a drug test to confirm. Being straightforward with the employee would have kept the employee with the organization and resolved the gossip (Quast, 2013).
Negative Messages As a manager, it would be important to follow the below guidelines to communicate the important negative message to the team with low impact.
Be credible
Choose the right time and place
Tailor message to the audience
Give people an advance warning
Start with the facts
Encourage action
Reinforce values
As a manager, one might choose the indirect approach to relay negative message to the team. Indirect approach will help in communicating the negative message in an effective manner to the team. This approach will reduce the impact before delivering the bad news. The first step in using the indirect approach is to write a buffer, a neutral, non-controversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message (emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu, n.d.). The manager will provide reasons and additional information to the team before delivering any negative message.
Gossip
Gossip typically occurs when there is some ambiguity about a situation that holds importance to an individual or group of individuals, which is also causing anxiety to those directly or indirectly involved. These three ingredients are often the reason gossip becomes an enjoyable pastime for employees. Although we may assume that gossip occurs as a result of individual enjoyment of talking about taboo subjects, it generally starts because of situations that are causing the individuals some type of hardship, even by just not knowing the full scope of the situation. Gossip will continue until the outcome of the situation occurs, or until the rumor is addressed, and the anxiety has been dissolved (Robbins & Judge, 2013). Rumors thrive when limited information is available, or when there is an appearance that information is being held back. Communication is key in dispelling incorrect information. Gossip and rumors are bound to occur. They must be addressed professionally, calmly, and respectfully. Maintaining communication with employees is important. If they feel comfortable expressing opinions and concerns, there may not be a need to gossip (Robbins & Judge, 2013).
Emotions and Feelings
People spend five times as long thinking about situations and events that cause negative feelings, as they do thinking about situations that cause positive feelings (Robbins & Judge, 2013). Negative thoughts turn into negative feelings, which turn into negative behavior, and decrease job productivity and satisfaction. This leads to more negative thoughts, and the cycle begins again ("Managing Negative Attitudes", 2010).
("Managing Negative Attitudes", 2010).
Effective leaders utilize emotional appeal to assist in relaying messages or to inspire their following. In order to handle a team’s feelings after a negative situation, a leader must address the situation and acknowledge the fact that the group may have negative feelings as a result. If there are not any positive outcomes, the leader should make clear that it is acceptable to have negative feelings about the situation. Addressing these concerns, and refocusing the team to more positive topics or task related topics will provide an outlet, and structure in moving forward to accomplish their tasks.
The Workplace At times there are work situations where a negative message must be given. An example could be a downsizing to the company. Though there may seem like there is no good news that can come from this negative message you must always be a clear and strong leader for employees. Utilizing clear understanding of concerns and the uncertainty of the matter is helpful even if the future is on rocky ground. People want honestly and understanding if the economy is down and this is needed which has been done in real life most employees would rather be aware that this is occurring than feeling like managers and the company is hiding this negative news. Though the bright side maybe the company is still open and there is opportunity to return that is better than nothing in rough economic times. Using the conflict resolution skills with negative …show more content…
messages would help to navigate through situations such as layoffs.
Strategies to Alleviate Stress Caused by Deadlines Deadlines can cause stress amongst team members.
In the example of storybook three, a heated email discussion starts between team members John and Antonio about deadlines not being adhered to. Everyone on the team was copied on these emails. Part of this conflict arose due to personal variables, John and Antonio had conflicting personalities and values. They both had competing intentions and were trying to “win” the conflict. Robbins and Judge (2013) state that competing is “when one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict” (p. 453). There are different approaches that can be taken to deal with stress caused by deadlines. Some conflicts that occur can have a functional outcome, but in some cases intervention is needed before dysfunction results. The first action to take would be to negotiate. Integrative bargaining is a bargaining technique that allows for a win-win result. Integrative bargaining includes sharing information that allows for each party to help come up with mutually beneficial outcomes. If there is conflict about deadlines that lead to stress, it is best to communicate about the deadlines and the differences of opinion that led to tension. Allowing each party to clarify and justify their side, helps to share viewpoints and come together on issues. Bargaining and problem solving is the part of the negotiation process that requires both parties
to give-and-take to come to agreement. In some organizations, there is often stress about meeting deadlines. It is important to have developed a plan that if someone is behind and will not be able to meet their goals. In most cases, the rest of the team is able to help them out, which helps manage stress over the deadlines. A proactive attitude among the team helps deal with any stress that may come up. This is much more effective than lashing out at other team members like in the third story book example.
Summation
It is important to understand we are human and we are all different. Though we should embrace our differences in communication and in all aspects of our lives it is always a possibility to have conflict. Understanding personalities and behaviors helps to address where conflict may stem from. Though using skills and techniques to address and resolve conflict will be key to success for personal and professional relationships.
References
Quast, (2013). "New Managers: 5 Ways To Stop Negative Office Gossip.". 19 Oct. 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/10/14/new-managers-5-ways-to-stop-negative-office-gossip/ Wordpress.com, (2013). "Clarity Is Your Friend, Vague Is a Troublemaker." 19 Oct. 2014. http://mashariki.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/clarity-is-your-friend-vague-is-a-troublemaker/ Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Wsj.com, (2014). "Leadership Styles." Management RSS. 05 Oct. 2014. http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/how-to-develop-a-leadership-style/ Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice
Hall.
Witt, Chris, (2014) How Good Leaders Can Deliver Bad News. 22Oct. 2014 http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/17101/how-good-leaders-can-deliver-bad-news
Hurley (Unknown) Execellence in Business Communication 22 Oct 2014 http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/hurley/modules/mod3/3_docs/badnews.pdf
Unknown (2012) 10 Ways to Encourage Discouraged People 22 Oct. 2014. http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/10-ways-to-encourage-discouraged-/
Rajeshwari Banda, Alexandria Coon, Maria Valles, Lisabeth Jeffries, Stephen R. Brockelman
LDR/531
October 22, 2014
Michael Sawyer
Introduction
Conflict is something that is bound to happen even with groups, family and friends. Understanding what causes conflict and ways to resolve conflict are important for relationships, especially in business. Communication styles, barriers and the conflict and negotiation process involved are important in handling the three situations that were presented in each storybook. The three storybooks this week help to provide guidance on conflict resolution.
Being Vague
When a team member is being vague, he or she is causing …show more content…
the communication barrier known as filtering to hinder progress. Spinning bad news and telling only part of the story are types of filtering that cause the managers or higher management to have an unclear view of their organization. Addressing the issue of filtering immediately is important; it sets the pace for clear communication. Also, the direct response lets the team member know ambiguity causes a distorted view of actuality (Wordpress.com, 2013).
Encourage Communication
A manager should encourage the people to provide the opinion openly by making them feel comfortable in what they are doing at work place. The manager should also focus on below idea’s to encourage someone who is hesitant:
Lead by example and practice what you preach.
Communicate clearly
Recognize individual efforts and reward progress.
Give an opportunity to talk
Encourage individuals by providing constructive and encouraging feedback, like “You’re the best that we have in our department to do the reporting tasks.”
Get on their level. Avoid speaking as a superior.
Workplace Example
There was a situation in the workplace where an employee was suspected of using drugs, but no-one had witnessed the person using or possessing drugs. The situation was handled by asking each employee on the team to take a urinalysis. When the results came back, it turns out the employee was not using drugs; however, the word spread that the purpose of the testing was only to test the one employee. The employee quit the next day, citing embarrassment as the sole reason. The manager could have handled the situation differently by asking the employee if he or she was on drugs, and then asked for a drug test to confirm. Being straightforward with the employee would have kept the employee with the organization and resolved the gossip (Quast, 2013).
Negative Messages As a manager, it would be important to follow the below guidelines to communicate the important negative message to the team with low impact.
Be credible
Choose the right time and place
Tailor message to the audience
Give people an advance warning
Start with the facts
Encourage action
Reinforce values
As a manager, one might choose the indirect approach to relay negative message to the team. Indirect approach will help in communicating the negative message in an effective manner to the team. This approach will reduce the impact before delivering the bad news. The first step in using the indirect approach is to write a buffer, a neutral, non-controversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message (emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu, n.d.). The manager will provide reasons and additional information to the team before delivering any negative message.
Gossip
Gossip typically occurs when there is some ambiguity about a situation that holds importance to an individual or group of individuals, which is also causing anxiety to those directly or indirectly involved. These three ingredients are often the reason gossip becomes an enjoyable pastime for employees. Although we may assume that gossip occurs as a result of individual enjoyment of talking about taboo subjects, it generally starts because of situations that are causing the individuals some type of hardship, even by just not knowing the full scope of the situation. Gossip will continue until the outcome of the situation occurs, or until the rumor is addressed, and the anxiety has been dissolved (Robbins & Judge, 2013). Rumors thrive when limited information is available, or when there is an appearance that information is being held back. Communication is key in dispelling incorrect information. Gossip and rumors are bound to occur. They must be addressed professionally, calmly, and respectfully. Maintaining communication with employees is important. If they feel comfortable expressing opinions and concerns, there may not be a need to gossip (Robbins & Judge, 2013).
Emotions and Feelings
People spend five times as long thinking about situations and events that cause negative feelings, as they do thinking about situations that cause positive feelings (Robbins & Judge, 2013). Negative thoughts turn into negative feelings, which turn into negative behavior, and decrease job productivity and satisfaction. This leads to more negative thoughts, and the cycle begins again ("Managing Negative Attitudes", 2010).
("Managing Negative Attitudes", 2010).
Effective leaders utilize emotional appeal to assist in relaying messages or to inspire their following. In order to handle a team’s feelings after a negative situation, a leader must address the situation and acknowledge the fact that the group may have negative feelings as a result. If there are not any positive outcomes, the leader should make clear that it is acceptable to have negative feelings about the situation. Addressing these concerns, and refocusing the team to more positive topics or task related topics will provide an outlet, and structure in moving forward to accomplish their tasks.
The Workplace At times there are work situations where a negative message must be given. An example could be a downsizing to the company. Though there may seem like there is no good news that can come from this negative message you must always be a clear and strong leader for employees. Utilizing clear understanding of concerns and the uncertainty of the matter is helpful even if the future is on rocky ground. People want honestly and understanding if the economy is down and this is needed which has been done in real life most employees would rather be aware that this is occurring than feeling like managers and the company is hiding this negative news. Though the bright side maybe the company is still open and there is opportunity to return that is better than nothing in rough economic times. Using the conflict resolution skills with negative …show more content…
messages would help to navigate through situations such as layoffs.
Strategies to Alleviate Stress Caused by Deadlines Deadlines can cause stress amongst team members.
In the example of storybook three, a heated email discussion starts between team members John and Antonio about deadlines not being adhered to. Everyone on the team was copied on these emails. Part of this conflict arose due to personal variables, John and Antonio had conflicting personalities and values. They both had competing intentions and were trying to “win” the conflict. Robbins and Judge (2013) state that competing is “when one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict” (p. 453). There are different approaches that can be taken to deal with stress caused by deadlines. Some conflicts that occur can have a functional outcome, but in some cases intervention is needed before dysfunction results. The first action to take would be to negotiate. Integrative bargaining is a bargaining technique that allows for a win-win result. Integrative bargaining includes sharing information that allows for each party to help come up with mutually beneficial outcomes. If there is conflict about deadlines that lead to stress, it is best to communicate about the deadlines and the differences of opinion that led to tension. Allowing each party to clarify and justify their side, helps to share viewpoints and come together on issues. Bargaining and problem solving is the part of the negotiation process that requires both parties
to give-and-take to come to agreement. In some organizations, there is often stress about meeting deadlines. It is important to have developed a plan that if someone is behind and will not be able to meet their goals. In most cases, the rest of the team is able to help them out, which helps manage stress over the deadlines. A proactive attitude among the team helps deal with any stress that may come up. This is much more effective than lashing out at other team members like in the third story book example.
Summation
It is important to understand we are human and we are all different. Though we should embrace our differences in communication and in all aspects of our lives it is always a possibility to have conflict. Understanding personalities and behaviors helps to address where conflict may stem from. Though using skills and techniques to address and resolve conflict will be key to success for personal and professional relationships.
References
Quast, (2013). "New Managers: 5 Ways To Stop Negative Office Gossip.". 19 Oct. 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/10/14/new-managers-5-ways-to-stop-negative-office-gossip/ Wordpress.com, (2013). "Clarity Is Your Friend, Vague Is a Troublemaker." 19 Oct. 2014. http://mashariki.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/clarity-is-your-friend-vague-is-a-troublemaker/ Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Wsj.com, (2014). "Leadership Styles." Management RSS. 05 Oct. 2014. http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/how-to-develop-a-leadership-style/ Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice
Hall.
Witt, Chris, (2014) How Good Leaders Can Deliver Bad News. 22Oct. 2014 http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/17101/how-good-leaders-can-deliver-bad-news
Hurley (Unknown) Execellence in Business Communication 22 Oct 2014 http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/hurley/modules/mod3/3_docs/badnews.pdf
Unknown (2012) 10 Ways to Encourage Discouraged People 22 Oct. 2014. http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/10-ways-to-encourage-discouraged-/