...Uses of Conflict in Team Dynamics Introduction The Team concept is in no way a new idea, there have been many different types of teams throughout history sports teams, historical societies and theater groups just to name a few. However, in today’s work environment the Team concept has become a valuable tool used by various businesses to address and assess issues within those organizations leading to greater efficiency and production. As such conflicts, a common occurrence within a team, should be understood, properly managed and ultimately used as a positive method to help the team achieve its goal(s). The challenge is to take advantage of the opportunities inherent within conflict while reducing the potential negative effects. Definition of Conflict Conflict is generally a disagreement regarding interests and ideas between two or more individuals within an organization. While conflict can be viewed as negative, it has important implications in increasing the effectiveness of a team. (Esquirel & Kleiner, 2006). “A number of scholars have argued that conflict-management, and particularly conflict resolution, is an important predicator of the group conflict-performance relationship” (Marks, Mathieu & Zoccora, 2001, 356). If a group/team can effectively learn to recognize potential conflicts and be proactive in trying to avert them it shows that the team has learned to work as one unit, not diminishing the need for individuality, rather to show that...
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...Gilberto Carreras MT340 Conflict Management and Team Dynamics Professor Andryce Zurick March 17, 2014 This has been a very good course; I have learned to deal with all different parts of team dynamics. It has been a great experience to transmission from working on my own to working with teammates to complete the same objective and goal that is required. This experience gained from conflict management and team dynamics have impact my life at work and at home. At work because I am the Operating Room Coordinator, and I have began to apply what I have learned in class and utilize it at work, management wise I have made better decisions and incorporate what I have gained from the class as well as team dynamics and meeting with my co-workers and employees. There are various parts of leadership and team work that I have been able to improve and the impact has been tremendous. I know that for my future goals in Management I will be utilizing what I have learned more and more. These are some of the skills that I have learned and will be applying: • Leadership • Group behavior • Bringing individual together • Creative thinking • Communication It has been of great knowledge to me and has had an impact in my life because I did not realize that I have to change some bad habits that I was doing at work, and with other people. It has been a gain for me and I will apply it through out life and in my new carrier path that I choose to go...
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...Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution in Work Teams GEN300 February 16, 2009 Team dynamics is characterized by continuous change, activity, and progress. Our team will consist of this because we are motivated to be extremely successful. The skills we possess will effectively promote us to a strong commitment and performance for our class. In our class, we are actively forming a team to reach individual and team goals, so we can accelerate to virtue. We have a mission to accomplish in this five week session and we are trying to gather all our strengths and characteristics to obtain a high grade in this class. We all have the same goals and that is to obtain our bachelor’s degree and become successful in our personal and professional lives. In this class we will start by brainstorming on ideas that will further us in the future (Wadsworth, 2009). A positive attitude is highly important in the work field as well as in our personal lives. I think this should be practiced in teams, so teammates can all get along and work diligently side by side. It will definitely make them feel warm and happy to work with each other and bring them closer together. When everyone is having a positive attitude, it can open the doors to trust and loyalty within the group. It will help in their performance and communication. In any organization, communication is vital, so it is best to strive to perfection and have an open communication policy. If anyone feels neglected or unappreciated...
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...Module Four/Term Three: Applied Psychodynamics Module code: FFCS403S4 ASC Final Project Final Essay: The project Conflict: productive and destructive dynamics in the work place. Conflict is a recurrent phenomenon in the workplace, its impact can have reverse effects and push people to either surpass themselves, or the contrary deteriorate. When you have individuals coming from all different backgrounds and beliefs merging together in the workplace, conflict is inevitable. There are the work-specific problems related to promotions, salary disparity, lack of recognition for achievement, or shared responsibility among a team. There are also more general issues with personal space and privacy; and then there are plain old personality conflicts.” In this reflective, observational and theory piece of essay, I will explore the topic of ‘Conflict’, as it is relevant to the organization in which I am working. I will include observations drawn from a fellow student’s workplace, and reflections on the process of undertaking the project. Also integrating the different aspects of my learning by adding relevant psychodynamic theory, to try and clarify my reflections and to make sense of this piece of work. Naturally, I will disguise the names of individuals and organizations for the purpose of confidentiality. Let me also add a little note to declare that English is not my first language. The process of undertaking the project was not an easy task. What was required for this compelling work...
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...operate this single store until he sold the company to David Wachtel in 1984. Wachtel had goals of taking the company national and went public in 1990. Now the chain restaurant features a portfolio with three distinct restaurants, in cities nationwide and over 180 different locations for the O’Charley’s name. 1994 marked a time of employee strife for the company with a racial discrimination lawsuit that was settled two years later out of court. Despite the unsteady economy, employee strife, and loss of investors the company has not only grown but prospered in the meantime (O’Charley’s, n.d.). Analysis of the Company's Organizational Dynamics Group and Team Behavior Group dynamics in restaurant setting are more fluid and unstable than other industries. Informal and friendship groups tend to make the most impact on overall group dynamics. The restaurant itself has only one command group that being the management team and all the employees in that particular store. Within this command group two distinct groups arise; the front of house group,...
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...DEFENCE COLLEGE THABA TSHWANE THE CAUSES AND DYNAMICS OF CONFLICT IN CENTRAL AFRICA By Ms C. Auret November 2009 This research paper was written by a programme member attending the South African National Defence College in fulfilment of one of the requirements of the Executive National Security Programme 20/09. The paper is a scholastic document and this contains facts and opinions which the author alone considered appropriate and correct for subject. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any agency, including the South African Government or Department of Defence. This paper may not be released, quoted or copied except with the express permission of the Department of Defence. INDEX |HEADING |PAGE | | | | | | | |Abstract……………………………………………………………………………… |3 | |Introduction………………………………………………………………………….. |3 | |Historical Review of Conflict in Central Africa ……………………………...…….. ...
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...Behavior The beauty of having a diverse group is the pure ability to gather different ideas that would not be thought of by a uniform group of individuals. The issue with diversity is that there can be strong conflicts among a group that is not on the same page. This is the situation where the leader is supposed to step in and give the final decision. Though issues with group participants not only with their style but a lack of ethic similarity as well as perhaps a lack of interest cannot be conquered by an iron fist alone. The leader has another job in the group, the leader must befriend those working for him or her. The word befriend is used loosely to define obtaining personal information of other group members. This personal information is then to be used by the leader to put individual members where they are supposed to be, in an environment that nurtures their skills, plays to their strengths, and holds their interest. Without this knowledge or at the very least a set of keen eyes to observe. A misplaced group member could cause a collapse in the group dynamic but in a diverse group if every individual is placed where they fit in by the hawk-eye leader a perfect team can be created. Application In the workplace, managing workers in a lower position has more dynamics than what is first shown. Even as an informal leader, yelling or attempting to force someone into a position to accomplish a goal will result in a lack of product of quality. It is therefore more beneficial...
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...Administration Dr. Bob 2 July 2012 Team and Team Processes In the following paper I will identify a minimum of three interventions to recommend that address the concerns expressed by Nurse B. The following are the three interventions that I will speak about: conflict management, role conflict, and striving toward the same goal. In closing I will support the recommended interventions with justification/explanation. A group consists of two or more people who interact with each other and share a common purpose (Erofeev, Glazer, & Ivanitskaya, 2009). A team is a type of group (Erofeev, Glazer, & Ivanitskaya, 2009). Teams are an essential part of any organization, especially within the healthcare organization. Each individual on a team plays a vital role in ensuring that all needs are met, task are completed daily and patients are being cared for properly. Teamwork and collaboration between all health professionals results in high quality clinical care, and increased job satisfaction for staff (Begley, 2009). When team members do not agree on the same goal, conflicts will arise. It is important for healthcare managers to control and management all conflicts within the organization. The key to successful conflict management is for both sides to try and solve the problem instead of trying to prove the other side wrong. In the case study presented, Nurse B voices concerns about working with fellow staff members of the surgical team. The atmosphere and moral for the...
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...Linda Tannos Professor McKnight English 1302 21 September 2014 An Argument for the case of “The Story of an Hour” The decision to keep “The Story of an Hour” instead of “Hills like White Elephants” is an easy one based on the plot, the characterization and the conflict that these stories have. “The Story of an Hour” is a short story with an interesting plot with a dynamic character that has personal conflict, while “Hills Like White Elephants” has no real plot, there is not much information about the characters at all and the conflict is minimal at best. The textbook would be of better service to the students if “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin remained in it. “The Story of an Hour” is a story about a married woman named Louise Mallard who was known to have a heart condition. This is the first sentence in the story so the plot is introduced right away. Immediately the reader knows that she has a heart condition and her husband had died. The story goes on to describe her sadness and then the awakening that she has when she realizes that she is free of her marriage. The author describes the emotions that Mrs. Mallard goes through. For example, she sums up the emotions of Louise Mallard when she says “She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday that she had thought with a shudder that life might be long” (Chopin 654). The plot thickens as the front door opens and her presumed dead husband walks through the front door. However, in the...
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...1. Abdul and Shirley seem to have several conflicts occurring simultaneously. Identify as many of these individual conflicts as possible. Battle for power, equality, prestige, status 2. Are there any general statements you can make about the overall nature of the conflict between Abdul and Shirley? It appears Shirley is in a bid for power wanting with Abdul. She wants the recognition of being a project leader but doesn’t appear to be willing to put in the effort on this project. Abdul is trying to take the lead on it to prove to Shirley that despite her original strong opposition to hiring him he is competent to do the job. 3. What are the possible ways to deal with the conflict between Abdul and Shirley (not just the ones that you would recommend, but all the options)? Fire Shirley or Abdul, remove one from the project, remove both from the project and replace with another member, or place Abdul and Shirley on separate teams that have little to no interactions with each other. 4. Given the choices identified in item three, what is the best way for Abdul and Shirley to Deal with the conflict between them? I would offer to remove Shirley from the team for her lack of attention to the project and place her on another team or somewhere else within the company or let her resign her employment. 5. Given all the benefits of retrospection, what could or should have been done to avoid this conflict in the first place? Knowing that Shirley strongly opposed Abdul’s...
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...missing in the meeting. His preference for group-based decisions makes me think that would not be able to make a quick decision without consulting others. He seems incapable of making a gut call and taking risks with is another action that a leader must be able to take. To lead a team like this the focus of the leader has to shift to relationships and developing team members. Moore has to be able to support this team and move away from managing a team and begin leading the team. Moore also has to be able to motivate and align people his team, which is crucial in getting a team and to buy-in to a strategy. Some of Moore’s actions, such as ignoring the conflict within the team, have been detrimental to establishing himself as a competent leader. Assessing the team as a whole, there is also the absence of trust. In the dynamic of a team, trust is the assurance that team members feel that their colleague’s intentions are genuine and they do not have to be guarded within the group (Lencioni,2002). During the meeting, it became clear that the team does not trust each other as they immediately began shifting blame to other team members. A team with this dysfunction will have to spend time managing the...
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...Obstacles Facing Short-Fused Teams Organizations are consistently relying on the formation and implementation of short- fused teams to accomplish specific goals in an effective and efficient manner. However, these teams are often created in an abrupt fashion and face lofty expectations in spite of a drastically low amount of previous interaction and uniquely defined goals from within the group dynamic. These obstacles are exacerbated by the overarching time constraints that are placed on these teams, especially when the issue is complex and its optimal resolution uncertain. More specifically managers are tasked with “creating a climate that supports these teams” that allows them to coexist and accomplish the purpose of their formation (Doolen, 285). However, social and professional conflict may hinder production and can prove difficult to effectively manage. Furthermore, outside circumstances such as time and resources, may exacerbate the issue. These obstacles, albeit not comprehensive, consist of role ambiguity, conflicting interests, resistance to change, and lack of cohesion and its effect on the difficulty of information sharing (Chan, 2008). Role Ambiguity In forming teams, organizations often form new positions and responsibilities previously non-existent within the current design. This creates a level of uncertainty surrounding these unknown responsibilities and expectations and, as a result, can increase the level of stress the individual members of the...
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...Head: LEADERSHIP AND CONFLICT Leadership and Conflict By Brenda J. Gibbs University of Phoenix Leadership is having the knowledge, skills and ability in motivating and influencing others to achieve results. Within any organization, there has to be leadership. Leadership is not found just among people in high level positions. Leadership is needed at all levels in an organization; however, any individual in a group can provide leadership. Change and inspiration is also components of leadership. Challenging employees to do things they do not want to do involve leadership. Conflict or the potential for conflict will always be present in the organization. Conflict and leadership are parallel. When team members in the workplace are not getting along, productivity decreases. When productivity decreases, this is conflict. Resolving conflict comes with leadership. Conflict is not a bad thing but can be beneficial when identified and managed. If conflict is not managed properly, it leads to dysfunction and disaster. It can be very damaging. Conflict is an inevitable aspect of the work team. Conflict can not be ignored. Managers want their employees to work as a team, therefore, managers need to know what steps to take in resolving, managing, and preventing conflict in a quick manner in order to build and maintain teamwork. Conflicts can be constructive as well. Conflicts are usually about issues...
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...clash of cultural styles. The paper assesses how and why there are problems and looks at the way the problem may be resolved. The bibliography cites 2 sources. Michael Fernandez, director of special operations in the pharmaceutical company Nicholas Piramal India Limited (NPIL), schedule a meeting with three of his reports, whose personal conflicts with each other, cause its business development function to fail. He is struggling to learn how to deal with these conflicts and combine three in productive cooperation work. Fernandez is responsible for turning NPIL acquisitions in Canada and the United Kingdom market NPIL worldwide. His three direct reports, each involved in different aspects of NPIL – Canadian operations, the British operations and global business development, and it explores the dynamics between the two teams. If Fernandes can resolve conflicts, the integration of acquisitions is in danger 2. Why is conflict occurring? Even at the beginning of the acquisition, the structure of the company is already unclear and complex. Three different plants were independent companies and completely separated. Firstly, cultural conflicts between different companies and also among three management seniors have become a sever barrier for effective operations and communications for the management of the company. Grundy complained that Ananth’s Indian action-oriented operational style will not fit in with English plan/do/review style. Anath’s idea “hustle” does not meet agreement...
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...Thursday Tutorial. This task required students to form teams consisting of five to six members whose goals were to summit Mount Everest. While it provided us with a rich experience in team dynamics and collaboration, it also enabled us to explore key managerial concepts taught in the course, consisting of: • Communication • Groups and Teams • Leadership In this report, we examine the effectiveness of Face to Face Communication (FTFC) versus Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), and the problems encountered through the utilisation of the virtual medium including efficiency of the feedback system, loss of personal focus and other emergent issues. It includes personal reflections on attitudes and perceptions, as well as group performance and strategies adopted in the second Simulation in order to create a more positive team experience. Theories which relate to interpersonal communication have also been integrated in the report to illustrate its relation to certain situations encountered during the Simulation. Additionally, we provide a multifaceted analysis on the notion of team cohesiveness and how it attributes to better performance outcomes. An overview on the different intragroup conflicts encountered in the Simulation has been included, examining the positive and negative impact that conflict had on team experience and performance, and how mutual agreements were reached through the compromising of personal and team goals. Finally, we conclude the report with an analysis of...
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