...Running head: MANAGING WORKPLACE CONFLICT Managing Workplace Conflict: A Look at Leadership Styles Abstract Leadership styles play a large part in managing workplace conflict. These styles can help or hinder the actual conflict. This paper will look at several different types of leadership styles and discuss how these styles can play a role in resolving workplace conflict. Is there one style that is better than the other? When trying to resolve workplace conflict there are three steps that a leader should implement to successfully resolve the conflict, these steps will be discussed. In order to understand how leadership styles can affect workplace conflict one must first know what conflict is. Conflict is strong disagreement between people, groups, etc., that results in often angry argument or a difference that prevents agreement: disagreement between ideas, feelings, etc. (Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary (10th ed.), 1993). Conflict is not always a bad thing; it can be healthy for an organization to have some conflict. The approach from a leader’s perspective can help or hinder the initial conflict. Conflict is a normal part of everyday life. Just like breathing, conflict is going to happen at some point in your day. Many companies have teams that work closely together and this can be a breeding ground for conflict. When you have groups of people working together you are going to have many different personalities that come into play. Shetach (2012)...
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...Managing Conflict Carmela Bragg GE347 Group Dynamics Itt Technical Institute The first conflict that I have is between a best that I known for many years. This conflict started over a guy, this guy and I was dating and I found out that he was dating my friend too and we fought over this guy. Well after we broke up with this guy and we became friends again and I thought the issue with resolved but evey time I talk to her on phone she will always bring up the conflict so I decided not to talk to her over the phone no more just in person. The conflict issue that in have with my friend is a simple conflict: when people disagree about issues. This conflict happens when two people are mutually exclusive or incompatible. Some examples of solving this conflict are to clarify my friend and I perception of the issue. Also to use a structured problem-solving approach to organize the discussion. The last thing is to define, analyze, identify several solutions, evaluate the solutions, and select the best one to solve the problem. The second one that I have is a conflict at work with one of my supervisors. This supervisor has been there for a year and we have up and down conflicts. She doesn’t know how to talk to people she be yell at some of the employees and at some of the customers and just have s nasty altitude. The conflicts that she have with me is toward the...
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...Recently, tensions have risen between employees in the patient accounts department due to personal conflicts. Confrontations between employees have disrupted the work environment, teamwork is diminishing, employee morale is decreasing, and managers are lacking the tools needed to address and solve these issues. Lack of managerial assistance in solving conflicts among employees also seems to be a problem. Shaun Walder, Director of Patient Accounts, does not like to get involved and rather have the employees work it out amongst themselves. These problems become related because if managers do not get involved, employees will continue to disagree with one another, and the issues are never addressed properly. That brings me to the purpose of this paper. How can managers effectively resolve interpersonal emotional conflicts? Literature Review Interpersonal conflict can be described as conflict between two or more individuals who are in a disagreement with one another. Emotional conflict can be described as conflict that involves interpersonal disputes that occur due to feelings of anger, mistrust, fear, dislike, and resentment. Emotional interpersonal conflict is most common amongst teams, co-workers and between management and subordinates (Schermerhorn et al., 2005). Personal conflict can occur between individuals or groups. However, the distinguishing trait of personal conflict is that it is based purely on negative feelings about another individual or group, and less on substantive...
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...Managing Conflict in the Workplace Professional Development, MBA 525 Managing Conflict in the Workplace Introduction Conflict is something we all have experienced or will experience sometime in our lives; one could say conflict is inevitable. Conflict can sometimes get out of hand and can cause havoc in a person’s work life and family life. Conflict is perceived incompatible differences that result in interference or opposition (Robbins, Coutler, 2011). Whether the differences are real or not is irrelevant (Robbins, Coutler, 2011). If people in a group perceive that differences exist, then there is conflict (Robbins, Coutler, 2011). Because of the environment we live in, the strategic alignment of organization’s expanding their workforce globally, the strategic business goals alignment of workplace diversity initiatives, and companies expanding more into work teams and workgroups; conflict in the workplace has become inevitable. There will always be differences in opinions among work groups; however; effectively managing conflict is the key to balancing conflict resolution in the workplace. Recognizing Conflict Being able to recognize the causes of conflict is an important part of preventing conflict (Pace, 2006). When conflict can be recognized a solution can be created to limit conflict in the workplace. There will be varies opinions in the workplace and work teams; however, when conflict...
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...Managing Workplace Conflicts The author of this article, Annemarie Franczyk, believes that the expectation to do more with less these days could be fostering a breeding ground of workplace conflict. Managers need to be increasingly aware of clashes between workers before the problems disrupt workflow and productivity. (Franczyk, A., 2010) Annemarie and her panel made suggestions for how to best mitigate the risks associated with workplace conflict. I chose to review this article about workplace conflicts, because I am currently in management at my job and I believe this article will help me get involved more with fellow co-workers and also help me see the things that are going on within the store that are not verbally communicated to me. This article will also help me address issues and help develop solutions to issues. The main point that is made in this article is that people lose sight of the organization’s goals while fighting for their personal goals. And there are four strategies for mitigating the damaging effects of workplace conflicts which are: (1) Recognize it and step in, (2) Meet without emotion, (3) Real solutions, and (4) Use the EAP (Employee-Assistance Program). (Franczyk, A., 2010) 1. Recognize it and step in: Managers shouldn’t avoid situations and wait for employees to do something drastic, like resigning, they should set in and help to resolve issues for them instead of letting them try to solve them for themselves. They...
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...definitions reflect an organizational behavioral perspective, and lead us to analyze conflict from a number of perspectives with communication and the perceptual process being important to much of our discussion. Our individual definition of conflict is shaped by our values, beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Some of us view conflict as a positive gateway to change while others view conflict as a negative occurrence to be avoided at all costs. Whether your view of conflict is positive, negative, or a combination, it is important to recognize that we each have a definition of conflict, to understand our own definition and views of conflict, and to respect that our definition may be different than those with whom we are in conflict, or those with whom we are managing conflict. • Many factors influence conflict and our actions in conflict. One of those factors is climate and another factor is culture. • Culture is as diverse as the individuals we shall meet in our classes, workplaces, and personal lives. It is important that we recognize our similarities and differences in order for effective conflict management to take place. • Conflicts can spiral as well. If a conflict is not addressed or is addressed in a negative fashion, the conflict can spiral. If not managed properly, the conflict could spiral out of control. Conflict has a consequence for those involved, so it is important to recognize a conflict that is in a spiral. ** It is important to create an environment for effective...
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...Part I: Personal Conflict Style for Self-Development (Primary, Backup, & Limiting) In my opinion, the Life Styles Inventory illustrated scores on how I recognize my conflicts. Below conflict styles represent my strengths and weakest styles. • My primary conflict style was Conciliator, which I scored the highest on and (95th percentile). • My backup conflict style was Pragmatist, which I scored the second highest score(93rd percentile) • My limiting conflict style was Dominator, which I scored the (10th percentile) |Position |Style |Score |Percentile | |1 |Conciliator |39 |95 | |2 |Relationship Builder |34 |70 | |3 |Accommodator |9 |25 | |4 |Regulator |16 |63 | |5 |Insulator |14 |44 | |6 |Avoider |6 |55 | |7 |Escalator |7 |50 ...
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...Type of dispute: Workplace conflict due to promotion. Time from mediation to result: Two half day sessions. Background: Both Jessica and Alan have been working alongside one another for many years at the local newspaper. As their existing manager leaves the company, Alan is promoted, but still shares an office with the team, of which he used to be a member. Tensions arise when Alan decides to introduce a new policy, which makes little sense to the rest of the team and is likely to increase their already heavy workload. The challenge: Alan and Jessica have been close friends and professional work colleagues for many years. For this reason the biggest challenge was to identify the “spark” that ignited the disagreement and decipher the most appropriate way of resolving the conflict, so that they could regain their previous friendship. Objectives: - Allow each individual to express what is troubling them in a safe manner - Find a common ground which they can both agree on - Make a future agreement, rather than dwelling on the past - Get them working together as a team again Reason for conflict: Jessica’s position: Working at the newspaper for the longest period of time, Jessica has seen what initiatives worked well and what tended to cause problems. She was convinced that the new policy would fail, as well as increasing everybody’s individual workload. It was clear that the policy was set by senior management, but Jessica felt that Alan could have demonstrated a firmer...
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...Main Topic: Managing Workplace relationship, conflict and negotiation skills include effective communication. Building relationships within the workplace According to Harbour S. (2015) establishing and maintaining good working relationships is the key to a positive workplace. Effective businesses encourage the development of positive relationships between managers and employees as well as amongst coworkers. It is imperative to create a clear and concise company mission statement and distribute a copy of the statement to each employee, so that they can be clear on exactly what is expected of them and the intended goal of the business they represent. Teamwork should be encouraged through formal and informal team-building activities. Management could always arrange a company-oriented outing, such as fun days consisting of activities such as tug a war or cricket, or involve the office in a team-based charitable activity. Good relationships in the workplace thrive when individuals feel part of a team and comfortable with their teammates. The need for two way communication should be encouraged, as this would boost staff morale. The better and more effectively persons communicate with those around them, the richer the work relationships will be. All good relationships depend on open, honest communication. Managers should always reward great work as quickly as possible, and address problems or concerns immediately. Acknowledge staff members publicly with written or...
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...Group Dynamics Managing Conflict Issues vs Personalities: When I first meet someone I act differently than how I would around someone I have known for a long time. As I’m sure everyone does. In high school I was on a debate team that some of my friends would observe debates my team held. Afterwards they would always say how it was so very odd seeing me in such a serious manner as opposed to how they knew me. In serious situations you must be able to compose yourself in a way that fits the circumstance that you are in. Interests vs Positions: In a negotiation it is important to be able to distinguish between Interests and positions. Interests are desires or goals--the things that people want to achieve in a conflict situation. Unlike people's positions--which are simple statements such as "I'm pro-choice" or "I'm pro-life"--which are positions, the interests underlying those position is the answer to the question "WHY do you want that?" or "WHY do you feel that way?" In many cases, interests link up to tangible items that people say they want, such as land, money, or jobs. For example, two people might be vying for a promotion--both arguing that they are the better candidate (their position). But their interests could be quite different. One might want the promotion because they want an increase in salary (their interest), and the other might want the opportunity to travel that the higher-level position offers (a different interest). Options vs Proposals: An example...
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...Managing Conflict Nola Johnson Grand Canyon University MGT602 11/18/09 I am the CEO of a small job shop; I have 35 employees and the very best machinists. Our company just recently experienced a situation that we have not dealt with in all my years of owning the company. I will be discussing what the conflict was and how our company handled the situation. Our employees are part of the Local 999 the International Brotherhood Good Guys Union. Our company and employees always resolved issues in a very amicable way. That changed when the economy to a downfall and that caused an issue where the company had to make some very important decisions about laying off people or reducing their wages. As we began to address this issue with the employees these turn for the worst and negotiations with the union was very difficult on both the company and employees. The first meeting we had with the Union did not go well, we discussed that we only have two options to choose from due to keeping the company alive. I decided to use the Utilitarianism approach which is paper. The student will need to refer to the APA manual for other format directions. GCU has prepared an APA Style Guide available in the Student Writing Center for additional help in correctly formatting according to APA style. A sample reference page is included below; however, this page includes special spacing and formatting. The examples on the following page include the only real...
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...ILM Level 5 – Award in Leadership and Management Candidate Name: Samantha Salmon Managing stress and conflict in the organisation Assignment Table of Contents Contents Page Number 1 Understand the effectiveness of own organisation in dealing with workplace stress and conflict Evaluate the effectiveness of the organisation in recognising workplace stress and conflict and providing the necessary support mechanisms 3 2 Be able to improve the management of workplace stress and conflict in own area of responsibility Plan improvements to the identification and approach to dealing with workplace stress and conflict in own area of responsibility 6 3 Implement improvements to the identification and approach to dealing with workplace stress and conflict in own area of responsibility 7 4 Critically evaluate own ability to identify and deal with workplace stress and conflict effectively in own area of responsibility 8 6 Appendices • Employee Assistance Programme Appendix 1 • Employee Wellbeing Appendix 2 • Equality and Dignity at Work Appendix 3 • Occupational Health and Referrals Appendix 4 • Disciplinary Procedures Appendix 5 • CIC Appendix 6 Understand the effectiveness of the organisation in recognising workplace stress and conflict and providing the necessary support mechanisms Definition of stress Stress can hit anyone at any level of the business and recent research shows that work related...
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...Final Exam MGMT365 July 2, 2015 Abstract The new economy has ushered in both great business opportunities and great turmoil. Not since the Industrial Revolution have the stakes of dealing with change been so high. Most traditional organizations have accepted, in theory at least, that they must either change or die. And even Internet companies such as eBay, Amazon.com, and America Online recognize that they need to manage the changes associated with rapid entrepreneurial growth. Despite some individual successes, however, change remains difficult to pull off, and few companies manage the process as well as they would like. Most of their initiatives (installing new technology, downsizing, restructuring, or trying to change corporate culture) have had low success rates. The brutal fact is that about 70% of all change initiatives fail (Beer, 2000). This paper will discuss the two change theories E and O. Final Exam Research shows that the reason for most change initiative failures is that in their rush to change their organizations, managers end up immersing themselves in an alphabet soup of initiatives. They lose focus and become mesmerized by all the advice available in print and on-line about why companies should change, what they should try to accomplish, and how they should do it (Brown, 2005). This proliferation of recommendations often leads to muddle when change is attempted. The result is that most change efforts exert a heavy toll, both human and economic. To improve the...
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...HRM 3100 - Managing Conflict and Change Assignment for Course: HRM 3100 - Managing Conflict and Change CERTIFICATION OF AUTHORSHIP: I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I received in its preparation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in the paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas or words, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I have added quotes whenever I used more than three consecutive words from another writer. I also certify that this paper was prepared by me specifically for this course. Student’s Signature: Instructor’s Grade on Assignment: Instructor’s Comments: Running Head: Work Stress and Conflict Work Place Elements of Conflict and Stress Submitted by: Managing Conflict and Change HRM 3100 December 01, 2008 Table of Contents Introduction () 4 Globalization () 7 Work-Life Balance ( 10 Coping with Downsizing and Restructuring 13 Work Conditions () 16 Summary () 20 References 22 Introduction Conflict and stress are an intricate part of everyone’s life. The level and domination of these two highly recognizable emotions vary throughout maturity and become greatly enhanced and more complex when one joins the workforce. Work-related stress is the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities. Work stress...
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...Virtual Teams and Managing Conflict. Name of the Author: Name of the Professor: Name of the Institution: Date of Submission: According to Duarte and Snyder (1999) “virtual teams operate without the physical limitations of distance, time, and organizational boundaries. They use electronic collaborations technologies and other techniques to lower travel and facility costs, reduce project schedules, and improve decision making time and communication (p.4)“. Virtual teams mean people who are geographically separated, and work together across borders. They are connected by modern technologies of computers. Internet has transformed most economies and workplaces into modern economies and workplaces. Many organizations are abandoning conventional face to face working teams for virtual teams. Most organizations are embracing technological revolutions. This enhances them to be more dynamic and adopt innovative approaches in their procedures. The ability of the work team to incorporate technology has led to success in most organizations. Well known international companies such as, IBM, Whirlpool, Hewlett-Packard, Ford Motor, Johnson and Johnson and Verifone have successfully implemented virtual teams. (Kiser, 1999; Stough, 2000). The rapid worldwide growth of virtual teams has been attributed by increased inter organizational co-operation, rapid pace of globalization and other benefits associated with its implementation. This includes the ability of the employees to work for...
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