...are common to work in a teams. Conflict is defined as disagreement between individuals. Conflict can arise among members within a team or between one team and another. Conflict refers to antagonistic interaction in which one party attempts to block the intentions or goals of another. Competition, which is rivalry among individuals or teams, can have a healthy impact because it energizes people toward higher performance. Whenever people work together in teams, some conflict is inevitable. Bringing conflicts out into the open and effectively resolving them is one of the team leader’s most challenging jobs. Conflict in corporate teams is fine as long as team immediately works toward a solution. The role of conflict in work teams is determined by the manner in which it is managed. Conflict is a driving force of change that can result in improved decision-making processes and progressive team development. However, teams must learn to be confrontational without destroying the team process. Teams are able to handle conflict and perform at a high level by following a framework of communication needed for managing conflict constructively and capable to mediate their own conflicts, improve both productivity and member relationships. Teams are typically made up of a diverse group of individuals, each member possessing different capabilities and skills. This element is what makes the use of teams so advantageous; however, diversity can also create conflict. Therefore, it is important for...
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...f Associate Level Material Conflicts Are Important Worksheet In this assignment, you must write 300 to 450 words on conflict and conflict management. Record your answers in this worksheet. Part 1: The Five Conflict Types Describe each of the five conflict types using paragraph form. Conflict is important and it is also important to recognize the different types of conflicts that you may be involved with. By knowing this, you can recognize the state of mind you’re in and if possible avoid it. Pseudo conflicts are one of the five different types. These are not real conflicts, they are only perceived as conflicts. Pseudo conflicts can result from two causes: faulty assumptions and false dilemmas. Mistaking assumptions for facts may explain many pseudo conflicts. Pseudo conflicts that result from false dilemmas occur when the parties involved see only two choices as solutions to a problem. Another is Fact conflicts. These kinds of conflicts are at hand when individuals disagree about information that could easily be verified whether by statics or some other resource. Ego conflicts occur when a dispute centers on status or power. This reminds of two of my cousins when they let their egos get in the way of them winning their athletic competitions. Even though it was obvious that Steve was more of an athletic guy than Mark, Mark always felt like he had something to prove. Instead of them continuing to be on the same time for these competitions, Mark felt as though...
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...Introduction Conflict is inevitable in any work environment due to inherent differences in goals, needs, desires, responsibilities, perceptions, and ideas. According to Danna & Griffin (1999), persistent conflict at work is detrimental to the work climate and negatively affects individual’s physical and psychological well-being, resulting in increased turnover and absenteeism, reduced co-ordination and collaboration, and lower efficiency. However, the most common triggers of situations of conflict are: communication problems, organizational structure, role disputes, lack of resources, misunderstandings, and lack of professional commitment among others (Santiago et al. 2009). Conflict is commonly perceived as being a negative issue. However, the experience of dealing with conflict can lead to positive outcomes for nurses, their colleagues and patients. Conflict that is managed effectively by nurses can lead to personal and organizational growth. Therefore, well-managed conflict resolution, which may include the use of strategies such as clinical supervision and individual reflection, can be used to stimulate creativity and innovation in the team, in the medium to long term, which can positively impact on patient care (Hocking, 2006). Team members who are able to learn to resolve their differences and turn conflict into such a learning experience are helping to build a learning culture in their workplace. Success, in turn, further strengthens relationships and individuality...
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...Conflict is a natural part of life. If the process of conflict resolution is considered as an opportunity for growth and change in the work environment, the potential for a positive outcome is immense. Whether as a team or on an individual level, the ability to solve problems through collaborative efforts and managing change is crucial in achieving overall success. It is imperative that the team establishes a common goal and creates roles and responsibilities. Once identifying conflict and the reasons why it occurs, team members should look for peaceful and mutually satisfying methods to minimize conflict. Learning to work as a team is a critical organizational competency that is based on the characteristics of the team. Participation on a team does not require that one change his/her personality. Interpersonal skills and technical skills are a good combination of skills to blend. An important aspect when constructing a team is that the team members share the same objectives and goals and is clear on the mission and purpose of the team. An effective team is a group of people with different backgrounds, skills and abilities, highly communitive, working together on a common purpose with clearly defined goals blending successfully, and getting along. Goal setting, clarifying the reason for the team coming together and what the team hopes to accomplish must be further defined as well as methods to measure progress. An open line of communication is very important to the success of...
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...“Conflict causes growth as well as loss in people's lives” Conflict has the ability to cause both growth and loss in people’s lives. The loss of dignity, beliefs, humanity and possessions can be a result of conflict. Conflict also provokes growth in individuals in personal relationships, maturity, understanding and compassion can be hastened by conflict. Conflict can affect anyone at any time and we are all bound to experience it. No matter how hard we try avoiding it, it will always be a part of our journey through life due to our separate set of ideas, beliefs and values as individual human beings. In some cases, the conflict experienced can strengthen the value or moral already held and reinforce our beliefs. In some circumstances of conflict, one’s values and morals are strengthened despite the threat of harm to themselves or others in the future. This occurs when the value initially held by the individual is one of great significance and meaning to them, and not even the risk of suffering can distinguish that moral principle. This can be shown through the case of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education in her hometown where, at that time, the Taliban had banned all girls from attending school. Malala reached out and followed her ambition, attending a school set up by her father, only to one day be shot at on her way back from school by members of the Taliban. She suffered major injuries and together with her family fled to Britain to seek treatment...
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...CASE –iv Conflict in close quarters Overview of the Case Study (3 slides) The case study was an experiment to study the dynamics of isolation in long-term space travel by a team of psychologists at Moscow's Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP). Within the confines of a replica Mir space station, three international researchers, including a Canadian, Japanese and Austrian participant were isolated with four Russian cosmonauts for 110 days. At the New Year's Eve party, the participants partook in the drinking of vodka, which was allowed by the Russian space agency. What evolved was a series of events which involved violence, sexual harassment, and questionable ethics. A violent fight erupted between two of the cosmonauts, which was resolved quickly. Later, the Russian commander aggressively kissed, twice, the only female participant, Judith Lapierre. All three of the international participants appealed to the IBMP regarding the Russians behaviour, requesting disciplinary action. The experiment ended in controversy as the Russians downplayed the kiss, saying it was a fleeting kiss and blaming an emotional female participant whilst Lapierre claimed sexual harassment. Thus, was it really sexual harassment or a stolen kiss? Or is the question here that the parties involved here had attached different meanings to the same incident. Cultural differences amongst the participants led to the conflict, which were exacerbated by the influence of alcohol. The Russians...
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...Conflict An issue everyone faces day on a daily basis is conflict, as it is inevitable. Conflict is a natural part of the environment, yet it is very difficult to understand. Conflict arises from a disagreement when groups have opposing goals and see the other party as interfering with their ability to reach a desired goal (“Organizational Conflict Scale: Reexamining the Instrument.” 16). A conflict can be minor or major. As well as positive or negative, depending on the way it is handled. An organization needs a minor amount of conflict as it helps boost performance and increase communication by creating a positive effect, known as a constructive conflict (“Organizational Conflict Scale: Reexamining the Instrument.” 8). The type of conflict that has a negative effect on an organization and causes damage is destructive conflict (“Organizational Conflict Scale: Reexamining the Instrument.” 8). The National Hockey League has had many conflicts over the past two decades which has cause tension and lockouts. There are different types of conflicts. In the NHL the conflict that arose was an inter-group conflict. An inter-group conflict is classified as disagreement among groups of people (Bauer 234). One example of this is a conflict between an employee union and management. The NHL lockout was a labor dispute between the NHL Players Union and the National Hockey League. The underlying causes were over the league revenue share between players and owners and rules on contracts for...
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...CONFLICT T he success or failure of any organization is dependent upon the use of its indigenous, collective energies. When procedures are clear, the "esprit de corps" is high, and the business is said to be productive. But whenever people come together in one setting over a period of time, you can always expect conflict to find itself in the midst. The Webster’s dictionary defines conflict as a sharp disagreement or opposition of interests or ideas but from a more objective perspective, conflict is “a state in which one party perceive that another party has, or is about to negatively impact something that is important to the first party” (Robbins, 2006). The key word to note in this definition is “perceives”. Perceive is a concept that occurs within the mind. It is one’s interpretation of a situation or thing and does not necessarily have to be true. That might explain why on many occasions, a conflict that arises; may be unnecessary or misguided and result in wasted time. Causes of Conflict A s you may discern, the causes of conflict are numerous and each has their own accompanying challenges. Within the organization however, C. Brooklyn Derr in his book Major Causes of Organizational Conflict: Diagnosis for Action, stated that there are six (6) main causes of conflict: 1) The interpersonal disagreements that arise when one person is experiencing individual stress. People bring their whole selves to the workplace and they may...
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...many types of conflict in stories. However, in “The Colomber” and “Poison” there are numerous amounts of both internal and external examples of conflict. First, in the story, “The Colomber” by Dino Bizzatti, the conflict is internal. It is Stefanos fear of the colomber, it limits him from following his dream of sailing the seven seas like his father did. It develops by the fact that Stefano is avoiding the shark, even when it keeps following him around whenever and wherever he goes to sail. However, it resolves by Stefano facing his fear and confronting the shark. Then, the next conflict is external. It is Stefano vs. Nature, also known as, the colomber. It is developed by the colomber choosing stefano as his next “victim” and following him around and not giving up until he finds him. Although it resolves by Stefano going into a sail boat and waiting for the colomber, to confront it, all the colomber wanted to do was give him a speacial pearl. Now on to another story, “Poison” by Roald Dahl. The first conflict is external. It is Harry vs. The krait (person vs. Nature). It develops by the krait slithering on Harry’s stomach while he was reading. However, the conflict resolves by Harry’s friend Timber, calling doctor Ganderbai and trying to get the krait off of him. Next, the conflict is internal, Harry vs. Self. Harry is racist and rude towards Ganderbai, but it’s his own problem. The conflict doesnt develop...
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...Numerous studies have performed on the topic of conflict management to identify the most effective strategy of managing conflict in the workplace. Conflict is inevitable as no two individuals have same ideas, attitudes, or actions. Because of these differences, incompatibility or disagreement arises which can harm the individuals as well as the environment. It is important to understand the reasons and types of conflict to resolve it effectively. Pinkley (1990) says that conflict is a process that begins when an individual or group perceives differences and opposition between oneself and another individual or group about interests, beliefs, or values that matter to them. However, Deutsch (1973) and Tosvold (1998) define conflict as an incompatible activity where one person’s action interferes, obstructs, or in some way gets in the way of another’s actions. The focus of the research is the condition that describes conflict as an unmatched activity. Furthermore, Boulding (1962) describes conflict as a situation of competition in which parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions and each party wishes to occupy a position that is incompatible with the wishes of the other. The article also emphasis on the consequences of the incompatibility of the future and provides a comprehensive meaning of conflict. According to Zarankin (2008), conflict is defined as the incompatibility between an individual’s desire and action and those others who create a challenge...
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...Running head: CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE Conflict in the Workplace: Getting the Job Done Yvonne N. Montgomery George Mason University December 19, 2009 Managers spend between 24 to 60 percent of their time dealing with conflict in the workplace (Fiore). Often times, employees are either in conflict with another person, avoiding the conflict of other employees and managers, or recovering from a conflict in the workplace. Disagreements and differences of opinion can escalate into interpersonal conflict when varying ideas exist regarding personal and organizational success. The strong drive for work related achievement in some employees can clash with employees who do not emphasize work-related success in their lives. I recently experienced an interpersonal conflict with a coworker who wants to be the “go-to” person for a lot of administrative tasks, but repeatedly falls short on accurately completing or placing the appropriate level of emphasis on these tasks. As a result, there are often costly mistakes or delays that create additional work for other employees and managers. I attempted to discuss some of the issues to gain some insight on why the problems occur. Based on her feedback, I could make some recommendations to improve how tasks related to the support she provides me are completed. During the discussion, the individual got an attitude and insisted the tasks can be completed the way “she’s always done them” and essentially disregarded everything...
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...Conflict in a team can have both positive and negative influences. While excessive conflict in a team could be destructive, moderate conflict, if managed well, can be constructive to the team and organization. Conflict in a team arises due to differences of opinion between members. This can have two broad causes: • Interpersonal differences and self-esteem issues • Genuine differences in points of view Some benefits of conflict within a team are as follows: • It brings different opinions, ideas and beliefs to the fore. The team as a whole has a more complete view of the situation or problem they are trying to address. • Solutions that arise through conflict could be better or more creative than those that would have arisen if the team were fully agreed from the start • It builds mutual respect and strengthens relationships between team members when they can voice their opinions and listen to others' points of view • If managed well, working through a conflict as a team can bring people together and build a cohesive unit • Over the long term, encouraging healthy debate opens minds and fosters creativity However, conflict can also be a significant negative force in a team. • If members are unable to agree upon an approach or decision, it results in low productivity for the team and a paralysis in the organization • Interpersonal conflicts or ego clashes cause stress and create a poor working environment for other members on the team. This can discourage creativity...
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...Conflict between staff members and ways how to resolve it: A. Sue Burnett, President - When I have a conflict between staff members, I get both of the staffers in the same room with me so that I can hear both sides fairly. It is interesting how someone’s story changes when the other side is sitting beside them. When you are listening to both sides, you may need to make a clear? Cut decision and then explain the reasons for your decision. Too many bosses have a fear of confrontation and they don’t want to alienate a coworker; therefore, they say, “I’ll let you know my decision” and never get back to them. Or they say, “Work it out between you.” If they could have worked it out, there wouldn’t be a conflict. A. Debbie D’Ambrosio, VP and Risk Manager - When there is a conflict between employees, the main thing is to let each person have their say. Many times a person wants to voice their concern or opinion. As a manager, you need to be that sounding board without alienating either side. As the mediator and manager, you may need to bring the focus back to what is important to the company. Many times the goal of the company is forgotten because of the conflict. Once that is brought back to the focus, then it may be easier to resolve what has caused the problem. A. Edna Hardin, District Manager - Conflict between staff members needs to be addressed immediately before it affects the whole team. The staff members should meet and discuss their differences in a polite and non-confrontational...
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...Conflict Resolution Strategies Conflict, an antagonistic state or action involving divergent ideas or interests, is inevitable in interpersonal relationships. There is an erroneous belief in our society that conflicts always produce negative results and therefore should be avoided. But since people have divergent interests, beliefs, values, and goals, it is inevitable that conflicts will occur in our work settings and in our private lives. Conflicts are not only a natural component of any interpersonal relationship, but often desirable, because they have a number of potential payoffs. Conflicts produce lively discussions. When constructively handled, conflicts motivate the people involved to define issues more sharply, to search harder for resolution strategies, and to work harder in implementing solutions. Conflict, when handled effectively, can also lead to greater commitment to the relationship of the people involved, raise morale, and increase communication and cooperation. Successful resolution of conflict can lead to personal growth and facilitate innovation and creativity. However, ineffective management of conflict can lead to deterioration of rapport between the people involved, distrust, and perhaps alienation and burnout. Unfortunately, some organizations have norms that urge front-line service providers to suppress their suggestions for changes. Such norms are often communicated informally by agency management taking adverse actions (such as dismissal, demotion...
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...Conflict and negotiation in the workplace Conflict occurs with two or more people who, despite their first attempts at agreement, do not yet have agreement on a course of action, usually because their values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature. Conflict can occur: 1. Within yourself when you are not living according to your values. 2. When your values and perspectives are threatened. 3. When there is discomfort from fear of the unknown or from lack of fulfillment. Conflict is inevitable and often necessary when forming high-performing teams because they evolve through “form, storm, norm and perform” periods. Getting the most out of diversity often means addressing contradictory values, perspectives and opinions. Conflict is often needed. It: * Helps to raise and address problems. * Energizes work to be focused on the most important priorities. * Helps people “be real” and motivates them to fully participate. * Helps people learn how to recognize and benefit from their differences. Conflict is not the same as discomfort. The conflict is not the problem – poor management of the conflict is the problem. Conflict is a problem when it: * Hampers productivity. * Lowers morale. * Causes more and continued conflicts. * Causes inappropriate behaviors. Types of Managerial Actions That Cause Workplace Conflicts 1. Poor communications * Employees experience continual surprises, for example, they are not informed of...
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