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    Workplace Conflict Resolution and Management: Frederick Pokoo-Aikins Msc. Amc, Cia, Cisa, Acfe

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    This document discusses workplace conflict resolution and management. It begins by defining conflict and explaining that a moderate level of conflict can increase group performance if it is about ideas rather than personalities. It then identifies common sources of conflict like differing goals, overlapping authority, and scarce resources. The document also categorizes conflicts as being issue-based or personality-based, and discusses both the positive and negative impacts conflict can have. Finally, it provides strategies for managing conflict constructively, such as addressing its underlying sources, using negotiation and compromise, and developing diversity awareness skills.

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    Workplace Conflict Resolution and Management: Frederick Pokoo-Aikins Msc. Amc, Cia, Cisa, Acfe

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    This document discusses workplace conflict resolution and management. It begins by defining conflict and explaining that a moderate level of conflict can increase group performance if it is about ideas rather than personalities. It then identifies common sources of conflict like differing goals, overlapping authority, and scarce resources. The document also categorizes conflicts as being issue-based or personality-based, and discusses both the positive and negative impacts conflict can have. Finally, it provides strategies for managing conflict constructively, such as addressing its underlying sources, using negotiation and compromise, and developing diversity awareness skills.

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    Conflict Management

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    This document discusses workplace conflict resolution and management. It begins by defining conflict and explaining that a moderate level of conflict can increase group performance if it is about ideas rather than personalities. It then identifies common sources of conflict like differing goals, overlapping authority, and scarce resources. The document also categorizes conflicts as being issue-based or personality-based, and discusses both the positive and negative impacts conflict can have. Finally, it provides strategies for managing conflict constructively, such as addressing its underlying sources, using negotiation and compromise, and developing diversity awareness skills.

    Copyright:

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    68 views25 pages

    Workplace Conflict Resolution and Management: Frederick Pokoo-Aikins Msc. Amc, Cia, Cisa, Acfe

    Uploaded by

    fpokoo_aikins
    This document discusses workplace conflict resolution and management. It begins by defining conflict and explaining that a moderate level of conflict can increase group performance if it is about ideas rather than personalities. It then identifies common sources of conflict like differing goals, overlapping authority, and scarce resources. The document also categorizes conflicts as being issue-based or personality-based, and discusses both the positive and negative impacts conflict can have. Finally, it provides strategies for managing conflict constructively, such as addressing its underlying sources, using negotiation and compromise, and developing diversity awareness skills.

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    WORKPLACE CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND MANAGEMENT

    Frederick Pokoo-Aikins MSc. AMC, CIA, CISA, ACFE

    Overview

    Objectives of this session What is conflict? Desirability of conflict Sources of conflict Types and categories of conflict Impact of conflict Conflict management

    Objectives
    Understand conflict and recognize how your own attitudes and actions impact on others Identify the sources of conflict Discuss the types and categories of conflict Develop coping strategies for dealing with difficult people and difficult situations

    What is conflict?

    Conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals (Wilmot and Hocker, 1998) Conflicts exist whenever incompatible activities occur.

    Desirability of conflict

    Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the likelihood of groupthink. A moderate level of conflict across tasks within a group resulted in increased group performance while conflict among personalities resulted in lower group performance (Peterson and Behfar, 2003) Conflict of ideas

    Dooley and Fryxell (1999) found that conflict of ideas at the early stage of decision making (idea formulation) was desirable.

    Sources of conflict

    Different goals and time horizons:

    different groups have differing goals. Production focuses on efficiency; Marketing on sales.

    Overlapping authority:
    two or more managers claim authority for the same activities. Leads to conflict between the managers and workers.

    Task Interdependencies:
    one

    member of a group fails to finish a task that another depends on. This makes the worker that is waiting fall

    Sources of conflict

    Incompatible Evaluation or reward system:


    workers

    are evaluated for one thing, but are told to do something different. Groups rewarded for low cost but firm needs higher service.
    managers

    Scarce Resources:

    can conflict over allocation of resources. When all resources are scarce, managers can fight over allocations.
    some

    Status inconsistencies:

    groups have higher status than others. Leads to managers feeling others are favored.

    Types of conflict

    Interpersonal Conflict: between individuals based on differing goals or values. Intra-group Conflict: occurs within a group or team. Intergroup Conflict: occurs between 2 or more teams or groups. Managers play a key role in resolution of this conflict. Inter-organizational Conflict: occurs across organizations. Managers in one firm may feel another is not

    Categories of conflict

    Categories
    Issue based conflict Personality based conflict

    Impact of conflict - Negative

    Mission incomplete Destroys morale Polarizes groups Deepens differences in values Produces irresponsible and regrettable behavior

    Impact of conflict - Positive

    Opens issue of importance Increases the involvement of individuals Causes authentic communications to occur Results in a solution of the problem Releases pent-up emotion, anxiety, and stress

    Figure 16.1

    Conflict and organisational performance


    Level of Organizational Performance
    High B

    Low Low Low

    A Level of Conflict

    C High

    Toward Conflict Management

    Conflict management is defined as the opportunity to improve situations and strengthen relationships (BCS, 2004). proactive conflict management collaborative conflict management

    Toward Conflict Management

    Blake and Moutons Conflict Grid

    Source: Reproduced by permission from Robert R. Blake and Jane Syngley Mouton. The Fifth Achievement. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 6(4), 1970..

    Toward Conflict Management

    Blake and Mouton (1970) proposed a grid that shows various conflict approaches. The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach, also called avoidance. The 1,9 position, also called accommodation, is excessively personoriented.

    Toward Conflict Management

    The 5,5 position represents a willingness to compromise. The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach, also called competing. The optimum style for reducing conflict is the 9,9 approach, also called collaboration.

    Toward Conflict Management Practical Tips


    Walker and Harris (1995) offer the following practical tips for implementing the 9,9 style. Encouraging behavior occurs when a team member:

    1. Avoids feelings or perceptions that imply the other person is wrong or needs to change. 2. Communicates a desire to work together to explore a problem or seek a solution. 3. Exhibits behavior that is spontaneous and destruction-free.

    Toward Conflict Management Practical Tips

    4. Identifies with another team members problems, shares feelings, and accepts the team members reaction. 5. Treats other team members with respect and trust. 6. Investigates issues rather than taking sides on them.

    The same principles can be applied to negotiating with others outside your team, or with a supplier or customer.

    Resolving conflicts
    Functional

    Conflict Resolution: handle conflict by compromise or collaboration between parties.


    Compromise: each party concerned about their goal accomplishment and is willing to engage in give and take to reach a reasonable solution. Collaboration: parties try to handle conflict without making concessions by coming up with a new way to resolve differences. Managers also need to address individual sources of conflict.

    Managing individual conflicts


    Increase
    Can

    conflict

    awareness of the source of

    conflict source can be found and corrected?

    Increase
    Older

    diversity awareness and skills

    workers may resent younger workers, or experience cultural differences.

    Practice

    Job Rotation & Temporary assignments


    Provides

    face.

    a good view of what others

    Conflict solutions
    Alter
    If

    the source of conflict:


    due to overlapping authority, managers fix the problem to change the source.

    Negotiation:
    Parties

    use when parties have equal power.


    try and find a common ground by considering various alternatives. Distributive negotiation: parties see there is a fixed resource base.

    For them to gain, the other must lose.

    Integrative

    negotiation: parties can increase total resources by coming up with a new solution.

    SelfExploring You and Your Interactions with Others

    What do you see as the challenges you face as you interact with others? What do you think are your strengths? List three of your friends. Are they like you or are they different? (Remember to focus on a pattern, not a single behavior) What people do you have the most difficulty interacting successfully with?

    SelfExploring You and Your Interactions with Others

    Can you see where some of your traits might cause some of the problems? List some of your tendencies that could jeopardize your interactions with others. What can you change? What will be the biggest obstacles to this new behavior?

    Three things to avoid when confronting a difficult person:

    Overreacting Complaining Lecturing

    The end!!!

    Questions?

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