Introduction
Conflict management and/or mediation within an organization is a key leadership trait. The reality is that conflict exists everywhere. The introduction of different opinions inevitably results in conflict between individuals. It can be suggested that such interaction is necessary for organizational progress - only having a singular opinion might not result in the most efficient or effective course of action. Therefore, effective leadership does not involve reducing or eliminating conflict; rather, it focuses on the goal of increasing others’ capacity for handling conflict (Kelley, p. 11). Edgar Kelley (1979) shares this idea when stating, “[c]onflict can be destructive or productive….A degree of conflict is necessary to a stimulus to creativity and vitality for individuals and organizations.” (p.12).
Kelley presents several items for effective conflict resolution (p. 14-16).
Resolving conflict will contribute to my personal and professional growth while producing a number of beneficial outcomes. For instance, it might bring about an increased understanding of how individuals can engage in achieving their goals without undermining those of others. Another benefit could stem from great feelings of mutual respect from the individuals involved. This will positively influence future interaction within the organization and minimize future occurrences of conflict. Finally, conflict resolution can result in improved self-knowledge as individuals are pressed to examine their goals, sharpen their focus and enhance their effectiveness.
Conflict or differences of opinion can positively contribute to the success of an organization by injecting new ideas or perspectives. It is important to properly resolve these situation by producing efficient and effective interpersonal communication between the participants. This is a necessary skill for a manager in the operations sector of the banking industry, especially one that is in charge of a large and diverse group on individuals. This trend will only continue to rise as the industry continues to observe a larger number of merger and acquisitions. As an effective operations manager, I will have to support the objectives of my organization by minimizing conflict. I will not be able to progress in my career or development unless I am able to work on this critical skill.
Conflict management and/or mediation within an organization is a key leadership trait. The reality is that conflict exists everywhere. The introduction of different opinions inevitably results in conflict between individuals. It can be suggested that such interaction is necessary for organizational progress - only having a singular opinion might not result in the most efficient or effective course of action. Therefore, effective leadership does not involve reducing or eliminating conflict; rather, it focuses on the goal of increasing others’ capacity for handling conflict (Kelley, p. 11). Edgar Kelley (1979) shares this idea when stating, “[c]onflict can be destructive or productive….A degree of conflict is necessary to a stimulus to creativity and vitality for individuals and organizations.” (p.12).
Kelley presents several items for effective conflict resolution (p. 14-16).
- Be optimistic – effective leaders will remain confident in their ability to resolve conflict in ways that are not harmful
- Be realistic – account for the unpredictability of situations
- Identify the potential for conflict – consider the changes occurring in the organization that might contribute to future conflict
- Identify the value bases in the opposing points of a conflict – if relating to conflicts concerning goals/outcomes, then avoidance or deadlock. A united goal/outcome will produce compromise and integration
- Be certain to identify your own span of tolerance - be aware of your own value base, typical response to discrepant information, and range of alternatives you can tolerate in yourself and others
- Identify the possible and probable outcomes
- Listen to and communicate with all points of view
Resolving conflict will contribute to my personal and professional growth while producing a number of beneficial outcomes. For instance, it might bring about an increased understanding of how individuals can engage in achieving their goals without undermining those of others. Another benefit could stem from great feelings of mutual respect from the individuals involved. This will positively influence future interaction within the organization and minimize future occurrences of conflict. Finally, conflict resolution can result in improved self-knowledge as individuals are pressed to examine their goals, sharpen their focus and enhance their effectiveness.
Conflict or differences of opinion can positively contribute to the success of an organization by injecting new ideas or perspectives. It is important to properly resolve these situation by producing efficient and effective interpersonal communication between the participants. This is a necessary skill for a manager in the operations sector of the banking industry, especially one that is in charge of a large and diverse group on individuals. This trend will only continue to rise as the industry continues to observe a larger number of merger and acquisitions. As an effective operations manager, I will have to support the objectives of my organization by minimizing conflict. I will not be able to progress in my career or development unless I am able to work on this critical skill.
Content
"The Impacts of Leadership on Workplace Conflicts"
There exists two dimensions of interpersonal conflict: cognitive and relational. Cognitive conflicts are also referred to task-related conflicts whereby there is a difference in the approach to how the work should get done. This type of conflict might stem from differences in goals and objectives or the means to reach those objectives. Relational conflicts are the product of emotional incompatibilities. (Doucet, 341). This might be the result of feelings of aggression or resentment toward one another. Both are important because they can produce a negative impact on employee performance and/or workplace satisfaction. Effective leadership will involve mitigating both types of conflicts. The effects of this type of interaction can result in primitive emotional responses including the notions of fight or flight. Olivier
Doucet, also offer some important strategies. They break down
analysis of the leader’s role in conflict management between three
management styles: transformational, transactional and laissez-faire
leadership. Their analysis of the transformational and transactional
leadership offers some important suggestions.
Transformational leadership involves “encourage[ing] their subordinates to develop their full potential and to transcend their individual aspirations for the good of the organization.” (341). Leaders of this style overcome conflict by emphasizing the importance of the organization’s mission over that of any individual. This correlates with the aforementioned idea of establishing a common goal to resolve conflict. Doucet, et al, suggest that this type of leadership style should combine the elements of collaboration and intellectual stimulation to create a mutual problem to be solved. Moreover, transformational leaders might also be more sensitive to the needs of others, thus encouraging an environment of respect and understanding.Transactional leadership will reduce emotional conflict by clarifying objectives and rewarding food performance. This style might integrate a clear set of rules of conduct to reduce any potential conflict from frustrations between the ways others interact. Moreover, they look for rewarding compromises that might further reduce the conflict.
Overall, elements of transformational leadership (with the exception of intellectual stimulation) are found to reduce conflict. This is observed because of the nature of transformation leadership which clarifies the organization's collective interests opposed to the interests of the individual. Paramount in the consideration of these techniques is the leader's ability to create a common vision and demonstrate individualized consideration of employees.
Personal Relevance: The article provides me a strong base for understanding conflict management and resolution techniques that I can immediately implement. Moreover, it establishes the importance of integrating techniques that utilize transformational leadership elements. This is a common approach that I am attempting to integrate across my leadership skill set.
Conflict in the operations sector of the banking industry is inevitable. My organization in particular has experienced several acquisitions during the past five years. These events each resulted in a change to the functional assignments within operations departments and often led to restructuring intended to meet the evolving objectives of our organization. These changes resulted in natural conflict between individuals who were experiencing the loss of staff and/or addition of confusing new tasks. These changes will continue within my organization and in the banking industry in general as acquisitions and mergers continue to be a frequent reality. Success as an operations manager will require me to implement transformational leadership qualities that this articles identifies as being useful to reduce conflict.
More specifically, I should focus on developing my ability to create a common vision so my associates will be unified towards the objectives of the organization. I should also leverage my ability to demonstrate individualized consideration.
Transformational leadership involves “encourage[ing] their subordinates to develop their full potential and to transcend their individual aspirations for the good of the organization.” (341). Leaders of this style overcome conflict by emphasizing the importance of the organization’s mission over that of any individual. This correlates with the aforementioned idea of establishing a common goal to resolve conflict. Doucet, et al, suggest that this type of leadership style should combine the elements of collaboration and intellectual stimulation to create a mutual problem to be solved. Moreover, transformational leaders might also be more sensitive to the needs of others, thus encouraging an environment of respect and understanding.Transactional leadership will reduce emotional conflict by clarifying objectives and rewarding food performance. This style might integrate a clear set of rules of conduct to reduce any potential conflict from frustrations between the ways others interact. Moreover, they look for rewarding compromises that might further reduce the conflict.
Overall, elements of transformational leadership (with the exception of intellectual stimulation) are found to reduce conflict. This is observed because of the nature of transformation leadership which clarifies the organization's collective interests opposed to the interests of the individual. Paramount in the consideration of these techniques is the leader's ability to create a common vision and demonstrate individualized consideration of employees.
Personal Relevance: The article provides me a strong base for understanding conflict management and resolution techniques that I can immediately implement. Moreover, it establishes the importance of integrating techniques that utilize transformational leadership elements. This is a common approach that I am attempting to integrate across my leadership skill set.
Conflict in the operations sector of the banking industry is inevitable. My organization in particular has experienced several acquisitions during the past five years. These events each resulted in a change to the functional assignments within operations departments and often led to restructuring intended to meet the evolving objectives of our organization. These changes resulted in natural conflict between individuals who were experiencing the loss of staff and/or addition of confusing new tasks. These changes will continue within my organization and in the banking industry in general as acquisitions and mergers continue to be a frequent reality. Success as an operations manager will require me to implement transformational leadership qualities that this articles identifies as being useful to reduce conflict.
More specifically, I should focus on developing my ability to create a common vision so my associates will be unified towards the objectives of the organization. I should also leverage my ability to demonstrate individualized consideration.
"Conflict Management and Mediation: Key Leadership Skills for the Millennium"
In the article Conflict Management and Mediation: Key Leadership Skills for the Millennium, Mike Bagshaw notes that “the urge to fight expresses itself as hostility, the urge for flight as withdrawal, neither of which is helpful in the modern organizational context.” (p. 206). If conflicts are left unresolved, then the prospect of collaborative spirit, a necessary component of organizational progress, will be shuttered and opportunities for shared learning lost. Effective leaders must learn to properly manage it to promote an environment of creativity. Such an environment will create a culture that will highlight the value of individual contributions and new ideas. Individuals will feel encouraged and empowered to contribute to the progress of the organization.
Bagshaw highlights that conflict must be dealt with in a constructive way. It should not be masked and those involved in such circumstances should not be shielded from it. It is necessary to take an honest approach that does not disguise differences of opinions. At the same time, effective conflict management must avoid any type of personal criticism (Bagshaw, p.207). A key factor of this honesty is communicating it both up- and down-wards within the organization. This means that you must give feedback to individuals at all levels of power (subordinates, peers, and management) involved or effected by the conflict. A particularly challenging aspect of this idea centers on communicating honestly with management. Effective conflict resolution has to focus on communicating honestly opposed to telling management what they want to hear. Bagshaw states, “The important thing [is] that they should explore their differences in a business-enhancing way.” (p.207.). This should be grounded in a clearly expressed common goal that will drive properly the resolution process. It will sometimes be necessary to take a mediation role in situations of conflict.
Bagshaw states that the first steps in resolving conflict is to identify the root cause. This might involve evaluating the participant’s personality differences (i.e. MBTI typology) or work styles. This might also involve an evaluation of the individual’s strengths and weaknesses – to include input from their coworkers – so that you can begin to lay the ground work for mediating the conflict. The compilation of the information will assist in the implementation of a mediation process. This can be an effective tool whereby the mediator facilitates a productive conversation. It should involving laying the ground rules for the discussion and keeping it focused on the subject of the dispute, rather than on the opposition of the individual’s views.
Bagshaw developed the ‘PRIDE’ model as a guide for coaching others to communicate effectively during conflict (P.208).
Personal Relevance: I am a self-prescribed people pleaser. It is my inherent nature, as exhibited in my self-assessment - to avoid conflict. I find this to be especially true if it has the potential to negatively impact my personal brand. However, I must realize that conflict is everywhere. It is clearly important to have the tools necessary to resolve it in order to avoid any damaging effects to the individuals and/or organization. I must be prudent in implementing the successful conflict management techniques from this article into my leadership style.
It is important in the development of my own leadership style to be able to accept and confront instances of conflict rather than to avoid or disguise them. As previously mentioned, conflict is important to the development of an organization. I must also strive to be honest in my dealings with situations of conflict to spur an environment of cooperation and trust. Demonstrating this concept will involve assisting in the diffusion of such situations. This can be accomplished by encouraging others to realize the benefits of conflict, not necessarily completely seeking absolute agreement. I should influence these individuals to not abandon their differing opinions – the basis of the conflict – but instead to communicate objectively to reach a conclusion that will result in a positive change or decision for the organization.
I will also need to use these techniques in the capacity of a mediator. Often people within my organization will be engaged in conflict. Effective leadership will involve interjecting myself into the situation to objectively evaluate the problem at hand. It is important to avoid placing blame on any of the participants. Instead, I should focus on bringing about a mutual understanding of the differing opinions to each participant.
Bagshaw highlights that conflict must be dealt with in a constructive way. It should not be masked and those involved in such circumstances should not be shielded from it. It is necessary to take an honest approach that does not disguise differences of opinions. At the same time, effective conflict management must avoid any type of personal criticism (Bagshaw, p.207). A key factor of this honesty is communicating it both up- and down-wards within the organization. This means that you must give feedback to individuals at all levels of power (subordinates, peers, and management) involved or effected by the conflict. A particularly challenging aspect of this idea centers on communicating honestly with management. Effective conflict resolution has to focus on communicating honestly opposed to telling management what they want to hear. Bagshaw states, “The important thing [is] that they should explore their differences in a business-enhancing way.” (p.207.). This should be grounded in a clearly expressed common goal that will drive properly the resolution process. It will sometimes be necessary to take a mediation role in situations of conflict.
Bagshaw states that the first steps in resolving conflict is to identify the root cause. This might involve evaluating the participant’s personality differences (i.e. MBTI typology) or work styles. This might also involve an evaluation of the individual’s strengths and weaknesses – to include input from their coworkers – so that you can begin to lay the ground work for mediating the conflict. The compilation of the information will assist in the implementation of a mediation process. This can be an effective tool whereby the mediator facilitates a productive conversation. It should involving laying the ground rules for the discussion and keeping it focused on the subject of the dispute, rather than on the opposition of the individual’s views.
Bagshaw developed the ‘PRIDE’ model as a guide for coaching others to communicate effectively during conflict (P.208).
- Pause – See the other person as your ally – negative reactions will only encourage feelings of defensiveness and/or deepen the conflict
- Report – Be objective and specific. Avoid generalizations (i.e. ‘You always…’), assumptions or accusations
- Impact – Describe effects of the other persons behavior on you
- Different – Be honest/realistic about what you need to be different
- End Benefit – Point out the consequences/benefits of the change you request
Personal Relevance: I am a self-prescribed people pleaser. It is my inherent nature, as exhibited in my self-assessment - to avoid conflict. I find this to be especially true if it has the potential to negatively impact my personal brand. However, I must realize that conflict is everywhere. It is clearly important to have the tools necessary to resolve it in order to avoid any damaging effects to the individuals and/or organization. I must be prudent in implementing the successful conflict management techniques from this article into my leadership style.
It is important in the development of my own leadership style to be able to accept and confront instances of conflict rather than to avoid or disguise them. As previously mentioned, conflict is important to the development of an organization. I must also strive to be honest in my dealings with situations of conflict to spur an environment of cooperation and trust. Demonstrating this concept will involve assisting in the diffusion of such situations. This can be accomplished by encouraging others to realize the benefits of conflict, not necessarily completely seeking absolute agreement. I should influence these individuals to not abandon their differing opinions – the basis of the conflict – but instead to communicate objectively to reach a conclusion that will result in a positive change or decision for the organization.
I will also need to use these techniques in the capacity of a mediator. Often people within my organization will be engaged in conflict. Effective leadership will involve interjecting myself into the situation to objectively evaluate the problem at hand. It is important to avoid placing blame on any of the participants. Instead, I should focus on bringing about a mutual understanding of the differing opinions to each participant.
Exercises and Practice Routines
This is a particularly useful exercise as it allows me to focus on the strengths of the participants. It worked well in practice and allowed each individual to review his/her personal preference when confronting situations of conflict. We then discussed as a group how each person had a strength that can be leveraged to bridge the gap when confronting conflict. This was an excellent exercise as it empowered individuals to take an active approach in resolving conflict.