A History of Nothing I Wrote

Conflict is going to happen whether you want it to or not. People will butt heads. Sometimes when you least expect it." A simple, but to the point quotation from Jimmy Bise Jr. in the US and Them: A Blog Conversation Survival Guide, SXSW2006. I think that it is safe to say that conflict is a common occurrence in the learning team environment. Each individual holds a different outlook which, at times, can result in interpersonal conflict amongst team members. Steps should be taken to resolve the issue in a manner that creates a fair and equal work environment. From negotiating to more collaborative interests to a firm approach at the matter, mediation of the problem can come in different forms. Conflict is un-avoidable in some environments however the course of action to mediate the issue is important. Great care should be taken to both learn from past conflicts, and avoid future conflicts.

(II.) There are many sources of group conflict. People are different. We all have own ideas on doing things and how we like things to be organized. In every environment, there are those people who are easy to get along with, and those that rub us the wrong way. Patricia Fernberg of "Occupational Hazards", explained it well by stating, "There are people who are easy to get along with who, when put together, do not have a synergistic response. In addition, "every workplace has pockets of negative people whose dissatisfaction bonds them into workplace cancer that sabotages both efforts and morale." People can have clashes in personalities. A conflict may arise in a group of task-oriented individuals who are forced to work alongside a more laid back procrastinator. An assertive group member may be viewed as abrasive and not a team player. Work ethics, study skills, and communication styles are all individual characteristics that may cause tension in a group setting. Conflict may also arise due to miscommunication and misunderstandings.

(III.) In addition to interpersonal differences, groups experience external sources of conflict. Many workplaces are forced to divvy up a limited supply of resources. When necessary resources are scarce, conflict often arises.

(IV.) Within a team environment, conflict is unavoidable. Although once conflict arises, there are different ways to resolve the dispute. One particular method widely used is a process known as negotiation. Negotiation is described as the "process of bargaining in order to settle differences or reach solutions." (Conflict Cohesion, 156) When group members are involved in a process of negotiation, people must be willing to make compromises and give up on certain ideas for the benefit of reaching a group consensus. Negotiation is widely used to help resolve people's differences and reach an agreement. Unfortunately, the negotiation process does not work in all situations. Occasionally, groups reach what is called a deadlock, "when members are unable to appreciate the needs of others or are unwilling to make concessions." (Cohesion, 157) The size of a group also has an impact on the effectiveness of a negotiation process. The more people in a group setting, the more difficult it is to get everyone to agree. In addition, in larger