Conflict Resolution

Abstract

Conflict is a stubborn fact of organizational life. Regrettably, it is an inevitable when organizations incorporate individuals with such diverse scopes of life. As conflict is identified in organizational work teams, an analytical approach to conceptualizing conflict is the first step. Further development will then focus on the different sources of conflict and how it can compromise the common goal of the team if it is not handled correctly. Searching for ways in which to manage conflict and avoid conflicts in work teams will bring together the underlying focus of this paper.

Conflict resolution exist in every society. Conflict more often than not occurs due to a clash in interest in the relationship between, groups, because they are pursuing opposing or incompatible goals

Self -directed work team is usually done by the team itself to some degree. That degree varies from team group to team group , and also depends upon the readiness of the team members to assume those responsibilities. A fully empowered mature self-directed work team will describe its own jobs, set its own standards, give feedback to members about work performance and team skills, appraise its own performance, and identify and support the training and development needs of its members. The team group will provide guidelines and a framework for that performance management, but within that framework, the team is responsible and accountable for its own performance

Conflict Resolution in Work Teams

Conflict can be described as a deviant behavior, a discrepancy or difference between to parties, or a disagreement. According to Webster's Dictionary the definition of conflict is when two or more values and opinions are contradictory in nature and have not yet been resolved or agreed upon. As more organizations move away from a more hierarchical chain of command towards a team-working environment the need for training in conflict resolution increases. When individuals come together in work teams their differences in terms of power, values and attitudes, and social factors all contribute to the creation of conflict. However, when properly managed with effective conflict resolution techniques and tactical management philosophies, conflict can result in great benefits for the ultimate success of a working team.

Conflict is inherent and will be sustainable in organizations as long as unique and individual personalities intertwine with each other. A major advantage a team has over an individual is its diversity of resources, knowledge, and ideas. However, diversity can be the catalyst to conflicts. If teams learn to work through their diversity in respect to individual ideologies then the team's focus can successfully be accomplished, which is to complete the defining goals. According to Sy Landau author of the article Conflict and the Bottom Line, "organizations that cannot deal effectively with conflict may suffer lower productivityÐ'...organizations that can resolve conflict effectively possess a valuable competitive edge" (May 1).

Conceptualizing and analyzing conflict is the first steps in gaining an understanding of why teams are not successful. As teams begin the first stages of team development each team member brings a different set of views, knowledge, and skills. It is with these individualistic perspectives that we seek to develop the foundation of the team. In Conflict and the Bottom Line, Landau states, "Ð'...different experiences, different values and beliefs, different levels of education. As organizations merge and restructure, we are required to work with people who come from different corporate cultures and may not share the same vision of future"(May 1). However, this diversification is what leads to the formation of conflict.

As organizations move away from hierarchical chain of commands to a more team-oriented organization continually focusing on ways to manage conflict is the key to productivity. Establishing a methodological view of conflict offers an organizational framework that will be beneficial to the establishment of team-oriented operations.

In order to prepare to resolve conflicts one needs to first look at a few things that may be causing the problems. One needs to think about the situation and the people involved and try to figure out what is happening between these people, what are the stressors causing the friction. Everyone comes to the group with different personalities; each has their own strength and weakness, differing values and ideas, different cultural backgrounds and ideas. Some team members may be more motivated to participate than other team members and this may cause problems among the group. Most problems arise from miscommunications between each other and not all working towards the same goal.

The best way to avoid conflict is to try to prevent it from occurring in the first place. "It is critical to address problems, not personalities and avoid the tendency to attack your opponent personally; if the other person feels threatened, he defends his self-esteem and makes attacking the real problem more difficult. Try to maintain a rational, goal oriented frame of mind: if your opponent attacks you personally, don't let him hook you into an emotional reaction; let the other blow off steam without taking it personally; try to understand the problem behind the aggression. Make sure you send signals that you know the conflict is about the issues at hand and not personal. This will help to prevent the other side from getting defensive." (Negotiations and Resolving Conflicts)

One needs to really look at what is going on before trying to resolve the conflict. "In the book Resolving Conflicts on the Job, authored by Wisinski (1993) the author developed the A-E-I-O-U Model for individual use before engaging in discussions to resolve conflict. Each letter in the model stands for a step, as follows:

A: Assume the other people involved in the conflict mean well.

E: Express your own feelings.

I: Identify what you would like to see happen.

O: Outcome-express the outcome you would like to see while remaining open to

another outcome that may satisfy your needs and concerns.

U: Understanding- the agreement should be understood, and committed to, by

each member of the team (p.27).

Once everyone on the team is aware of what the conflict is about and are willing to share their thoughts and feelings for the betterment