Dispute Resolution Technique

Dispute Resolution Technique Paper

August 22, 2005

Dispute Resolution Technique Paper

This document will address conflict system techniques and the theory of how they work within organizations. The article will then identify how each technique fits in the systematic structure of the organization. The challenges, costs, and benefits are then covered. Improvements realized through implementing these techniques are the final discussion. Conflict management techniques are beneficial to organization and improve their performance, relationships, and bottom line.

Conflict System Techniques

Conflict management systems incorporate techniques to help the system work. One technique is anger management. Mediation is another technique to compliment a conflict management system. Diversity training, peer reviews, and ombudsmen additionally are techniques that help a conflict management system achieve success.

Anger Management

One technique for de-escalating a situation is using anger management techniques. In most cases where a conflict arises it is because one or more people disagree with what has happened and become angry. Miscommunication causes anger. Understanding how to handle anger in the proper manner can reduce or alleviate the conflict altogether (Arenofsky, 2001). Anger is often resultant from factors outside of the workplace (Blackburn, 2000).The anger management technique consists of providing supervisors and employees with training on how to control their own anger and how to deal with people in an angry state. Anger clouds judgment in many instances. Properly addressing anger will allow parties to look at things from the other person's perspective and possibly lessen the conflict. In any event, anger management can reduce the escalation of conflict.

Mediation

People that disagree see things from their own point of view. Mediation is a technique for allowing the parties to get together in a calm setting, offer their sides of the story, and try to come up with at happy medium of how to resolve conflict. Mediation allows the parties to work things out between themselves without additional cost to anyone.

Diversity Training

Many conflicts arise from misunderstanding or miscommunication. A huge source of misunderstanding and miscommunication is the difference between differences in culture and background. Cultural differences are often a source of anger (Abernethy, 1995). Training to impart the knowledge of why people do what they do and the reasons they feel the way they do can reduce conflict. Diversity training provides information on these topics and may prevent conflict by helping employees understand each other and communicate better.

Peer Review

This technique uses a panel of co-employees and supervisors chosen by the complaining party (Colorado Bar Association, 2005). The panel can call witnesses and allow each side to present their point of view (Colorado Bar Association). Decisions are made by a majority of votes on the panel (Colorado Bar Association). This technique usually accompanies other techniques.

Ombudsmen

Using ombudsmen allows for a single point of contact that is not in the chain of command or has a stake in either side of the dispute. The ombudsman addresses conflicts with employees. They usually practice confidentiality and can deflect the conflict by knowing what to do to solve the problem or bringing the problem up to the chain of command for a solution. The ombudsman is able to resolve disputes and identify systematic problems in the organization (Joyner, 2001).

Systems Approach

Conflict management techniques fit within the system approach to organizational management. The techniques affect the system at different levels, but they affect the whole system by improving the different levels. Some of the techniques have more influence on the personnel level of the system, but the overall system at all levels improves when the individual levels and relationships improve.

Anger Management

Anger management aligns with the conflict management system by training employees and supervisors how to deal with anger in themselves and others. This affects all aspects of the system. By making the system, better able to react to the onset of anger that produces, conflict. Anger management affects the organizational, process, and personnel levels of the system.

Mediation

Mediation affects the system by helping to improve or protect the relationships between employees and between employees and supervisors. The system becomes better by allowing the relationships to become better. Mediation is a step in making system relationships at the personnel level better and affects the organizational and process levels of the system.

Diversity Training

Diversity training mainly deals with the personnel level of the organizational system, but it improves the process and organizational levels by improving the relationships between employees. Diversity training also improves communication and understanding between employees. Improved communication and understanding improves the personnel level and positively affects the organizational and process levels of the system.

Peer Review

Peer reviews allow for employees enlist the opinion of people they think will understand them and help them prove their side of the story. Peer reviews keep the conflicts within the organization and allow for building relationships on the personnel level of the system. These improved relationships positively affect the process and organizational levels of the organization.

Ombudsmen

Ombudsmen link the relationship between employees and the organizational level in the system. Improving this relationship and providing a positive link improve relations at all levels of the organizational system. Ombudsmen provide the positive outlet for help in resolving conflict and helping the chain of command understand their subordinates.

Impact

Conflict management techniques affect the organization by costing money to implement and maintain. It also takes work hours to do the training and apply the different techniques. Some cost more than others did and some are very cost effective.

Anger