Managing Conflicts and Negotiation

Managing Conflict and Negotiations

In week one, the class read and discussed topics related to problem-based learning and managing conflict and negotiation. Also, the Learning Team handbook and tools were introduced and teams were assigned. The required readings, class discussions and sharing of experiences were valuable in learning more about these topics.

The 9-step problem-solving model is a valuable, systematic tool used to identify the real problem and make an intelligent decision. This process guides you to look at creating future solutions and not just solving past problems. The 9 steps of this model include (1)describing the situation, (2)defining the problem statement, (3)describing the end state goals, (4)identifying alternatives, (5)evaluating the alternatives, (6)performing a risk assessment, (7)recommending a solution, (8)implementing the solution and (9)evaluating the results.

In Chapter 14, Kreitner and Kinicki discuss managing conflict and negotiations. Through the readings, I learned that conflict is inevitable but not necessarily destructive. Functional conflict can lead to growth, increased awareness and self-improvement and dysfunctional conflict is not productive and can negatively affect organizational performance. I also learned that cultural conflict can occur during negotiations because of cultural differences. Being a good listener, sensitive to others, and more cooperative can help build strong cross-cultural relationships. There are two basic types of negotiation, distributive and integrative. Distributive negotiation is a win-lose form of negotiating and integrative negotiation is a win-win form of negotiating.

The Learning Team handbook and examples of tools were informative. This is important information that will be needed during our group projects. It's been a while, but I used these forms when I attended University of Phoenix about 6 years ago.

The required readings and discussion questions were very informative. Understanding the different types of conflict that exist will be useful in my own life as well as at work. After reading other classmates discussions and questions, it made the topics more real and easier to understand. Even though the 9-step problem-solving model appears to be easy to use, I can now see how it can be misused or not useful in all situations. In any case, it can improve your critical thinking