NOTE TO READERS. Dealing With Conflict In Organizations. Dr. Bob Hawkins Professor Emeritus Virginia Wesleyan College

Transcription

1 NOTE TO READERS This presentation file has been sanitized by removing some pictures and other elements that could create copyright issues. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. The contents of this program are legally protected by the presenter. All rights are reserved. DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS This session is dedicated to the memory of Jane Ware Regan and will support The Susan G. Komen Marathon For The Cure AND The Fairmont State University (West Virginia) School of Teacher Education 2010, R.L. Hawkins, All Rights Are Reserved Dealing With Conflict In Organizations Dr. Bob Hawkins Professor Emeritus Virginia Wesleyan College AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MILITARY COMTROLLERS PDI Orlando, FL - June 3, , Extracted from the presenter s presentation notes and various research sources. All rights reserved. Original

2 Special THANKS to ASMC For making this presentation possible. If you like it, make sure you fill out the feedback forms for this session If not, resolve your inner-conflict and tell me at: A Beginning Thought Christopher Columbus did not know where he was going. When he got back, he didn't know where he had been. And he did it all on borrowed money. There is hope for us all. Conflict Personified It often happens that I wake up at night and begin to think about a serious problem and decide I must tell the Pope about it. Then I wake up completely and remember that I am the Pope. - Pope John XXIII

3 Did you know that: A child laughs 300 times each day. An adult is lucky if it's fifteen; few of them on the job. What happened to stop the laughter? Why we don t laugh It's likely you will have three to five careers and ten job changes in your lifetime, many involuntary. The high speed of technical innovation contributes to your increased stress and conflict on the job. Confusion about what is politically correct. Not seeing humor in everyday situations. Not being able to laugh at self. Conflict : What is it? When the needs or values of one individual or group come into opposition with those of another individual or group. Form: Pfiffer s Classic Activities for Managing Conflict at Work, 2003, John Wiley and sons, Inc. p 19.

4 Conflict : What is it? Conflict occurs when two or more people attempt to occupy the same space at the same time. Physical Psychological Political From: Pfiffer s Classic Activities for Managing Conflict at Work, 2003, John Wiley and sons, Inc. p 5. Signs of Organizational Conflict From: Richmond,V. et. al. (2005). Organization Communication for Survival. 3d ed. Allyn & Bacon Publishers. Attributes of Cultures in Conflict Blame runs downhill in public, and uphill at the water-cooler Blame almost always runs downhill. But water-cooler talk is the opposite; people grumble about management. We kill messengers Bearers of bad news are especially at risk, because we have a pattern of killing the messenger.

5 Attributes of Cultures in Conflict We usually blame an individual Rarely do we assign blame to a group or to several people. One is enough to satisfy the beast. CYA is a standard business procedure Since you can't be sure when you might need cover, it's only prudent to take very opportunity to cover your behind. Attributes of Cultures in Conflict In response to catastrophe, we apply revised policy retroactively When something bad happens, we convene a panel to write or revise policies and procedures. Then we apply them retroactively, and then blame the violators. We have designated winners When good things happen, we usually assign credit to someone who's already an anointed winner. Heroes are rarely found in the trenches. Attributes of Cultures in Conflict We never revise policy in response to success When something good happens, we feel that our policies and procedures are validated, so there's nothing to improve. We blame people for breaking unwritten rules Some policies and rules are written down only in obscure documents, if they're written at all. No matter. You can still be blamed for violating them.

6 Attributes of Cultures in Conflict People get sandbagged Some people find out about a failure or policy violation for the very first time in their annual reviews. This is especially maddening when having withheld the information prevented the employee from righting a wrong, or from avoiding repetitions. Intrapersonal Conflict Intrapersonal Conflict Is conflict that occurs solely in the psychological dynamic of an individual's own mind. Here are some of my own examples

7 Once You see it you can t not see it You may never have noticed there is a hidden arrow in the FedEx logo? Once You see it you can t not see it The hidden arrow Conveying Speed, Direction and Reliability What do you see?

8 What do you see? That is also the same runaway truck ramp that my friend Matt's dad accidentally thought was the Cheat Lake exit and drove right up the hill. Zachery Hawkins Bob s Intrapersonal I KNOW ITS CONFLICT WHEN: I learned that the grand cycle of evolution will culminate with the winter solstice, December 21, 2012 AD. Think of it as a good time to max out your credit cards.! One of my friends told me, The older you get, the more you look like your brother. And, she knows I m an identical twin.

9 I KNOW ITS CONFLICT WHEN: When my wife asks me a question like: Why do you think So-and-So acts the way she does? And when I give her my answer she says, No, that s not the reason. If she already knows: Why is she asking? I wake up and sit on the edge of the bed in the middle of the night and my wife asks, Why are you awake? How do you answer a question like that? I KNOW ITS CONFLICT WHEN: They have six workers in my local post office, except when it s very busy; then they only have one. I have a feeling it just isn t just my post office. People offer opinion as fact I think everyone would agree that The American people don t want heath care reform. The American people want heath care reform. Understanding and Resolving Conflict

10 Let s Find Out What is conflict? What is conflict s role in organizations Some different views of conflict The kinds of conflict Stages of conflict resolution Methods of conflict resolution What is Conflict? A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about. A Few Questions We ll Answer Is conflict bad for an organization? What are the sources of conflict? Does this conflict help or hurt our performance and/or relationships?

11 Sources Of Conflict In general; there are three sources of conflict: 1. Semantic sources are those stemming from some failure in communication 2. Role sources are those that rise out of the varying perceptions of people about the expected behaviors of themselves and others 3. Value sources have their foundations in the individualistic value sets Different Views TRADITIONAL VIEW Conflict is bad! Same as violence, destruction, irrationality HUMAN RELATIONS VIEW It s going to happen, so deal with it! INTERACTIONIST VIEW Functional conflict is essential to innovation and continually improving in business Functional vs. dysfunctional conflict From: Robert Bacal, Organizational Conflict - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Dysfunctional destructive forms of conflict that disrupt a groups performance. Functional is conflict that supports and improves the performance of a group. It is sometimes hard to differentiate between dysfunctional and functional conflict The only thing that matters in differentiating between the two is if it improves or harms a groups performance.

12 Dysfunctional Within Group Conflict: Consequences Increased stress and burnout Reduced organizational performance Reduced morale and job satisfaction Reduced loyalty to organization Waste of resources and time Functional Within Group Conflict: Consequences Increased problem awareness Increased self- and other awareness Increased exchange of information and knowledge Improved decision processes Increased innovativeness and creativity Enhanced motivation and morale Decreased tensions -Adapted From: Kinds of Conflict Task Conflict Has to do with the facts that are being used in a given situation Low to moderate levels can help by leading to more analytical thinking about the facts and better decision making. Process Conflict Has to do with the way that a goal is going to be reached Low levels can be acceptable which can lead to a better decision being reached. Relationship Conflict Has to do with problems between people Almost always dysfunctional; needs managed

13 Five Most Common Conflict- Generators 1. Stating opinions as facts. 2. Starting with solutions rather than seeking agreement on the problem statement. 3. Staking out positions rather than seeking common ground. 4. Attacking the character or intent of the opposing party. 5. Focusing on winning over resolving. From: 5 Ways To Manage Conflict Avoidance Competition Accommodation Compromise Collaboration Conflict Continuum A= Competition: I win, you lose B= Accommodate: I lose, or give in C= Compromise: We both get something D= Collaborate: We both win A B C D

14 Competition Advantages The winner is clear Winners usually experience gains Disadvantages Establishes the battleground for the next conflict May cause worthy competitors to withdraw or leave the organization Accommodation Advantages Curtails conflict situation Enhances ego of the other Disadvantages Sometimes establishes a precedence Does not fully engage participants Compromise Advantages Shows good will Establishes friendship Disadvantages No one gets what they want May feel like a dead end

15 Collaboration Advantages Everyone wins Creates positive feelings Disadvantages Hard to achieve since no one knows how Often confusing since players can win something they didn t know they wanted What It All Means Managing conflict means we need to develop several styles and decide which is valuable at any given point of conflict Most of us know and can use multiple styles, most also tend to use only one It probably makes sense to learn and practice a variety of different conflict management styles Managing Workplace Conflict Build good relationships before conflict occurs Try not let small problems escalate; deal with them as they arise Respect differences Learn to listen to others perspectives on the conflict situation Acknowledge feelings before focusing on facts Focus on solving problems, not changing people If you can t resolve the problem, turn to someone who can help Try to adapt your style to the situation and persons involved

16 Shea & Gould Law Firm At its peak, the firm had 350 lawyers and played a leading role in New York politics, banking, real estate and sports The firm closed its doors after not being able to resolve a conflict about the firms future" From an article in the Wall Street Journal, Irreconcilable differences force Shea & Gould closure "Most of the time I don t have any fun. The rests of the time, I don t have any fun at all." - Woody Allen Summary Conflict can be good for an organization When it isn t good, the conflict must be resolved Different methods exist to resolve conflict No one method is best for any conflict

17 What Are Your Questions? Please share any comments or suggestions about this presentation to Visit Our Current Blog Positive