How to Encourage Meaningful Conflict in the Workplace
Conflict or disagreement can occur anywhere, in any situation, where more than one individual gets together for any reason. Conflict is something that occurs in the workplace every day, and for any reason whatsoever, where employees from diverse backgrounds and with different values and opinions are brought together for the purpose of working for an organization. The manager or the leader or the human resource professional, who is responsible for handling the conflict, and making sure that it does not get out of hand, thereby resulting in a loss of motivation for the workers. The manager must be an individual who has learnt the basic set of skills needed to manage the conflict in the workplace, and also to convert it into some sort of meaningful conflict, so that there is no loss of productivity, and so that the workers are all happy and satisfied with their working atmosphere. Conflict is but a natural part of any team or in any relationship in which there is more than one single person involved. Conflict can exist anywhere, in any situation, and the manner in which it is handled would determine the fact of whether the conflict is a healthy one, or a completely unhealthy one. It must be remember
It is often stated that war is another form of unresolved conflict, when it escalates into gigantic proportions. In the normal course of things, resolving a conflict can be extremely difficult and can sap the energy of the person responsible for bringing it about. This shows that human resource personnel must make a concerted attempt to learn how to get to the bottom of and resolve a conflict whenever it arises in the workplace, and when a mistake is made, and the conflict is not handled well, then the organization would inevitably suffer the consequences, as explained in the example above. They also feel that they know the best and the most efficient ways in which to handle things in the workplace, and that others must listen to them, or else! However, these people must learn the fact that there are more ways than one to handle a problem, and they must be made to understand this simple fact, if the management hoped to resolve conflict arising from this type of boxed-in thinking. (Conflict Resolution in the Workplace)Therefore, it can be said that when the management of a company tries to walk away from conflict, a mistake that most managers make, assuming that the problem would sort itself out without any intervention on their part, then the management is doomed to repeat the conflict, and also to recreate it, perhaps in a larger proportion. The manager must also play fair at all times; when the leader is biased or prejudiced, then he would never be able to make valid and objective decisions for his organizations, especially where conflicting employees are concerned. (Chu, 2003) The management of an organization is generally faced with the uphill task of resolving conflicts and disagreements within the organization, so that the conflicts can even be meaningful. is that what you are saying?" however, he must also learn never to interrupt when another person is speaking, and he must at all times be completely aware of his own body language, and what it is communicating to the other person. As far as management is concerned, they must undergo intensive training in several different areas, so that they would be fully equipped to handle conflict, and make it productive. One must remember that underneath all power struggles and power clashes within the workplace, there is, inevitably and undeniably, an underlying struggle for control and power. Another effective way to monitor conflict in the workplace would be for the manager or an employee to put to use his very best observation skills, so that he may be able to detect whether the tensions are rising, and if the tension is healthy or unhealthy. Other forms of work stoppages are work slowdowns, calling in sick, and also 'work-to-rule- methods. When there is a conflict of any sort, the manager would be well equipped to deal with it, and although the process may be very simple, or extremely complex, even requiring outside intervention to bring an end to it successfully, it normally takes a mere meeting of minds, with a dose of creativity put into it. He must also be able to recognize the fact that conflict can at times be meaningful, and that it would be possible to further and foster inter-personal relations between his employees, and between his employees and him, if he learnt how to encourage and to implement meaningful conflict within the workplace. On the other hand, if the management was to handle the conflict in a different way, like for example, if the differences between the team members were to be encouraged, and prejudices fostered among the employees, then the assets that may be gained from diversity in the workplace, may well become a potential hazard.
Common topics in this essay:
Discussion Conflict,
Workplace Research,
Resolution Workplace,
Masters Albright,
Summary Recommendations,
Reinforcement Workplace,
Creative Leadership,
Smith Berens,
Popejoy McManigle,
Introduction Conflict,
conflict resolution,
conflict workplace,
human resources,
handle conflict,
handling conflict,
resolve conflict,
human resource,
conflict resolution workplace,
manager able,
resolution workplace,
resources person,
human resources person,
manager human resources,
human resource personnel,
employees feel free,
|