The Evaluation of Conflict Resolution Interventions. Part II
Chapter Seven Meetings: Conflict and Interventions.
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Transcript of Chapter Seven Meetings: Conflict and Interventions.
Chapter Objectives
1. Identify common conflicts that surface during meetings.
2. Describe counterproductive tendencies of participants and groups.
3. List and explain conflict-reducing techniques.
4. Identify and describe types of meeting leaders.
5. Explain what is meant by same-site electronic meetings.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Values of Organizational
Meetings1. To announce organizational
change.
2. To produce or solicit solutions to organizational problems.
3. To gain acceptance of decisions through participation.
4. To “cultivate members as individuals” and create group cohesion.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Primary and Secondary Tensions
• Primary tensions are the feelings of uneasiness experienced when people first meet.
• Secondary tensions occur later in group development.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Reasons for Primary Tensions
• High communication apprehension.
• Participants imagine potential topics that make them uncomfortable.
• Anxiety regarding the topic.
• Worry of increased workload or assignment outside their range of ability.
• Participants are unprepared to participate
• Their past experience with this or other groups has been negative.
• Participants have had bad experiences with other group members.
• They have more urgent projects to worry about.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Types of Secondary Tensions
1. Procedural– Stem from belief that procedures are
not effective.
2. Equity– Occurs from perceptions of inequality.
• When members feel they have to do more than others (taking up the slack from social loafers).
• When they believe that they are being ignored by more powerful or controlling members.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Types of Secondary Tensions
3. Affective– Occurs when people start to dislike
one another.
4. Substantive – Positive tension that occurs from
legitimate disagreements. • Promotes creativity/helps in problem
solving• Promotes the sharing of ideas• Helps test the strength of opposing
ideas.Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Counterproductive Group Tendencies
Groupthink• Refers to the tendency on groups
to make decisions without considering alternatives.
• Causes for groupthink include:– A desire to conform.– Fear of “rocking the boat.”
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Counterproductive Group Tendencies
The Asch Effect• Refers to self-perceived “peer
pressure,” or pressure to conform.Goal Lining • The tendency for group members to
view reaching the goal as the only criterion towards meaningful interaction.– The potential for valuable discussion and
creativity may be stifled as group members rush toward goals.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Counterproductive Group Tendencies
Ethnocentrism• The tendency to believe one’s own culture is
superior to others.– Fosters affective and equity tensions.
Inadequate Agendas • Offer the illusion of structure instead of
offering real facilitation.• Agendas that are ignored also pose problemsHidden Agendas • Refer to personal and/pr political meeting
objectives that are hidden from the group.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Counterproductive Group Tendencies
Competition vs. Cooperation• Competition reduces constructive
interaction.– People become ego-involved and
less flexible towards other opinions.
– Goals change from group goals to individual ones; namely “to win.”
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Counterproductive Group Tendencies
Tolerating High-level Term Abstraction
• Abstract words are open to multiple interpretations.– This may lead people to have a
different understanding of what is being discussed.
– Clarifying vague or abstract terms is necessary to enhance a group’s understanding of what is to be accomplished.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Interventions
An intervention is a tool or technique used to alter behavior that would not likely be altered had there been no intervention.Types of interventions include:
1. Buzz Groups
2. Brainstorming and Brainwriting.3. Nominal Group Techniques.4. Problem Census.5. Risk Technique6. General Procedural ModelOrganizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Types of Interventions
Buzz Groups• Large groups are split into
smaller groups which meet separate from the others and reconvene after discussion. Benefits include– Participation from all group members.– A decrease in equity problems.– Highly apprehensive speakers are more
likely to contribute in discussion. Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Types of Interventions
Brainstorming and Brainwriting• Are idea-generating processes
that identify and record all ideas germane to a specific topic.– People are not allowed to criticize
ideas during brainstorming sessions.
– People are typically encouraged to offer outlandish ideas or use others ideas as springboards for their own thoughts.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Types of Interventions
Nominal Group Techniques• Similar to brainwriting in that
people write down their solutions to a problem individually.– The leader then reviews each item
so the authors can elaborate and clarify each of them.
– Participants then vote on the most preferable solutions which are then discussed.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Types of Interventions
Problem Census• Members are initially polled regarding
their individual perspective and perceptions of the problem.– This helps members stay on the same
page regarding the nature and dimensions of the topic.
– This also gives a group a better sense of the task at hand and the methods used to proceed towards group goals.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Types of Interventions
General Procedural Model• Combines many of the other
techniques and is effective for groups experiencing procedural conflict.
1. Identify the problem.2. Brainstorm.3. Evaluate ideas.4. Select best idea.5. Put the solution into effect.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
(continued)
Making Interventions Work
1. Group Members need to become participant/observers.– Be vigilant and follow procedural
processes.– Try not to default to
counterproductive tendencies.
2. Groups need strong leadership.– Leaders have many responsibilities.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Leadership Responsibilities
• Plan the meeting.• Get the meeting
started.• Keep the
discussion on track.• Summarize
Periodically.• Solicit comments
from quiet members
• Curtail verbose members.
• Employ interventions.
• Conclude the meeting
• Plan for the next session.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Leadership Styles
Authoritarian or Autocratic Leaders
• Dictorial and nondemocratic.
• Would determine meeting agenda.Laissez-Faire Leaders• Take a hands off approach to
leadership.• Would assume that if the group
needed an agenda, they would create one.Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Leadership Styles
Democratic Leaders• Seek input from group members.• Make decisions with the concerns of
group members recognized.• Ask for input from others about what
should be in the agenda and when a meeting might be. Then creates the agenda.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Electronic Meetings
Advantages of electronic meetings:
• Anonymity.– Increase of substantive conflict and a
reduction of equity conflict.
• Simultaneous entry.• Structured format allows for less
procedural conflict.• An immediate record is available.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Electronic Meetings
Disadvantages of electronic meetings:
• May be considered dehumanizing.• Lacks nonverbal components that
compliment verbal messages.• Anonymity is an illusion since people
can be identified by their writing style or use of catch phrases.
• People deserve credit for good ideas.• Cost of technology is high.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©