Slide 1

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Organizational Conflict Slide 2 Conflict Definition A process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about. This can range from a simple difference of opinion to overt acts of violence Is organizational conflict negative or positive? Slide 3 Conflict Definition A process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about. This can range from a simple difference of opinion to overt acts of violence Is organizational conflict negative or positive? Yes Slide 4 Conflict Cultures Embrace & Manage SuppressIndulge Traditional View of Conflict Interactionist View of Conflict Resolution Focused View of Conflict Slide 5 Antecedents to Conflict Communication Either too much or too little Structure Jurisdictional ambiguity and interdependence Personal Variables I hate you and you hate me Slide 6 Types of Conflict Task Conflict Is related to goals and the actual work that gets done Process Conflict This is related to how the work gets done Relationship Conflict This is related to interpersonal relationship breakdowns Slide 7 Conflict Handling Intentions Compromise Win-Lose Win-Win Lose-Win Lose-Lose Slide 8 Conflict Outcomes Slide 9 Slide 10 Supervisor Involvement When does a supervisor become a conflict resolver? When a law, policy, or rule is being broken When the involved parties performance starts to suffer When the climate gets so bad that morale or other employees performance begins to suffer Slide 11 Supervisors Role Mediator a neutral third party who facilitates a resolution by forcing the conflicting parties to come together and by encouraging honest communication. Non-Coercive and unbiased Arbitrator A third party who can dictate an agreement on the conflicting parties. Because its a forced solution conflict may arise again. Slide 12 Conflict Management Techniques Resolution Problem Solving Superordinate Goals Expansion of Resources Avoidance Smoothing Compromise Authoritative Command Altering the Human Variables Altering the Structural Variables Slide 13 Conflict Management Techniques Stimulation Communication Bringing Outsiders Restructuring the Organization Appointing a Devils Advocate Slide 14 Slide 15 Modeling the Way See/Hear Tell a Story Feel Act Path to Action Dont Confuse Stories With Facts Ask Yourself Why Would a Decent Person do This? Check Your Perceptions by Telling at Least Two Stories to Every Situation Use Your Self-Awareness and Self-Control Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when the stakes are high. Patterson, Greeny, et al. Slide 16 Slide 17 Slide 18 Organizational Conflict Functional Conflict vs. Dysfunctional Conflict Dont let Process and Task Conflict Become Relationship Conflict The Conflicts That Cause the Most Trouble are Those That are Never Addressed Directly