Understanding the Role of Identity in the Constraint Negotiation Process - Essay Example

Persuasion Focus

Section 1: Introduction (Situation Overview)

Unfolding advancements in technology characterize the modern world. The role and use of technology keeps increasing in the society based on its broad range of benefits. Most sectors in the society incorporate technology in the realization of their activities. In spite of its increased use in the modern world, technology possesses some pitfalls that often raise controversies. Most of these disadvantages revolve around overdependence and misuse of technological devices. Apparently, technology forms part of the most significant workplace distracters that derail employees from the active realization of their roles. I work in an IT support company that not only deals in the supply but also the installation and management of IT systems. The company possesses several departments with a broad range of employees.

I work in the Research and Development (RD) department of the company. Based on its name, RD promotes and supports innovation in the company through product research and development. Being an IT company that keeps telecom services online, a broad spectrum of technological devices characterize our company. For instance, unlimited internet connections form part of the principal resources in the company. With unlimited internet connections, workers can easily access their social media accounts during office hours. The accessing of social media accounts during office hours raises several controversies at the workplace. Apparently, social media forms part of the biggest workplace distracters. Most companies always block the access to social media sites on company devices. Nonetheless, our company is yet to block social media sites from computers.

Recently, our departmental manager complained of reduced productivity in our department. Just like managers in other companies, our manager blamed the declining productivity on the access of social media during work hours. According to Mr. Seuss, most of us spent too much time visiting our social media accounts as opposed to engaging in constructive activities. Mr. Seuss devised a regular schedule that was to guide us in the efficient realization of our duties. According to Mr. Seuss, all employees in his department were to adhere strictly to the new schedule. The new schedule provided for short breaks throughout the day. According to the manager, employees were to utilize the short breaks in the realization of personal activities. The short breaks were to act as a source of relaxation to employees.

Nonetheless, most of us opposed Mr. Seuss’s suggestion. Apparently, employees perceived his position decisions to be promoting self-interests. Besides, we at times depend on social media for innovative IT ideas. Therefore, by limiting our access to social media during office hours, the manager interfered with the active realization of our duties. We were all unhappy with the manager’s decision and we had to take action. With adequate support from Mrs. Mackenzie, the manager’s assistant, we requested the manager to listen to our grievances. We wanted him to allow us to access social media during week hours because it is a principal source of information for our sophisticated job. In addition to being a crucial information source, social media breaks the boredom of repetitive jobs that in turn increases productivity.

Section 2: Theoretical Connections

The ethos, pathos, and logos theories best apply in the examination of the persuasive encounter as discussed earlier. Apparently, the assistant manager of the RD department in association with other employees was on a mission of persuading his superior allowing employees’ social media access during work hours. Therefore, Mrs. Mackenzie was the chief speaker in the persuasive encounter. At its root, ethos theory revolves around the personality of the speaker. Based on ethos, speakers must appear credible to support their arguments. Aristotle’s, the founder of the three theories as noted before identified three perquisites essential to speaker credibility. Empathy, competence, and good intention are the perquisites based on Aristotle. Originally, an ethos that encompassed gestures, movement, body language, and voice occurred during a performance. Subsequently, ethos represented both pronunciation and action.

According to Aristotle, speakers display ethos through preverbal and nonverbal elements similar to tonal variation and pitch (Vyas, 2013). Conscious and unconscious aspects utilized by speakers do not form part of an analysis. Therefore, terms such as good and bad are uncommon in rhetorical analysis. Words similar to functional and dysfunctional are more appropriate during rhetorical analysis. Speakers usually maximize elements related to vocabulary, popularity, rank, and clothes to persuade their counterparts during persuasive analysis (Vyas, 2013). In addition to the elements as noted above, speakers can also reveal their social hierarchies, preferences, and distastes to persuade their counterparts. Social hierarchies’ best applies to this case (Vyas, 2013). Apparently, employees enjoy adequate support from the assistant manager. Mrs. Mackenzie is at the best position of convincing Mr. Seuss not to limit social media access during office hours.

In addition to ethos, pathos theory also applies in the persuasive encounter. According to Aristotle, pathos represents the emotional influence of the speaker on an audience in persuasive cases (Vyas, 2013). Undoubtedly, speakers aim at persuading their audience into the adoption of their suggestions. Consequently, speakers need to place their audience in an appropriate emotional status before engaging them in their persuasions. According to Aristotle, speakers or leaders of certain sections must possess adequate knowledge of existing emotions (White, 2014). In addition to sufficient knowledge of the existing emotions, speakers must also understand the circumstances that can adversely affect the emotions of an audience. Mrs. Mackenzie has worked with Mr. Seuss for an approximate of four years. As opposed to junior employees that often experience interdepartmental transfers; she is at the best position of convincing the manager. Having worked with him for four years, she best understands his emotions and can formulate an argument that does not contradict his emotions.

Aristotle asserts that a speaker possesses potential chances to elicit emotions in a particular audience (White, 2014). These changes often depend on the speaker’s knowledge of the audience. Apparently, speakers must possess adequate knowledge regarding belief and value systems. These systems as noted above often raise high emotions from the audience. The speakers should also understand techniques and representation styles that may create and enhance positive emotions in the audience. As noted earlier, the Mrs. Mackenzie best understands the manager’s emotion having worked with him for around four years. Therefore, she can submit the employees’ grievances actively as she understands Mr. Seuss’s emotions. Pathos usually aims at reducing the speaker’s ability to judge and enables them to develop a credible argument.

Finally, Logos is also another theory that can help speakers develop a strong argument during persuasive encounters. Just as pathos and ethos, Logos is an Aristotle theory that revolves around content and argumentation. According to Aristotle, Logos represents an appeal for logical reasons. In this case, speakers must present sound arguments to their audience (White, 2014). Their speeches must not only encompass arguments but also content. They must be able to support their arguments with relevant information from credible sources. Just like pathos and ethos, Logos aims at resulting in a persuasive effect on the audience. According to Aristotle, the speaker’s speech or argument affects persuasion (White, 2014). Therefore, speakers prove a truth or a suspected idea through the provision of persuasive arguments.

Speakers must provide credible arguments by providing a broad range of proofs. In addition to proofs, speakers must demonstrate reasoning that is of special interest to the audience. Aristotle presents two distinct types of proofs essential to the Logos theory (Vyas, 2013). Natural and artificial are the terms used to refer to the two proofs as mentioned above (Vyas, 2013). Based on Aristotle, natural proofs revolve around data provided by testimonies or documents. On the other hand, artificial proofs represent information formulated by the art of logic. Apparently, the persuasive case study contains both natural and artificial proofs. In the case of natural proofs, employees will provide documents indicating the benefits of social media in adding to their innovative experiences. For artificial proofs, workers of the RD department will provide logical reasons aimed at convincing the manager to allow social media access during office hours.

Section 3: Skills Assessment

As noted earlier, the persuasive encounter involves workers of the RD department of an IT company trying to convince their manager to allow social media access throughout office hours. According to Mr. Seuss, employees’ social media access platforms during office hours adversely affect their productivity. Apparently, social media forms part of the greatest distracters to workers during the active realization of their duties. Mr. Seuss formulated a work schedule aimed at minimizing employees’ social media access during work hours. Nonetheless, Mr. Seuss’s decision does not please his subordinates. According to employees, the access of social media plays a significant role in the efficient accomplishment of assigned roles. Apparently, it increases productivity by reducing boredom that results from the performance of repetitive roles. Some employees also claim that they access significant ideas from social media platforms.

Based on the above recap of the case study, both the workers and manager possess some significant differences regarding the access to social media issue. Consequently, negotiation method is the most significant technique that can best address the issue. Typically, negotiation aims at helping people settle difference and achieve a consensus (Liu et al., 2012). The technique often results in an agreement in addition to preventing potential disputes or arguments. Just as other arguments, the manager and employees aim at achieving the best possible outcome by observing a broad range of principles. These principles not only revolve around the seeking of mutual benefit but also fairness. In addition to mutual benefit and fairness, negotiation also aims at maintaining a positive relationship between the conflicting parties (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011).

Negotiation techniques always adopt a structured approach for the achievement of a desirable outcome. For instance, the manager of the RD department needs to organize a meeting in which all the affected parties will air their grievances. Notably, negotiation processes contain distinct stages similar to a discussion, preparation, agreement, and implementation (Liu et al., 2012). In addition to the stages as noted above, negotiation also involves clarification and debating stages. Preparation is the first stage of negotiation. The stage often involves the setting up of a meeting to discuss the noted grievances. Besides identifying the venue and date of the meeting, preparation also involves the identification of stakeholders and timelines (Liu et al., 2012). Time-scales are significant as they prevent the escalating of disagreements and conflicts. The preparation stage should uphold organizational values and regulations.

Discussion forms the second stage of negotiation. The phase often involves the involved parties communicating their understanding of the current situation. Apparently, discussion is the most complex stage of negotiation and it requires the possession of a broad range of skills. Negotiators must possess skills related to listening, clarifying, and questioning (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011). The skills as noted above remain essential to the comprehensive understanding of the persuasive encounter. The involved parties can take notes during the discussion process. The notes act as a source of clarification in the case of controversial issues. Each conflicting side should possess an equal opportunity to air out their issues to guarantee fairness. After the discussion phase, negotiators should not only clarify the goals, but also the interests and viewpoints of both parties (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011). Clarification should occur in an order of priority to establish a common platform.

Actual negotiations formulate the fourth part stage of the negotiation method (Liu et al., 2012). The stage often aims at achieving a win-win outcome. The outcome remains crucial to promoting positive feelings among the involved parties. The participants should feel the acknowledgment of their points of view in the process. Despite a win-win outcome proving futile in most cases, it is usually the principal goal of the process (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011). The stage should consider alternative strategies and compromises that can efficiently solve the issue. Apparently, compromises form part of positive alternatives that often result in greater benefits for all involved parties. Agreement is the fifth stage of the negotiation technique. The achievement of an agreement is possible through the understanding and consideration of the various viewpoints of the involved parties.

The final stage of negotiations involves the actual implementation of the identified course of action (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011). As noted earlier, the agreement stage leads to the identification of viewpoints most appropriate for all parties. Notably, not all conflicts can successfully end with the negotiations techniques as noted above. In some cases, the involved parties may fail to agree to necessitate the rescheduling of another meeting. The scheduling of another meeting will prevent the involved parties from getting into heated discussions that may result in the worsening of the issues (Jinhee & Kyle, 2011). The second meeting should involve all negotiation stages. The process should also encompass new ideas and interests that will enhance the successful solving of the problem.

Section 4: Conflict Assessment

Employees of the RD department in association with their assistant manager aimed at persuading their manager to allow unlimited access to social media during office hours. Conversely, the manager claimed that social media adversely affects their rates of production. According to the manager, social media is a significant distracter that reduces the concentration rates of his employees. Employees attempted to convince the manager into allowing unlimited access to social media through the provision of a broad range of artificial and natural evidence. Clearly, the situation demonstrates two conflicting sides in the department. Conflict is an important part of an organization. Conflicts often arise from two individuals or sides opining in different directions. Scholars define conflict as clashes between individuals that often arise from a broad range of differences. These differences revolve around interests, thoughts, requirements, attitudes, perceptions, and understanding.

Conflicts usually occur in five distinct phases (Ma et al., 2015). Prelude to conflict represents the first stage. The phase encompasses possible factors likely to trigger conflicts (Ma et al., 2015). Some of these factors include inadequate coordination, diversities in culture, religion, interests, and educational demographics. Triggering event forms the next phase of a conflict. The phase usually identifies strong factors different from background characteristics that trigger conflicts (Ma et al., 2015). . For instance, open criticism can trigger a conflict between two individuals. The initiation stage that often represents the instigation of a conflict is the third phase. Verbal disagreements, abuses, and intense arguments characterize the initiations phase (Ma et al., 2015). Differentiation is the term commonly used to refer to a phase that involves the voicing out of differences. The stage leads to the identification of the reasons for a conflict. The resolution phase forms the last phase of a conflict (Ma et al., 2015). It encompasses compromise and the exploration of possible conflict resolution methods.

Section 5: Conclusion and Reflections

People from diverse cultural background and different interests characterize modern workplaces. Employees often have diverse opinions regarding workplace issues or decisions from their superiors. The workers of an RD department of an IT company disagree with their manager concerning his decision. Apparently, the manager wants to prohibit the access to social media during office hours citing distraction and declining productivity. Contrarily, workers assert that social media platforms act as their source of information in addition to breaking the boredom of engaging in repetitive duties. Aristotle’s ethos, pathos, and logos theories best apply to the analysis of the persuasive encounter as noted earlier. The theories assert the significance of speakers learning their audiences before presenting arguments. The negotiation technique of conflict resolution will actively address the RD department’s issue.

As noted earlier, conflicts are an important part of our life. The occurrence of conflicts is inevitable because we possess different opinions. We can only manage conflicts and prevent them from developing into ugly situations that can hurt the involved parties. Conflict management forms an important part of our syllabus as it prepares us for responsible adulthood. At its root, conflict management aims at the preventing the incidence of disputes in the society. Through the various topic covered in class, I have learned several conflict management methods similar to negotiation and mediation. I have also learned skills such as negotiation and questioning that remain crucial to effective conflict resolution. I hope to grow into a great negotiator able to manage successfully conflicts through coursework skills.