ConflictImplications for Non-Assertive Collaborator - Essay Example

Management Topic: Conflict Conflict management refers to pro-active management of conflict using some strategies to peacefully resolve conflict situation amongst stakeholders. Conflict situation arise from variegated nature of human relations. Daft (1992) and Terry (1996) explicated that conflict can be caused by competition in accessing resources, jurisdictional ambiguities, personality differences, conflict of interests, power relations, incompatibility of goals, miscommunications or misunderstanding, and misperception. Thomas and Kilmann (1974) posit differing theories of conflict management depending on the personalities involved in the mediation. Some used avoidance while others used competition in conflict resolution. Still others use an accommodation, compromising or collaborating conflict resolution styles. The latter was sociologically effective in eliciting a win-win resolution to situation. This paper will discuss about the implication of non-assertive collaborator in conflict management; challenges for improvement; and what principles to adopt. Implications for non-assertive collaborator A non-assertive collaborator is a silent onlooker of the conflict situation and whose decision can be swayed and be taken advantaged with such helplessness. The person could be influenced to various demands and requests thoughtlessly. Roger (2008) pointed that non-assertive collaborator allow other people to decide for his fate, direction and outcome of living. Roger (2008) explicated that such personality can be depicted as emotionally dishonest, ambivalent, thrives in denial and hindered by inhibitions. In conflict situation, non-assertive collaborator could be easily offended, nervous, and sometimes confused with one’s decision. He could be critical too to the point of ambivalence. Non-assertive person’s gestures are illustrated with shyness or inability to establish eye contacts whenever communicating or there is obvious hesitancy to commit and assume responsibilities or obligations (Roger, 2008). The person is uncertain of his participation in this collaboration, although there is certain level of emotional satisfaction in his involvement in conflict situation management. Depending on the depth of the knowledge and skills of the collaborator, the non-assertive character could susceptibly be understood as a person who weighs issues without aggression and attempts to deal with situation in a calmer and patient management. However, as conflict management requires intellectual impartiality in dealing with conflict situation, decisions require that all accounts of the situations and issues are weighed well to achieve a certain level of justness in the decision-makings (Armstrong, 2004). While hoping to achieve better solution to conflict and with such determination to integrate needs and possibilities, a collaborator ought to nurture cooperation amongst stakeholders of the conflict-situation and the integration of responses to determined needs (Armstrong, 2004). How to improve conflict style? Collaboration in conflict management entails that a person is directed toward consolidation of needs and goals for a common goal. Since the aim of this style is to nurture assertive communication and cooperation of all stakeholders, conflict manager should develop one’s communication skills, develop the ability to generate consensus, foresee possibilities to better relations, and to resolve the conflict situation peacefully and meaningfully (Styler, 2010). The response and attitude of the collaborator should be changed into something assertive but non-aggressive; decisive but impartial; broadening but compromising and integrating as well. In such way, differing perspectives are best understood and comprehended while latent and underlying issues are addressed at consensual levels with more mature sensitivity (Styler, 2010). The person ought to develop empathy, trust and an environment of understanding for goodwill. He must have an in-depth knowledge about the fundamental principles surrounding conflict mediation and management (Styler, 2010). Conflict manager should know the differences of conflict styles so he can be immediately flexible in dealing with facts of the issues and in adapting to the necessary style applicable to an arising conflict or issue (Styler, 2010). An assertive collaborator is be driven by the willingness to provide direction in conflict management and by utilizing energies in a creative fashion of engendering the participation of all stakeholders by molding their consensus (Styler, 2010). What principles to adopt? To achieve certain level of an assertive collaborator, a person should be smart, accurate and clear in the communication; value of impartiality and justness; factual and researched-based. He must embody democratic principles to ascertain participation of all stakeholders. He must be objective but decisive; has capability to forecast impact of conflict if it will remain unresolved (Jennings & Hamlin, (2004). The collaborator should be goal-oriented for him to be able to provide an adequate understanding of all issues toward a most constructive and toward an opportunity for learning and personal growth. It is also paramount for a collaborator to understand diversity of peoples’ thoughts, perspectives, differences, and multi-dimension of opinions over issues. It is significant that variegated thoughts and behaviors be appreciated to develop compromise and empathy (Esteban & Ray,2009). It must be noted that disagreements over issues are normal and are opportunities to discuss matters but must however, not result to fractionalizations and disunity. Rather, it conflict management should be geared to harmonize differences. It should nurture behavioral models as possible responses to situation (Esteban & Ray,2009). Collaborator should have also in-depth knowledge on how to develop balance or equilibrium of resources needed in conflict management by maximizing the certain level of altruism and transparency (Esteban & Ray,2009). Moreover, the collaborator must be bearing the propriety of values so that stakeholders of conflict situation be dealt in an environment of trust and confidence as the processes are partaken (Esteban & Ray, 2009). He must therefore be trustworthy, skilled on human relations, and optimistic in viewing issues. Conclusion Conflict management is about an art; it deals with conscience and appeals so much to the emotional level of persons. It must be done with skills, knowledge, expertise in mediation and conflict management. Thus, open communication is fundamental among stakeholders so as not to escalate the level of conflict situation. As pro-active collaborator, skills for negotiation and unbiased decisiveness with sense of justness are essential. These values are significant as personal resources to regulate conflict behavior, violence, and to bring it on to the path of resolution. It is likewise significant to develop processes for conflict settlement. This may be full resolution, joint agreement, full satisfaction of needs and interests. Hence, collaborators in conflict resolution processes should not sacrifice their genuinely important values. Should agreements are enforced; the same should be implemented in a collective and creative manner so that such is enforced too by parties in a participatory implementation, management, settlement, planning, controlling and resolution process. Such may pass through power shifts, thus assume varied roles in the conflict resolution process. Thus, he must be skilled in communication, negotiation, and flexible in all stages of mediation. Communication and decisiveness are indeed essential as instrument in promoting interaction and in finding solution. The tone must be peaceful and accommodating. References Roger, U., 2008, Assertiveness, Non-Assertiveness and Assertive Techniques. Healthy Place: America’s Mental Health Channel. Texas, USA. Daft, R.L. (1992). Organizational Theory and Design. St. Paul, MN: West.. Terry, P.M. (1996). "Conflict Management." Journal of Leadership Studies 3, no. 2: 3–21. Thomas, K.W., and R.H. Kilmann. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Sterling Forest, Xicom, Inc., New York. Styler,Sandy (2010). At the Corner of Assertiveness & Cooperation: Collaboration. Trusted Advisor Associates LLC. West Orange, NJ. Joan Esteban & Debraj Ray, 2009."Linking Conflict to Inequality and Polarization," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 766.09, Unitat de Fonaments de lAnàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut dAnàlisi Econòmica (CSIC), revised 25 Mar 2010. JS Armstrong, (2004)."Forecasting Methods for Conflict Situations," General Economics and Teaching, EconWPA,University of Pennsylvania. Colin Jennings & Alan Hamlin, (2004)."Political Leadership and Conflict," Economics Series Working Papers 200, , Department of Economics. University of Oxford,UK. Read More