Management Conflict Communication - Essay Example

Management Conflict Communication Plan College: Name: Students ID: Date: Course Name: Unit Code: Time: Instructor: Introduction Organisational communication is important in managing the manner in which employees conduct business in the organisation. However, it is unimaginable to have such an efficient organisational communication devoid of conflicts. Conflicts are natural and organisations will encounter various types of conflicts given that individuals have differing opinions, while others cannot admit people’s different views. A lot of organisational conflicts are dangerous and not to have any conflicts at all is unusual. In general, conflict is unavoidable and even desired. Tjosvold (2008) notes that, “to work in an organisation is to be in conflict.” Aim Organisations have different culture, and therefore, organisational communication is a vital component of organisational climate. Organisational communication offers a channel through which folks stimulate senses in the minds of other individuals by means of verbal or non-verbal messages. Efficient organisational communication requires that the receiver comprehends the implication of the message and directs it to the sender through some expected responses. Each organisation must facilitate communication in numerous directions: downward, upward, horizontal and diagonal (Bendersky, 2003). Richmond et al. (2005) state that communication engages an integrative role in conflict and conflict management. This plan seeks to adopt a proactive, tactical approach to managing conflicts within Empire Systems. This will enable the managers to reduce the percentage of their time handling conflict-related matters. This is a big responsibility in view of the fact that conflicts can potentially weaken organisational operations by prompting resignations, accidents, absenteeism, and overtime. They may as well debilitate individual health and happiness. On the contrary, Ivancevich and Matteson (2002) note that conflicts can stimulate creativity, innovation and organisational improvement. Approach Preventing Conflicts A “culture of partnership” can support the employees and managers to productively work together. The parties will be able to address issues within Empire System’s various programs and services before they turn into sources of conflict. Such a culture can be created through promoting a positive work environment and establishing effective communication channels among the board, managers, and employees (Richmond et al. 2005). A Positive Work Environment A positive work environment benefits the board, managers, and employees. In such a setting, employees feel good about themselves as treasured people whose successes are appreciated. They feel cheered and involved and are at ease that their contribution is making validated progress. Moreover, they feel that their knowledge is valued so that they can pay attention to what they do best. Realising and sustaining a positive work environment necessitates collaboration on the part of the board, managers, and employees. Employee involvement helps to develop and maintain relations of mutual trust and respect with the board and managers, the company enhances employees’ aptitude to succeed (Hener, 2010). Effective Communication Effective communication is vital to building interactions of mutual trust and collaboration. Even as employees may share the same goal, every one views the company’s needs from a different perception. Therefore, effective communication can help each party to recognise and accept the viewpoint and offerings of the other (Richmond et al. 2005). Effective communication at Empire Systems can be promoted through; Making sure that all parties receive common messaging regarding the company’s programs and services; Providing training and personal development programs to help employees build up their communication skills. This includes the capacity to present information thoughtfully, clearly, and with responsiveness, together with their capacity to understand others’ messages and actions correctly and with discernment and to appreciate how the other party is feeling; Providing a communication guide to help employees know whom to talk to and when they are supposed to do so. Communication lines should be open such that employees do not hesitate to exchange with one another regarding the company’s progress at whatever time it seems worthwhile to do so. Once people have a relaxed connection, they are more eager to ask questions, propose opinions, and talk over preferences in an open and honest way. This makes it easier to evade would-be difficulties and to resolve problems on time as soon as they arise (Ivancevich & Matteson, 2002). Resolving Conflicts The minute a conflict rises amongst the employees, it is essential for people to speak and try to resolve the conflict. If the conflict cannot be fixed at this level, it may well be crucial for the supervisors to be involved. Managers can as well be involved as they bring a wider thinking to the dispute at-hand. The organisation’s code of conduct can also be engaged it solving the dispute. Experts in the field are also needed at this point (De Dreu, 2004). Active Listening At whichever level of formality, fruitful conflict resolution is contingent upon the capacity of all parties to clearly understand the issues as well as the concerns of their accomplices. Active listening is fundamental to understanding the issues and plays a key role in all communication. Some strategies that can help boost active listening include; (1) Demonstration of proper listening manners through the use verbal and non-verbal cues (gestures, facial expressions, sitting position, and others) to demonstrate that one is actually listening. It is important to note that appropriate body language and vocalisation differ from culture to culture, (2) Exploring through ask questions around the background and context to make deeper understanding. This possibly will also help boost discernment into a problem, (3) seeking clarification by asking the speaker to interpret what he or she has said (Bendersky, 2003). Constructive Thinking Efficacious conflict resolution also rests on the capacity of all participants to think practically all through the proceedings and sidestep defiance and actions that can hinder progress (De Dreu, 2004). Key components of constructive thinking include: Having faith that a solution can be found; Trusting that all parties are dedicated on the company’s interests and want to take out apparent blockades to a solution; Accepting that there can be many ways to crack a problem. Principles of Fruitful Conflict Prevention and Resolution Any course of informal preventing and resolving conflict ought to be founded on the following principles: Mutual respect: All parties are duty-bound to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated. Accessibility: Availing all information relating to programs and services without obstruction to all involved parties, with clear and user-friendly procedures for tracking down the information. Respect for diversity: All parties had better desist from making conclusions regarding others based on culture/ethnicity, socio-economic upbringing, race, religion, or sexual category. Balancing power: All parties should execute their individual obligations effectively, each must own up the role, responsibilities, and rights of the other. Fairness: The process of conflict resolution must be impartial and reasonable. All parties must feel that their individual opinions and those of others receive an open-minded hearing and have been sufficiently taken into account in the result. Transparency: All communication must be open and all information availed at will to all involved parties. Collaborative Approaches to Conflict Resolution Approaches to resolving conflicts vary from the rather informal to the very formal. Nonetheless, conflicts are resolved well if they are decided on a lasting basis. The connection linking the aspiration for accomplishing goals and the need for keeping respectable longstanding interactions significantly impacts on the manner in which the conflict will be resolved. Depending on the intensity of the conflict and the concern for other people, managers can use different styles of conflict management. However, the most important measure for picking out the conflict management style is the character of the objective, that is, either thrashing the opposite side, or finding a way out which will be valuable for all (Buddhodev, 2011). The various styles of conflict management include: Avoiding: Is a passive way of resolving the conflict. The parties retreat/distance themselves from the problem. The approach suits small problems but it is not appropriate for challenging and escalating problems given that it cannot solve the fundamental causes (Dolan, 2003). Compromising: It seeks to achieve some balance of the party’s interests. It involves interventions, negotiations or voting. Negotiation is a common strategy of resolving conflicts and it is effective when the interests of conflicting sides are partially common and partially differing. The style should be avoided if it leads to a negative (win-lose) result. It possibly will attain a democratic solution but will not arrive at a lasting solution for the problem (Rahim, 2002). Forcing: It aims at reducing points of divergence and focusing on common interests. It promotes cooperation but does not offer a lasting solution seeing as hard feelings may recur (De Dreu, 2004). Dominating: It focuses on personal rather than common interests. Managers force the employees to obey and is used when there is the chance of arriving at unpopular solutions, with tight deadlines and trivial problems. It does not consume a lot of time but may face disapproval and resistance from employees (Dolan, 2003). Problem solving: The conflict is treated as a problem to be solved. It is appropriate for fixing complex problems, which are not easy to understand. The steps involved in solving the problem include: (1) Defining the problem, (2) Analysing the problem, (3) Generating possible solutions, (4) Analysing the solutions, (5) Choosing the best alternative(s), (6) Implementing, and (7) Planning the next course of action (De Dreu, 2004). Conclusion References Bendersky, C. 2003. ‘Organizational Dispute Resolution Systems: A Complementaries Model’, Academy of Management, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 643-656. Buddhodev, S.A. 2011. ‘Conflict management: making life easier,’ The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 31-43. De Dreu, C.K.W. van Dierendonck, D. and Dijkstra, M.T.M. 2004. ‘Conflict at Work and Individual Wellbeing’, International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 15(1), pp. 6-26. Dolan, S.I. Garcia, S. and Auerbach, A. 2003. ‘Understanding and Managing Chaos in Organizations’, International Journal of Management, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 23-35. Hener, G. 2010. ‘Communication and conflict management in local public organizations,’ Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, No 30E/2010, pp. 132-141. Ivancevich, J. and Matteson, M. 2002. Organizational Behavior and Management, McGraw-Hill Rahim, A. 2002. ‘Toward theory of managing organizational conflict,’ The International Journal of Conflict Management, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 206-235. Richmond, V. P. McCroskey J. C. and McCroskey L. L. 2005. Organizational Communication for Survival: Making Work, Work, Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights MA. Tjosvold, D. 2008. ‘The Conflict-positive Organization: it Depends Upon us’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 29, pp. 19-28. Read More