Conflict Management Issues - Essay Example

This paper outlines the conflict management skills necessary for educational leaders and how this course in conflict resolution has helped in adding the necessary skills needed for conflict management.

Introduction

      Managing conflict at schools has always been a challenge for educational leaders. With increasing violence in schools, this has become an even bigger challenge. It is necessary for leaders to continually keep themselves up-to-date with the latest youth trends and develop strategies to address conflict. Effective leadership in schools involves working together, accepting improvements, developing interpersonal leadership skills, taking into consideration other people’s views and assumptions, listening to and evaluating what others have to say. As Katz and Lawyer (1993) have rightly said “effective approaches to conflict include reflective listening, maintenance of civility, separation of positions from interests, and the delineation of group goals along with consideration of the interests of all who have a stake in the problem.”

Skills required of an educational leader

     Educational institutions face many cultural and religious issues. Since one of the objectives of this course is to develop an understanding of conflict resolution from Christian and secular perspectives it will help in encountering cultural conflicts. Race, gender, technology, socio-economic factors are the main causes of conflict in schools. An effective leader must be able to collect and analyze data about these recent trends. This course requires that the students will evaluate and review research articles from various professional journals and also use the web to get information related to issues of violence, gender and race, aggression, and conflict resolution.  This will add to the ability of the educational leader to handle conflicts arising out of these factors. Managing conflicts involves communication. One has to convey to others his interpretations, the constraints he is going to face, his response, and the solution to the problem. It requires that others too get involved and for this one has to have effective communication skills both verbal and written. This course has the students reflect upon and write about their experiences with conflict resolution, make PowerPoint presentations, and participate in Group Discussion Board Forums. This will help in the development of communication skills. The course also teaches communicator styles that emphasize a focus on others, rather than on self. This is important as educational leaders to be effective must show concern for others. One needs to listen to others.  The course also emphasizes students researching and developing plans of action for various conflicts that happen in a school. This will equip them to respond to conflicts. 

     This course does impart good conflict management skills. But there is one area where more training is required and that is the area of irate parents. Parent staff conflicts do take place in schools and leaders need to be well equipped to handle such situations. 

Conclusion

     Becoming a leader in the educational field involves dealing with conflicts that are of a different nature than other fields. It requires a different kind of training that imparts interpersonal leadership skills, keeps you abreast of recent trends, and listening skills that help you to understand what others have said.