Discussion board - Book Report/Review Example

Discussion Board al Affiliation Discussion Board Conflict is a natural occurrence stemming from differences in view pointsand perspectives due to diversity in backgrounds, personalities and preferences. In the work setting, conflicts ensue for varied reasons. Conflicts in the work setting could be classified to emerge according to the following: administrative issues (non-conformity to policies and procedures), interpersonal and relational issues (miscommunication, discrimination, opposing points of views), and personality concerns (deviant behavior, non-adherence to code of conduct, differences in values and beliefs).

I worked in the army, specifically at Fort Drum, New York, as a specialist. The work place conflict that has been experienced involved misunderstanding between army personnel due to differences in points of views. A new policy was enforced indicating the need to fill up incident reports for work-related concerns that became a bottleneck or a problem. An incident report was prepared by a new recruit, Personnel A, who specifically noted that the problem stemmed from the inability of Personnel B to do his job well.

The information contained in the incident report reached Personnel B who got angry and who blurted that he could have Personnel A dismissed or expelled. Personnel A confronted Personnel B which eventually resulted in a heated argument. The supervisor of Personnel B intervened and determined the root cause of the altercation. Apparently, there was an apparent lack of explanation and communication on the part of management to prepare the incident report form, especially to new employees. Likewise, from the report that was prepared, the lack of training of Personnel A on effective communication and avoiding blaming others, need to be enforced.

From the conflicts that ensue in the work setting, it was evident that management had to step in to resolve the conflict; if and when, the conflicting parties could not resolve the issues themselves. Likewise, it helps that the army has stipulated rules and regulations, as well as expectations on codes of discipline and conduct that govern protocols in assuming the appropriate stance and behavior in the work setting. As such, management could remind conflicting parties of system rules to assist in conflict resolution (Hocker & Wilmot, 2014).

From the conflict experience, the supervisor who intervened re-oriented Personnel A on policies regarding the preparation of incident reports. On the part of Personnel B, the supervisor explained that he had to exercise control and discernment in identifying the root cause of the dilemma. He was reminded to have elevated the matter to higher authorities to avoid further escalation to being classified as destructive conflict. Therefore, management applies conflict resolution strategies, depending on the issues raised, the personalities of the conflicting parties, the urgency in resolving the conflict, as well as in the intended outcome.

Through proper communication, use of authority, and application of the appropriate conflict resolution strategies (avoidance, accommodation, problem-solving, or even third party mediation), conflicts in the work setting are prevented or minimized, as required.ReferenceHocker, J., & Wilmot, W. (2014). Interpersonal Conflict. McGraw Hill.