Conflict Resolution Is A Necessary Skill For Any Manager Or

Conflict Resolution Is A Necessary Skill For Any Manager Or Leader In

Conflict resolution is a necessary skill for any manager or leader. In this assignment, you will examine the difference between conflict and competition. You will also explore ways of determining when conflict resolution is necessary and explain ways to resolve conflict. Research the role of conflict and competition using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet. Select two resources for use in this assignment.

Reflect on your experiences with conflict. If you have no business related experiences with conflict, apply your personal experiences to a common workplace situation. Review the following video: Ury W. (2010, October). The walk from “no” to “yes” [Video File]. TED Conferences, LLC. Retrieved from Using the selected resources and examples from your experiences respond to the following: Explain the difference between conflict and competition. Describe a situation where competition is healthy. How does that relate to a business environment? Describe a situation where competition could lead to conflict and might not be healthy. What methods could you use to resolve the conflict?

What leadership techniques would you use to resolve a conflict? In resolving conflict, use an example to describe a “best case” scenario. Give reasons in support of your assertions. Be sure to reference your selected resources and examples from your experiences.

Paper For Above instruction

Conflict and competition are phenomena that often intertwine within organizational environments, yet they serve distinct roles in shaping workplace dynamics. Conflict refers to a struggle or disagreement arising from perceived incompatible differences, whether in goals, values, or interests. Competition, on the other hand, involves individuals or groups striving for a shared or limited resource, often motivated by desire for achievement or recognition. Understanding the differences between these two is crucial for effective leadership and management.

Conflict typically manifests when differing perspectives or interests lead to disagreements that can impede productivity if unmanaged. Conversely, healthy competition fosters motivation and innovation, encouraging individuals to surpass their previous performance, ultimately benefitting organizational progress. For example, in a sales team, healthy competition might involve setting challenging yet attainable sales targets, motivating team members to excel without fostering ill will.

In a business environment, healthy competition can drive employees to improve their skills and achieve organizational goals. For instance, competing for the best sales figures or recognizing top performers can create an environment of continuous improvement. Such competition energizes teams and promotes goal-oriented behaviors. However, competition that becomes overly aggressive or is perceived as unfair can lead to conflicts. An example of unhealthy competition may involve two employees competing for a promotion, which escalates into animosity, undermining collaboration.

This unhealthy rivalry could give rise to conflict, hinder teamwork, and decrease overall organizational morale. To resolve conflict, leaders can employ various techniques such as active listening, mediation, and fostering open communication. Active listening involves fully engaging with the concerns of conflicting parties, ensuring they feel heard and understood. Mediation entails bringing a neutral third party to facilitate resolution, while open communication encourages transparency and trust.

Leadership techniques play a pivotal role in conflict resolution. Transformational leadership, emphasizing empathy, transparency, and shared goals, can be highly effective. For example, a manager mediating a conflict between two team members might hold a joint discussion, emphasizing mutual understanding and common objectives. In a best-case scenario, this approach results in consensus, restored trust, and a renewed focus on organizational goals. Such outcomes emerge because effective resolution techniques reduce hostility and promote cooperative problem-solving.

Using conflict resolution frameworks such as Ury’s “Getting to Yes,” leaders can navigate conflicts constructively by focusing on interests rather than positions, generating options for mutual gain, and insisting on objective criteria. This approach ensures that resolutions are fair and sustainable, fostering a collaborative environment. The ability to resolve conflicts effectively not only improves immediate situations but also builds resilience within teams, ultimately enhancing organizational performance.

References

• Ury, W. (2010). The walk from “no” to “yes”. TED Conferences, LLC.
• Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Penguin Books.
• Thomas, K. W. (1976). Conflict and negotiation processes. In K. W. Thomas (Ed.), The Human Side of Enterprise (pp. 455–472). McGraw-Hill.
• De Dreu, C. K., & Gelfand, M. J. (2008). The psychology of conflict and negotiation. Routledge.
• Rahim, M. A. (2011). Managing conflict in organizations. Routledge.
• Colquitt, J. A., LePine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2019). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Bradbury, H., & Lichtenstein, B. (2000). Relationality in organizational research. The Academy of Management Journal, 43(6), 1246-1258.
• Jehn, K. A. (1995). A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256-282.
• Burke, R. J., & Cooper, C. L. (2004). Reinventing Human Resource Management: How to Maximize the Value of Human Capital. Routledge.
• Gelfand, M. J., & Brett, J. M. (2004). The cultural mediation of conflict perceptions: The case of US and Japanese negotiators. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(6), 1045–1057.