Forum 10: Understanding Conflicts At University Canada West ✓ Solved
Forum 10: Understanding Conflicts University Canada West
From your own experience, describe a situation you were involved in where the conflict was dysfunctional. Conflicts that affect group performance is a dysfunctional conflict. In an organization, it isn't easy to handle these situations. Dysfunctional conflicts lead to the wastage of resources and productivity.
When I had joined an organization, our team was small of 10 members. My boss was very rude and lacked management skills. Our projects for our clients are a minimum of 3 months. Since our boss was disrespectful, some of the members left the job, and we used to hire new ones. Getting new members on the team was difficult, as we had to rope them in the project without training, and their results were minimal.
The outcome was slow, and due to disorientation of work, the segregation of work was dependent on a few skilled employees only. It led to work pressure conflicts; dependency grew a lot, efficiency was not right, and overall productivity was affected. We were not receiving any assistance from the management, and we had to deal with it ourselves. Nobody was interested in taking charge or there to help handle the situation. Due to many dysfunctional conflicts, the project was a failure with many pending re-work to complete the task.
Describe another example, from your experience, where the conflict was functional. Functional conflicts help in improving performance and is a constructive form of conflict. It handles the organization's interests and disputes cooperatively. The situation occurred in my personal life.
I was planning to do an MBA from a leading University in Australia, as a foreign degree has excellent value in India. However, my family members were not confident about my decision to go to Australia. They persuaded me to consider other options, such as universities in the UK, USA, and Canada ranked much better than universities in Australia. I did not want to contemplate universities in the USA and the UK because they had stringent admission requirements than colleges in Australia and Canada. However, this dispute turned out to be functional and valuable for me because it led me to assess more options in the USA, UK, and Canada, which turned into a good exercise.
After all, I found the benefits of education in other countries. Finally, I chose to go for education in Canada. It helped in inculcating collective decisions with my family and helped in asserting my concerns as well. It was a beneficial functional conflict leading me to find a better opportunity for myself.
Would the other parties in the conflicts agree with your assessment of what is functional or dysfunctional? I think they can either agree or disagree with me or get a fresh perspective on this situation. It is best to get a third person's view to understand the conflicts, and somebody experienced enough to handle it. People may be concerned about similar problems but might not know your struggles. For example, if you are used to ideas one way, and a group member handles them differently, you may experience pressure and disappointment.
Bottling up your disappointments only harms you and can cause your associations within the group to suffer. Tackling or clearing can better assess the current situation with the existing patterns and variables. Contributing parties should have face-to-face to discuss their essential areas of conflict. The goal is that through open conversation and negotiation, to work out problems. It helps bring in outside advisors for third-party consultation who understand human behavior and can facilitate a resolution.
A third-party consultant serves as a go-between and can speak more directly to the issues because she is not a group member.
Paper For Above Instructions
Understanding conflict is vital within any organization as it can profoundly influence productivity and performance. Conflicts can be broadly categorized into dysfunctional and functional types, each having unique repercussions on team dynamics and outcomes.
Dysfunctional Conflict: An Example
A prime example of dysfunctional conflict occurred when I joined a small team of ten members in a previous organization. Our supervisor lacked important management skills and was openly rude, resulting in a toxic work environment. This lack of respect and support led to high turnover rates; several team members left, which further destabilized our projects that required at least three months to complete.
The unaddressed conflicts resulted in a dependency on a few skilled employees and increased work pressure. New recruits were brought in without adequate training, negatively impacting our overall productivity. The absence of management assistance meant that we had to navigate this situation without guidance, resulting in a disorganized workflow. This culminated in project failures, with significant rework needed to meet client expectations.
Functional Conflict: A Positive Perspective
Conversely, an example of functional conflict arose in my personal life while considering pursuing an MBA. My family members doubted my decision to study in Australia, advocating for other countries such as the UK and the USA due to their higher-ranked universities. While this disagreement seemed contentious, it forced me to reevaluate my position and explore other international education opportunities.
Through this conflict, I gained insights into the merits of studying in Canada as well. What could have been a simple disagreement translated into a constructive dialogue, leading to a decision that pleased both me and my family. This instance exemplifies how functional conflict can promote better decision-making and enhance relationships.
Different Perspectives on Conflict
It is essential to acknowledge that parties involved in any conflict may have varying perceptions of whether the conflict is functional or dysfunctional. Engaging external perspectives can illuminate blind spots and foster a better understanding of the issues at hand. For example, group members may have differing approaches to problem-solving, which can lead to misunderstandings and disappointment if unaddressed.
To mitigate the adverse effects of conflict, it is crucial to engage in open communication. Addressing conflicts through discussions facilitates a better understanding of differing viewpoints and helps unearth core issues that need resolution. In many cases, third-party mediators can play a vital role in facilitating these conversations, providing unbiased insights that promote understanding and resolution.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the nuances of conflict within teams is essential for creating a productive work environment. Recognizing when conflict is dysfunctional enables teams to take decisive action before it spirals out of control, while functional conflict can serve as a powerful tool for personal growth and collective decision-making. By fostering open communication and utilizing external help when necessary, organizations can navigate conflicts more effectively and enhance overall productivity.
References
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