Question

In a 250-300 word response, describe a conflict situation you have experienced in the workplace. Explain the impact that the communication process played in resolving or escalating the conflict? What was the resolution? If positive, how could you incorporate that conflict resolution style in your communications? If a negative result, what recommendation could you make to improve the communication process. Use references to support your findings.

Answer 1

Conflict within the workplace is inevitable in some form or another. Conflict is defined by our text as, “a circumstance in which one party negatively affects or seeks to negatively affect another party in both observable and perceived ways” (Baack, 2012, Ch.7.4). There can be many forms of conflict that can range from individual conflict to conflict between groups or agencies. A personal conflict that I have experienced was in the restaurant management industry. This conflict centered on differences in managerial styles. Within reason, different people manage in different ways. These different managerial styles are largely based on the personality of the individual. For example, some managers are aggressive and insistent task be done in a certain manner. These managers provide very little leeway for personal interpretation or methods. There are also managerial styles that are more passive and provide a great deal of room for individuality. They are not rigid on the method used to accomplish the task; the concern is placed on the task being finished.  Individual managers can possess characteristics of the many managerial styles.

The conflict I had involved a difference in opinion regarding managerial styles. I am a more hands-on manager. I try to lead by example. I have a strict saying philosophy that states that I will never ask an employee to do something I am not willing to do myself. A fellow manager in the same restaurant used a totally different management style. This manager saw subordinates as inferior. The manager’s idea of managing was to be seen and give orders. I felt this manager was very close to bullying employees. Bullying can exist in many forms within varying rank within the organization (Baack, 2012, Ch.7.4).  From a different perspective, this manager could have been seen as an effective member of the management team. Under his management, the restaurant was efficient, but employees almost refused to work under him. He had a high turnover rate on his shifts. The management team constantly had to hire and train new employees as a result of either his firing or employees quitting.

Ultimately, the resolution to this conflict had to be settled by the district manager. The resolution involved much discussion among the managers about a more centralized managerial method. A compromise was the key to this solution. We started to include weekly manager meetings to discuss differing managerial styles and often times just to vent frustrations about what was happening at work. Simply put, compromise and literal communication was the solution to the problem.

Reference,

Baack, D. (2012). Management communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

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