Question

Create a completed proposal on Managing work conflicts through Collaboration that will successfully persuade/convince the reader/recipient to accept the idea or solution you are proposing.

Answer 1

Conflict simply can be defined as clash of opinions, interests, needs or ideas. This situation arises when individuals can’t sufficiently find a mid-way. It may be intra-personal, inter-personal or sometimes between two groups, organizations or countries as well.

Workplace Conflict:

It is also known as organizational conflict. It refers to the state of disagreement among employees, teams, departments or different levels of authority caused due to difference of opinion and goals. Workplace conflicts are common and expected as different members come from different social class and have different mindsets & priorities. Conflicts arise in day-to-day situations but if it remains unresolved for long, it may serve numerous drawbacks like low employee morale, decreased output, dissatisfaction, project disorder and sometimes litigation and turnover as well. Hence, managing workplace conflict is a necessary practice administered by various departments (especially HRM) in the organizations.

Managing work conflicts through Collaboration:

The dual concern model by Neal Mueller is an organizational conflict management theory which states preferred approaches of conflict resolution or negotiation by individuals in a conflict situation. It has two dimensions:

• Concern for self (assertiveness)
• Concern for others (empathy).

Assertiveness refers to the degree of concern of a party to satisfy his own interest.

Empathy/cooperativeness denotes the degree of concern for another party to satisfy their interest rather than personal

According to this theory, conflict needs balancing the self interest with the concern for other individuals and maintaining healthy relationships. It has five parameters –

1. Competition – High concern for self/low concern for others (plans to win by   defeating other party)

2. Avoidance - Low concern for both - oneself and others (withdrawal from conflict)

3. Compromise - High concern for both – others & self (giving up of little bit of self-benefit by both the parties)

4. Accommodation - Low concern for oneself /high concern for others (giving up self interest)

5. Collaboration - A search for middle ground of concern (co-creation of a shared benefit or resolution)

Collaboration is a win-win approach. It makes sure that both the parties are benefiting from the solution. It brings out the best of the conflict situation and builds a sense of satisfaction, commitment and harmony among the parties.

Advantages of Collaboration:

• It makes both the parties feel appreciated
• Leads to unknot the conflict in the best possible manner
• Provides a win-win situation and boosts reputation
• Builds long term relations by bringing trust and mutual respect
• Opens doors for future collaborations and agreements
• Avoids the situation of stress and discontent

Note: It may be difficult to find a win-win approach in every situation in an organization, as this process takes time, efforts, commitment and sometimes involvement of third party as well.

Managing work conflicts through collaboration is an ideal situation. It is a human tendency to be competitive. Since childhood this habit is reinforced by family, education system and society. But, as an adult when we start working in a professional environment, a sheer dependency on competitiveness hinders long term growth. An individual needs to perform in a structured work-environment with other groups and external parties.

Projects are becoming more complex day by day. Customers, employees and other stakeholders are becoming demanding. And, business has to squeeze in the profits in this arena. Here arises the need for collaboration in resolving workplace situations. It requires an open mind and broad approach.

It requires:

• A constructive agreement of both the parties keen to find a possible solution.
• Both the parties must be willing to think about mutual benefit keeping aside the emotional urge of competitiveness.
• A willingness to devote sufficient time, efforts and involvement of third authority if needed
• An urge to openly listening all the alternatives and proposals
• A final establishment of a common set of solution acceptable to both ends.

Collaboration is a forward-looking process. Now days, organizations are alert and pro-active in dealing conflict situation effectively. Many of them have developed internal positions to resolve such issues. Many consulting firms are also offering extensive collaborating solutions for the organizations. Hence, it is a beneficial approach to be followed to resolve disagreements and create an ideal solution.