What is Conflict Management?
Through my studies of conflict, I have learned that there are productive and unproductive forms of conflict within an organizational environment. In Daniel Levi's book Group Dynamics for Teams further explains the differences between productive and unproductive conflict forms, "Productive conflicts are about issues, ideas, and tasks... Unproductive conflicts are about emotions and personalities." (Levi, 2020, p. 138) Teams typically take a collaborative approach to productive conflict; while, teams experience unproductive conflict usually take a competitive approach tying to solve these conflicts where one side tries to out-do the other. Conflict management aims to eliminate or decrease unproductive forms of conflict within teams and organizations. Understanding the differences between productive and unproductive conflict is a key for leaders in organizations. The goal of leaders is to reroute unproductive conflict to productive conflict where collaboration is emphasized.
Conflict Management in Leadership
From my perspective of conflict management in leadership, conflict management is something that needs to be handled and rerouted as quickly as possible while also gathering all of the evidence necessary. In an interview, I asked the center manager what his favorite part of the job was, and he suggested that the people were the best part of the job. I then went on to ask what the most challenging part other's had struggled with coming into the position. His response was "learning how to deal with conflict between people." Since then, whenever I witness conflict between coworkers, or I am in conflict with someone, I become very aware of my actions, and I have learned to choose words wisely. I have grown my conflict management skills by using my experience to try different methods used to resolve conflict I have learned throughout my studies. I have reflected on what worked and what did not work, and I continue to grow as conflict situations arise within the workplace.
Artifact
One of the tools I have learned through my academic journey was professor William Erwin's OGL 340 - The Aikido Way course. Professor Erwin took the martial art of Aikido and used it as metaphor to use the four physical steps to Aikido and reconstructing them into the four mental steps used to conflict into opportunities. The first step in the Aikido Way is to center yourself. Put down anything that can distract you from being present in the moment with the individual experiencing conflict and take a deep breath, relax, and focus on the present situation. The second step is to welcome "the gift" of energy. This is where I would actively listen to the conflict and listen to how and why the conflict is happening. I welcome the energy the individual is giving to me. The third step of Aikido is to begin to blend your energy with the other person's energy. This is where you ask questions to get to the core conflict at hand. Unproductive conflict usually runs deep within people going back to their own culture, morals, and values. In conflict, blending your energies to bring about the core conflict. Finding the core conflict will lead to the bigger issue the organization as a whole can find long-term solutions for rather than short-term surface level solutions to specific issues. Finally, the last step in the Aikido Way is to lead. This is where I would take the blended energies and present what I think would work best to solve the issue for the long-term. I would then collaborate with the individual about likes and dislikes to come up with a solutions that is beneficial to all parties and the organization as a whole. In OGL 340, we used these four steps as our baseline, and throughout the course, we were giving different "tools" for our conflict management "toolbox." In my final reflection of this course, I briefly reflect on each "tool" I gained throughout this course that I have found changed the way I viewed conflict as a whole. Feel free to read my final reflection for OGL 340 - The Aikido Way below.
Reflection
Project Management & Organizational Leadership
Before my studies of organizational leadership, I perceived conflict in an entirely different way than I do now that I have the knowledge I have gained in this degree. Previously, I had a very avoidant approach to conflict; however, I look at conflict as an opportunity to bring change and grow the organization through more of a collaborative approach. I gather input from what others think would be the best way to solve the problem, and I work to find different alternatives to solve the problem. Working collaboratively to solve conflict, I have been able to get diverse ideas that I would never have thought of on my own. Professionally, the one thing that has helped me handle conflict effectively and respectfully is through staying centered and calm as well as actively listening to the conflict being described to understanding the core reasoning.
Personal Growth & Development
In my personal life, the two take aways for my professional development -- stay centered and calm as well as actively listening -- have made a dramatic impact on my personal life as well. When I experience conflict outside of the workplace, whether it be with my siblings, a friend, or a partner, I always center and calm myself. This helps me to really think about what I am saying in a heated discussion, and it also helps the other person stay calmer as well. It has given me the ability to respectfully debate with a person. Through active listening, I am able to gather more insight on why that person thinks the way they do. I stay open-minded through these conversations, and there have definitely been times when people have peaked my interest about something I had not thought of before which has strengthened, and even changes my values in life.
Reference: Levi, D. (2020). Group Dynamics for teams (6th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
