conflict & negotiating skills-1
TRANSCRIPT
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Interactive Conflict &
Negotiation Skills
Compiled byA Srinivasa Rao
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Outline
Conflict & negotiation
Types of conflict
Conflict process
Managing conflict
Conflict resolution
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CONFLICT MANAGEMENTCONFLICT MANAGEMENT
A good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he
tries to keep it from wasting the energies of hispeople. If you're the boss and your people fight youopenly when they think that you are wrong - that'shealthy.
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How Do You Manage an Off-SiteTeam example for assignment-II
When people are telecommuting, you
cant communicate too much
Harvard Business Review, Jul-Aug, 1998
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Background
The case is about conflict between two
employees of an Off-Site team inImpression Corporation and the dilemmaof their manager
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Impression Corp. introduced flexible timing
and work location 2.5 years ago
People communicate extensively overintranet chat room, email, phone, voicemail with face-to-face meeting at least
once in 2 weeksEmployees wanted such anarrangement and it helped to increase
their productivity.Helped in providing more in-prompturesponses to client proposal
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Craig Head of thecustomer facing
business-to-businessdivision
Penelope (Penny) Team member,slightly authoritative Couple of years
junior to Allison
Allison Team member,honest hard workingworker, quite emotional
Maggie HR Head,Trying to help Craig
Characters
Peer worktogether
share a long historyof conflict it
aggravated since theystarted working
offsite
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History of Conflicts Between Allison and Penny
It started even when people used to work
from site (office building) Allison once complained to Craig that Penny
has blamed her in front of the client
Craig intervened and Penny accepted hermistake
Craig thought the relationship between them
was good since then Their joint work won accolades and awards!
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Both currently working together on Pnobscottcampaign project
Penny first and later on Allison took theoption more than a year agoPenny is on-site more frequently than Allison
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Recent Events (Chronologically) Tuesday, Apr 21
1. Will not be able to work at full potential ifhas to work with Penny and it will also affectthe ongoing project with Pnobscott
2. Penny is behaving like supervisor andcausing stress in the team offered to playthe role of unofficial team leader
3. Insinuated in the name of performancereview and bonus
All 3 of us should meetface to face.
Lets meet on Mondaywhen all available
Lets meettomorrow f2f todiscuss Pnobscotproject
Penny
Craig
Allison
Voice mailEmail
Call wheneverget a chance
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Recent Events (Chronologically)Wednesday, Apr 22
1. Not in office today letsmeet tomorrow
2. Need to discuss anothermatter regarding Allison
3. Her performance is erratic
and you need to step in
Penny Craig
Voice mail
Email
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Recent Events (Chronologically)Thursday, Apr 23
1. Spoke about the project2. Penny : we can talk later together.
There had been some tension but meand Allison are working it out.
Penny Craig
Voice mail
Email
Face to face
I was disturbed to know that you met Penny 1:1without my knowledge !!
The situation has been building for quite sometime and even last week Penny contradicted infront of the client (happened in the past also)
When I expressed concern, she had said thatshed had difficulty with email but thats not true
She seems to have personal vendetta against me Will look for an alternate appointment if continues
1. MeetingwithPennywasregardingprojectONLY
Did not discuss
conflict
3 of us will meet
f2f mon9:30
Allison
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Recent Events (Chronologically)
Friday, Apr 24
Craig: We are doing the best work we have ever done. But I amtotally disconnected from the people I manage even though I ammore connectedto them than I have ever been. Managing 20people working at diff. times and from diff. location is difficult
Both of them know of many examples how flexi time/location havehelped employees to maintain work-life balance and in turnincreases their effectiveness and productivity
Craig questioned the utility of flexi-time/location option which wasproposed by Maggies HR team
Craig
Face to face
Maggie
But how to handlesuch conflicts arising
due to lack ofcommunication?
How will Craig handlePenny and Allison on
Monday?
Roll out flexitime/location?
Limited flexitime/location?
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Monday Meeting
Address immediate issue between Allison & Penny
Craig take primary responsibility and let people vent outinstead of scrutinizing and suggesting
Setup 1:1 with each of them
There is a larger issue in terms of group meetings
Such an incident may not be disparate and may bethere are more similar concerns
This team needs to meet
Formal review meeting with group once/twice a week Craig should do weekly/biweekly f2f with individual
employees
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As things are going out of control some stricterpolicy is required, at least for the time being, atthe cost of employees
e.g. Employees should be available between11AM - 2 PM
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Craig and His Management Style
Craig appears to be a relaxedleader and loves togive freedom to employees
He lets things shape up/conflicts get resolvedautomatically over time
But, should management style change dependingon if you are managing on-site, off-site, some
combination of them? Not sure but alternative work programs require muchmore extra commitment from manager and employees
People need to overcommunicate
It requires to develop agreement between people andaccept the shared accountability of miscommunication
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Craig is slightly arbitrary too many emails
and voice-mails even when he is seeing thereis miscommunication led conflict in the teamHe (and possibly other management) should
undergo training on how to manage an off-siteteam HR steps in !No clear leadership/hierarchy defined
Preferential treatment towards Penny
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Flexi time/location : Policy and Governance The program appears to be defined in an
adhoc manner without clear guidelines
such as minimum/mandatory period to bespent in office
No assessment process to identify eligiblecandidates
It is good to be employee focused but too
much of that may hurt shared organizationgoal
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What is conflictWhat is conflictnormally?normally?
`A disagreement between peoplethat may be the result of different:
Ideas Perspective
Priorities Preferences
Beliefs
Values
Goals
Organizational structures
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Conflict Involves Emotions: What you feel is
important
Perceptions: What you see atstake
Behaviors: How you act with
others
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Sources of ConflictSources of Conflict.... warning:warning:1. Ambiguous jurisdictions:
`I dont know who has the authority onthat issue.
2. Conflict of interest:
`He deserved that position rather thatperson
3. Communication barriers:
`They never returned the phone calls.announced.
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4. Unresolved prior conflicts:`We always have a problem with SGS lab
about the final report.
5. Over dependency of one party:`We will have to wait till the budget is made
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Conflict defined: Is a process that begins when one
party perceives that another partyhas negatively affected, or is aboutto negatively affect, something that
the first party cares about. Is that point in an ongoing activity
when an interaction crosses overto become an inter party conflict.
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Conflict defined:
Encompasses a wide range of
conflicts that people experience inorganizations Incompatibility of goals
Differences over interpretations of facts
Disagreements based on behavioralexpectations.
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Misconceptions about ConflictMisconceptions about Conflict
Harmony is `normal.
Conflict is `abnormal.
Conflict & disagreements are
same. Conflict is the result of
`personality problem. Conflict & anger are the same.
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Transitions in Conflict Thought:
Causes:
Poor communication
Lack of openness
Failure to respond to employee needs
Causes:
Poor communication
Lack of openness
Failure to respond to employee needs
Traditional View of Conflict:
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must beavoided
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Transitions in Conflict Thought (contd) Human Relations View of Conflict:
The belief that conflict is a naturaland inevitable outcome in any group.
Interactionist View of Conflict:
The belief that conflict is not only a positive force
in a group but that it is absolutely necessary
for a group to perform effectively.
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Organizational Conflict:
Conflict is inevitable given the widerange of goals for the differentstakeholder in the organization.
Lack of conflict signals that
management emphasizes conformityand stifles innovation.
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Conflict is good fororganizational performance
although excessive conflictcauses managers to spend toomuch time achieving their own
ends.
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Conflict and Unit Performance
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Types of ConflictTypes of Conflict
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Functional ConflictFunctional Conflict
Functional (or constructive) conflictResults in positive benefits to
individuals, the group, or theorganization.Likely effects
Important problems surface so they can beaddressed.
Causes careful consideration of decisions.
Causes reconsideration of decisions. Increases information available for decision
making. Provides opportunities for creativity.
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Dysfunctional ConflictDysfunctional Conflict
Dysfunctional (or destructive) conflictWorks to the disadvantage of individuals, the
group, or the organization.
Likely effects Diverts energies.
Harms group cohesion.
Promotes interpersonal hostilities. Encourages stereotyping
Creates overall negative environment for workers.
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Type of Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over contentand goals of the work.
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships isdysfunctional
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets done - low levels
of this conflict are functional
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Levels of Conflict
Organisational
Inter-group
Interpersonal
Intra-individ
ual
Micro
Macro
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Conflict due to Frustration
Occurs when a motivated drive is blocked
before a person reaches a desired goal.
Defense mechanisms
Aggression: Theft, violence Withdrawal apathetic
Fixation Rules become ends and thefrustrated employee adapts to the barrier
Compromise Mid career changes ,seek
fulfillment outside the job
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Mullins: Management and Organisational Behaviour, 7th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005
OHT 12.10
A basic model of frustration
Figure 12.3
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Goal Conflict
Arises when a Goal has both positiveand negative features or two or more
competing goals Approach-approach conflict- Two or more
positive but mutually exclusive goals
Approach-avoidance conflict Motivated to
approach a goal and the same time avoid it
Avoidance-avoidance conflict Avoid two ormore negative but mutually exclusive goals
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Role Conflict and Ambiguity Role is defined as a position that
has expectations evolving fromestablished norms
A study of international JVs showed
that this conflict is lower when theforeign partner was dominant -inversely related to cultural distance
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Types of Role conflict
Person and the role between thepersons personality and theexpectations of the role
Intrarole Contradictory
expectations about how a given roleshould be played
Interrole - Differing requirements oftwo or more roles that must beplayed at the same time
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InterpersonalConflict
Occurs between two or
more individuals who are inopposition to one another.
Personal differences -
Everyone has a uniquebackground because of
different values, socialization
etc.
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Information deficiency two people inconflict are using different information
or that one or both havemisinformation.
Role incompatibility Managers have
highly interdependent functions &
tasks but their individual roles may be
incompatible Environmental stress
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Intra Group conflict Substantive conflict
Conflict that is based on intellectualdisagreement among group members
Affective conflict
Based on emotional responses to a
situation or when interactingindividuals have incompatible styles
or personalities.
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Thank you