Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Styles
Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Style
Robert Jeans
COM/330
January 23, 2012
David Bonilla
Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Style
Conflict management is the detriment of many teams or groups in accomplishing its goals. This is because most people do not understand the different conflict styles and how to apply the rules and principles associated with the style you may be dealing with. In this paper I will analyze three of the five management styles discussed in the textbook Communication in Small Groups. Avoidance and competition are two styles that I believe have the greatest effect on hindering a group or team from accomplishing its goals. Collaboration, however, is a style that I believe is most effective in assisting a team in attaining its goals. This is a style that I use not only in my professional life but also in my personal life and have seen the difference this style of conflict management makes on individuals who are approached with this technique.
Avoidance, according to the Collins English Dictionary is “the act of keeping away from or preventing from happening.” This definition sums up the reason I believe that of the five conflict managing styles, this one is among the top reasons some teams fail at achieving their goals. Whether it is just that a person does not like confrontation, are afraid to voice his or her true opinions out of fear, or simply do not want to hurt another person’s feelings, the simple fact remains that the team may not be aware of everything they need to consider. They miss the opportunity to be more objective in reaching an educated decision on the goals the team is trying to attain. This can also lead to members of the team feeling as though a member does not care and give them reason to discount whatever input that member may have. It is important to remember that there are certain instances when avoidance is needed to move the team along. For instance if what is causing the conflict is something trivial
Robert Jeans
COM/330
January 23, 2012
David Bonilla
Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Style
Conflict management is the detriment of many teams or groups in accomplishing its goals. This is because most people do not understand the different conflict styles and how to apply the rules and principles associated with the style you may be dealing with. In this paper I will analyze three of the five management styles discussed in the textbook Communication in Small Groups. Avoidance and competition are two styles that I believe have the greatest effect on hindering a group or team from accomplishing its goals. Collaboration, however, is a style that I believe is most effective in assisting a team in attaining its goals. This is a style that I use not only in my professional life but also in my personal life and have seen the difference this style of conflict management makes on individuals who are approached with this technique.
Avoidance, according to the Collins English Dictionary is “the act of keeping away from or preventing from happening.” This definition sums up the reason I believe that of the five conflict managing styles, this one is among the top reasons some teams fail at achieving their goals. Whether it is just that a person does not like confrontation, are afraid to voice his or her true opinions out of fear, or simply do not want to hurt another person’s feelings, the simple fact remains that the team may not be aware of everything they need to consider. They miss the opportunity to be more objective in reaching an educated decision on the goals the team is trying to attain. This can also lead to members of the team feeling as though a member does not care and give them reason to discount whatever input that member may have. It is important to remember that there are certain instances when avoidance is needed to move the team along. For instance if what is causing the conflict is something trivial
References: avoidance. (n.d.). Collins english dictionary - Complete & unabridged (10th ed.) Retrieved January 22, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/avoidance Beebe, S.A., & Masterson, J.T. (2009). Communicating in small groups: Principles and practices (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Desivilya, H., Somech, A., & Lidgoster, H. (2010). Innovation and Conflict Management in Work Teams: The Effects of Team Identification and Task and Relationship Conflict. Negotiation & Conflict Management Research, 3(1), 28-48.