Conflict Within My Team example essay topic

Conflict Resolution What does conflict resolution mean to me? Conflict resolution is when an impartial or neutral person puts a plan into action to resolve and settle issues within an organization or a team. In the business world today a great amount of focus is being placed on employees working as team unit to increase new ideas, distribute more job responsibilities among a larger group, and most important create a unified front and camaraderie. Along with advantages there are always disadvantages, wherever there are teams, there is a chance for conflict. Conflict is almost a guarantee. As long as team members possess the ability to think independently, there will always be a difference of opinion.

Conflict can be difficult to resolve, but there are many resolutions that can prove to be effective when used properly and can make a considerable difference in any team setting. In the article - Conflict Resolution - a key ingredient in successful teams, the team in question has a specific problem but cannot make a compromise on any of the suggested ideas, therefore causing their productivity to suffer and send team morale to an all time low. "Although many people and organizations view conflict as an activity that is usually negative and should be avoided, conflict is a natural result of people working together. Without conflict, complacency in teams can occur and the development of the team and / or team member can be seriously impeded (Capozzoli, Thomas K., pg. 14)". The employees in the article are lacking the skills to resolve their conflict. It is extremely vital to the livelihood of a team for the team members to be able use conflict resolutions or reach out to another individual who has conflict resolution skills.

Is conflict constructive or destructive? Conflict can be good for a team if the members involved in the conflict learn some type of lesson about the issue. It also can create a solution for future problems with different individuals. It can create a sense of unity and fresh ideas on ways to resolve the conflict. Conflict can also be a very destructive force to an organization if after all is said and done, conflict continues without a resolution. It creates chaos instead of camaraderie and divides teams or different groups of people.

What causes conflict? There are numerous reasons that conflict may arise within a team. A team with many different people includes many different personalities, cultures, values, attitudes, needs, expectations, etc. In order to resolve conflict it is very important to follow a few steps: 1. Analyze the reason for the disagreement. 2.

Create several solutions or options for all parties involved. 3. Make sure all involved agree on the solution. 4.

Implement the solution immediately, time is of the essence. 5. Follow up on the situation and the solution. 6. Make sure that if the situation or something similar arise, make sure you practice the resolution again. How conflict resolution affects me personally?

My field of expertise is in Customer Service, supervising customer service representatives and resolving conflict on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. If I am not encountering conflict with my customers, then I am dealing with conflict within my team. I am very good about following a game plan when it comes to resolving conflict. I find that it is important to be objective, practical, and most of all consistent and fair. Do you encounter conflict in your profession?

If so, what steps or plan of action do you take to resolve it?

Bibliography

Capozzoli, Thomas, K. (1999).
Conflict resolution - a key ingredient in successful teams. National Research Bureau, Volume 60, Issue 11, 14-16. Retrieved March 7, 2003, from University of Phoenix database library.