Group conflict simulation

As part of group work for our Persuasive Communication unit my group and I had to create a conflict simulation workshop that would enable managers with the necessary skills to resolve conflict when it arises in the workplace. Our chosen topic of conflict was a pay rise as this is an area of conflict that everyone will experience at least once in his or her working life.

Our chosen theory for our simulation was “Address the concern, not the emotion” Fisher & Shapiro (2007).  This theory is made up of 5 stages:

§  Appreciation

§  Affiliation

§  Autonomy

§  Status

§  Role

The main purpose of our negotiation was to find a common ground for employee Dorothy Smith and her manager. Dorothy was requesting a pay rise of 10% but her manager was not willing to do this as the company only allows a pay rise of 5%.  Dorothy is a mother of three and spends a lot of time in the office and not enough time at home.  Our theory came into work within the negotiation as Dorothy’s manager needed to address the concerns of Dorothy, why she wasn’t happy and what he could do to make everything better for both Dorothy and himself.

Fisher & Shapiro defined the theory as an application of the appraisal theory.  They suggest that positive thoughts bring positive results and negative bring forth negative results. In the negotiation meeting it was important the manager did not suppress the feelings of Dorothy but address the five steps of the theory.

When putting the theory into practice Dorothy’s manager was able to find a suitable conflict resolution for both individuals giving Dorothy a 5% pay rise with additional privileges which gives her more time for her children. The manager was able to leave the meeting a happy man as he had made his employee happy.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts below J

Can humour defuse conflict negotiations?

Is laughter always the best medicine? Psychologists have said that laughter relieves tension and stress, elevates mood, and enhances creativity and boost friendship. But the real question is, is it professional to be using humour as a tool to help dissolve conflict in the workplace? Laughter can help to build strong relationships and bring people closer together but what happens when the other party doesn’t find your humour funny?

Professionalism is key when negotiating with an employee, you need the employee to respect your position within the company but you do not want them to be fearful of you. Having a one to one conversation with an employee to find a conflict resolution means that you need to relay to the employee that you empathise with them. But is it ever acceptable to try and make a joke out of the situation?

When conflict throws a wrench in your working relationship, humour can be the only solution to establishing the working relationship that was once there as it can help lighten things up and restore a sense of connection. If humour is implemented correctly to help defuse a conflict negotiation it can be very beneficial to both the employee and the manager. Humour can help to turn tension, awkwardness and conflict into laughter and help you to gain better understanding of the needs of the other party. Humour helps you express your opinions and needs to the other party without being disrespectful.

Case Study

Mandy is 35 and works at a corporate company in London. Mandy and her manager are having a conflict negotiation meeting about a pay rise she has been requesting for numerous months and each time has been declined. The problem is Mandy is requesting a 20% pay rise and her manager will not allow this. Mandy has been feeling upset and angry as she feels that all the work she has put into the company has gone unrecognised and believes that she deserves a pay rise. Mandy’s boss recognises how important she is as an employee and does not want to lose her, he is hoping that empathising with Mandy and incorporating humour into the negotiation will soften her up and they will be able to mutually come to a resolution that will be suitable for both parties.  Mandy’s boss acknowledges that Mandy is an adrenaline junkie and brings this up at their meeting; her boss then begins to play on this using humour, it helps to break the ice between the pair. In the end Mandy and her manager are able to come to an understanding that she will be given a 10% pay rise with an extra days annual leave.

Is it ever acceptable to use humour to defuse a situation within the workplace knowing that it could have a detrimental impact on the relationship between the manager and employee if not executed properly?

Please feel free to leave your thoughts below J

Is Conflict in the workplace always a bad thing?

Conflict can originate in many forms in the workplace, it is inevitable and normal that conflict will arise as working relationships are tested on a daily basis in a working environment. It could be employees arguing amongst themselves, or it could even be conflict between a manager and an employee. Disagreements will always occur in the workplace but it’s how you deal with it that matters.  The Marxist theory states “society is a dynamic entity constantly undergoing change driven by class conflict”. This theory could be used to support the reasoning as to why conflict is a recurring factor in the workplace.

There will always be hierarchy in the workplace and this can cause conflict to occur, employees may feel that they are not respected or appreciated enough by their managers. This can then cause employees to become withdrawn, they might start to slack on the standard of work they produce and tension may start to arise between the employees and their manager. The role of the manager is to use conflict as a benefit to the company, as it can help to build on relationships, boost sales and income and it can also help to form new working relationships.

As children we have all had experience in losing in a conflict situation with our parents, so do you think this is why we view conflict as a negative thing? Is this the reason why many of us think there is no positive outcome of a conflict situation? Preventing conflict through consultation requires communication. As communicators send and receive messages, there is enormous opportunity for slippage in the sequence of what is meant, said, heard, or understood” (Hocker and Wilmot 1991).

I don’t think managers are always aware of just how important it is to have conflict in the workplace; it can help to improve the communication between managers and employees within the workplace. Dialogue is the key element when trying to find a conflict resolution; the manager has to remain firm but empathic and non-blameful at the same time. This will allow the employee to feel comfortable speaking to the manager; this will then help to break down any other barriers of communication that may arise later on in the workplace.

Feel free to leave your thoughts below J