Chapter 7

Question 1

Define conflict

Answer 1

When two or more values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature, have not been aligned or are incompatible. It may manifest itself as a disagreement or argument but may also show as negative gossip, lack of interaction or co-operation or as reduced motivation and performance.

Question 2

What is synergy?

Answer 2

the sum of the whole is greater than any one individual part. Therefore, it is important to value differences, respect them and build on them.
It is also about recognising that diversity often means working with contradictory values, perspectives and opinions. This suggests that, at worst, conflict is inevitable and, at best, it is part of how we grow and evolve.

Question 3

What are the positives and negatives of conflicts?

Answer 3

+ Helps raise, clarify and address problems
+ Can raise energy levels
+ Helps people learn how to recognise and benefit from differences

- Can be a problem when it is avoided and deliberatley put out of sight/ ignored
- Can have a negative impact on productivity by lowering morale
- Can be a problem when it increases
- Can cause innapropriate behaviours

Question 4

Conflict may arise for a wide variety of reasons, what can cause a negative response?

Answer 4

• Leadership style/ power such as passing blame or responsbility onto others
• Responsibility lack of clarity on roles so there is an overlap or disagreement on who does what
• Competition how ‘fair’ a situation is seen to be
• Goals are both individual and team goals aligned?
• Information poor levels of communication - one party does not have full details
• Methods the way an individual approaches something may well differ from the approach adopted by someone else
• Values or personal chemistry an individual may do something that another wouldnt deem appropriate.

Clue: Louise really cant get in my video

Question 5

What may trigger an angry response from a customer?

Answer 5

• Broken promises
• Misunderstandings
• Interpersonal differences
• Feelings and emotions

Question 6

What are the 4 stages of escalation of conflict (not complaint)

Answer 6

1) Initial dissatisfaction with customer consultant
2) Request to speak to team leader or supervisor
3) Referral to a department manager
4) Referral to chief executive

Question 7

What is the difference between conflict and a complaint?

Answer 7

Whilst one can lead to another, they are seperate. Conflicts that are escalated to a line manager or cheif exec may be resolved without an expression of dissatisfcation thus never a complaint is never made

Question 8

Organisations have policies in place for outlining how conflict should be handled (whether internal conflict or external). These guidelines will what?

Answer 8

• Provide a clear proviess outlining how cases should be handled (thus ensures consistant approach)
• Ensures the matters are taken seriously so it can deliver customer service and support staff
• Provide confidence and reassurance to those handeling a conflict themselves that a process will be followed

Question 9

What are some benefits to organisations by having policies and guidelines for managing conflict?

Answer 9

• Support compliance and regulation FCA obligations to ensure the fair treatment of all customers. Of the 6 consumer outcomes, 1 states: consumers can be confident that they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corproate culture.
• Help maintain morale and motivation as staff know what to do if conflict does arise
• Comply with health and safety regulations
  Employers have to provide a safe place of work for employees. If issues of conflict are not resolved, this can have an impact on an employees health which could breach a H&S regulation.
• Improve industrial relations as staff know that they are supported when faced with a conflict and so are less likely to escalate to industrial action. Conflict management is dealth with by HR, when not managed, conflict can lead to widespread disengagement and reduced productivity which can escalate to industrial action.

Question 10

What are the 5 conflict management strategies?

Identified by Ken Thomas and Ralph Kilmann in 1974, these 5 are AKA the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

Answer 10

1) Avoid - hoping problem will go away
2) Accomodate - satisfies other needs but not your own
3) Compete - satisfies own needs but not the other
4) Collaborate - satisfies both positions
5) Compromise - both parties sacrifice so neither get quite what they want

Question 11

Explain the advanatages of the avoid conflict management stratedgy

Answer 11

• Saves time
• Reduces stress
• Circumstances may change which makes things more favourable
• If emotions are running high, it allows time to cool down

Question 12

Explain the disadvantages of the avoid conflict management stratedgy

Answer 12

• Does not solve anything
• Could make things worse
• Could adversely affect working relationships, communication and performance

Question 13

What are the advantages of the accommodate conflict management strategy?

Answer 13

+ Helps someone
+ Restores harmony/ avoids conflict
+ Fast outcome

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of the accommodate conflict management strategy

Answer 14

- Only works when comprising is not a great deal to you
- Loss of self respect
- Sets the wrong tone and expectations

Question 15

What are the advantages of the compete method of conflict management strategy

Answer 15

+ Asserts your position
+ Imposes decisions that are vital to you
+ Quick
+ People know where they stand

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of the compete method of conflict management strategy?

Answer 16

- Reduces cooperation
- May increase conflict
- Makes other party resentful
- Assumes your position is right

Question 17

What are the advantages of a collaborative approach to conflict management?

Answer 17

+ Achieves consensus
+ Achieves high quality results
+ Stronger relationships

Question 18

What are the disadvantages to the collaborative approach to conflict management?

Answer 18

- Needs more time to work through
- Requires trust
- Requires mutual interest and common goals

Question 19

What are the advantages to the compromise approach to conflict management?

Answer 19

+ Saves time
+ Achieves an outcome which would otherwise not be possible
+ Fair

Question 20

What are the disadvantages to the compromise approach to conflict management?

Answer 20

- Neither party gets what they want exactly
- Compromise may not work well
- May not be possible to compromise

Question 21

What are the steps to diffuse conflict?

Answer 21

1) Acknowledge the anger - i know you are upset
2) Allow the person to express their emotions - as they may not be able to concentrate until they have been listened to empathetically
3) Acknowledge and apologise - this is not an acceptance of blame
4) Explore the issue - and playback the understanding to them
5) Agree next steps - what will be done when and by whom
6) Take ownership - offer contact details

Question 22

What can cause conflict to arise between colleagues and what impact could this have?

Answer 22

Differences in personality, experience, expertise, values and beliefs.

This can impact team morale and productivity.

Question 23

What is transactional analysis?

Answer 23

By Eric Berne - a model that can help raise self awareness when we are communicating with others from the state we are in and the others that we are communicating with.

Verbal communication is the centre of human social relationshios and when two people encounter eachother, a transaction takes place. Therefore, when two people are speaking, the speaker is creating a stimulus to which the other person responds.

There are 3 alter egos for each person (Parent, Adult & Child).

When we communicate with someone, we are doing so from one of our own alter ego states, our feelings at the time determine which one we use. However, an uneven relationship can frustrate these results.

Understanding these can help understand communications and choices on how to handle future transactions

Question 24

Outline the 3 alter egos in the trasnactional analysis self awareness model

Answer 24

Parent Derived from what we have learned from others in the past as we have grown up - how we think we are supposed to behave

Adult Appropriate to the present and is governed by awareness and reason. Is not unhealthily influenced by our past.

Child Behaving in ways which we think worked for us in the past. Influenced by thoughts and feelings from childhood with a focus on immediate needs and desires.

Question 25

How does the adult alter ego function?

Answer 25

Listens and tries to understand. Uses knowledge and experience to analyse and assess in a calm and rational manner. They are grounded and aware of their true situation.
However, they can appear cold and unemotional.

Question 26

The parent can be split into 2 ego states, what are they?

Answer 26

Critical parent rarely take responsibility and instead finds fault or blame which can be overbearing and judgemental by preferring to conform. They can create structure, orgnaisation and security. We feel more willing to tell others what to do in this state.

Nuturing parent care for other’s welfare and want them to succeed which may give too much of ourselves or be over indulgent. The compassionate nature allows us to understand and accept other’s feelings.

Question 27

The child can be split into 2 ego states, what are they?

Answer 27

Free child in this state, people can express their emotions without restraint and let others know their desires (which can appear selfish, aggressive or competative)

Adapted child keen to fit in, please and be obedient which can cause submissive or nervous behaviours linked to inferiority. We are friendly and cooperative in this state

Question 28

Explain interaction between the ego states

Answer 28

Complimentary transactions are effective or in other words, the response is from the ego state that was targeted.
E.g. Adult speaks to child, child responds to adult.
If this does not happen, the transaction is crossed and frustration occurs.

However, this is not always enough, if the transaction goes well, is it still appropriate? e.g child to child may be what was intended but is it suitable?