Class 10 - conflict management Flashcards
What is conflict
- disagreement in values or beliefs w/in oneself or between people that causes harm of the potential to cause harm
- if successfully managed, can produce high quality, creative solutions
What is the goal when it comes conflict
create a work environment that uses conflict constructively as a way to recognize differences, create innovation, and productivity
What is the direct cost of conflict
- decreased managerial productivity
- turnover costs, disability/stress claims
- costs associated w/ increased expenditures for pts w/ preventable, poor, or adverse outcomes
- litigation costs and lost work time (chronic illness, stress)
What are the results of unresolved conflict
- Negativities, resistance, and increased frustration that inhibit movement
- Decrease in or absence of resolutions
- Group divisions and weakened relationships
- Decreased productivity
- Decreased employee satisfaction levels
What is indirect cost of conflict
- loss of team morale
- loss of motivation for organizational change
- damaged workplace relationships
- unresolved tensions that lead to future conflicts
- reputation of an organization and of care professionals; negative publicity/media coverage
- emotional costs
What are factors for managing conflict
- context
- does leadership respect staff concerns
- workplace cultures that condone ‘shame and blame’
- use of compromise to avoid dealing with the conflict
- understanding that stress leads to poor patient outcomes `
What are the types of conflict
- intrapersonal: occurs w/in individual
- interpersonal: occurs among 2 or more individuals w/ differing values, goals, or beliefs
- personal (group): occurs between a person and group
- intergroup: occurs between 2 or more groups, departments, or organizations
- intragroup: members in group take sides
What are the four stages of conflict
- frustration
- conceptualization
- action
- outcomes
What are the 5 conflict management styles, according to Thomas & Killmann
- avoiding
- accommodating
- compromising
- competing
- collaborating
Describe avoiding strategy
- one person doesnt pursue concerns with other people
- deny, suppress, or avoid the problem to escape, ‘pass the buck’, or procrastinate
- might withdraw from the situation
- non-confrontational approach
- lose-lose situation (decreased assertiveness, not cooperative)
When is avoiding strategy used
- need ‘cool down’
- acting upon conflict can lead to escalation
- no chance of resolution, or others can resolve conflict
- more info is needed, when issues are trivial or tactical, or no worth the effort
Described compromising strategy
- each part relinquishes something to produce an acceptable decision to both
- democratic, but neither party gets what it wants (everyone is appeased to some degree)
- less time consuming when there is a willingness to bargain
- moderate cooperative and assertive
When is compromise strategy used
- two powerful sides are committed to mutually exclusive goals
- used for temporary solution to complex problem
- time constraints call for a prompts solution
- collaboration and competing fail
Describe accommodating/smoothing strategy
- one party deliberately sacrifices own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other
- compliment, downplay differences, focus on minor disagreements
- reduces the emotional component of the conflict
- focuses on similarities while minimizing differences; preserves harmony + relationship
- non-confrontational
- rarely resolves conflict (creates lose-win situation)
When is accommodating/smoothing strategy used
- appropriate in minor differences
- used when the issue is more important to the other party or if one party is outmatched
- when other people’s solutions appear to be better or when you made a mistake
- ‘builds up credit’ for later
- can be used to save face or when preserving harmonious relationships is important
Describe competing strategy
- one party pursues what is wants regardless of the cost to others
- control oriented approach
- high concern for self, and power oriented
- relies on the use of force or authority
- decisions that are forced tend to produce unsatisfactory results (poor outcomes)
- creates a win-lose situation
When is competing strategy used
- important and unpopular decisions need to be made
- outcome is critical (i.e ER, safety)
- an individual is right about the issues that are vital to group welfare
- used when settling the issue is more important than preserving the relationship
- used with aggressive people or when one party has more knowledge than others
Describe collaboration strategy
- people work together to establish a common priority goal
- all must be open to info sharing
- respect for each others’ knowledge and expertise
- gives a long-term resolution
- goal: mutually solve the problem & find a solution by consensus
- win-win
When is collaboration strategy used
- seeking creative, integrative solutions
- both sides’ concerns are important
- supports a balance between self and others in the workplace
What is the role of the leader in conflict management
- encouraging positive working relations
- fostering open communication and collaborative practices
- developing constructive approaches to conflict
- role modelling professionalism
What is horizontal violence
an act of aggression that’s perpetuated by one colleague toward another colleague
Define violence, according to WHO
- intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual
- results in injury, death, or psychological harm
how does violence affect nursing
affects recruitment & retention
Interpersonal violence examples
- client/family to RN
- lateral/horizontal/bulling between HCP
What does interpersonal violence look like in client/family to RN
- swearing & verbal abuse
- threats of violence
- hitting, spitting, physical and sexual assault
- highest in mental health, ER, and long-term
Recommended ways for leaders to prevent client/family violence to RN
- violence risk assessment tool
Education - using risk assessment tool
- recognizing triggers
- using de-escalation techniques
What is interpersonal violence between HCP
horizontal/lateral violence/ bullying: psychological harassment towards those less powerful than themselves
What does interpersonal violence look like between HCP
- gossip
- innuendo (verbal/nonverbal)
- scapegoating
- passive-aggressive behaviour
- disrespecting privacy
- bullying
What can bullying w/in the health care system result in
- increases job stress
- reduces productivity
- decreases morale
- increases staff turnover
- causes loss of trust in the organization
What are preventive strategies for interpersonal violence
- proactive approach (zero tolerance policies)
- risk assessment
- named and raised at staff meetings
- training in conflict management
- use behavioural and de-escalation techniques
- reporting that does not lead to reprisal
What was the workplace bullying module acronyn
BEE
- behaviour
- experience
- expectation
What should be included when filing a formal written complaint
- what happen?
- when?
- why did it happen?
- what do you want done now?
