Conflict and Stress Flashcards
conflict management styles
- dispositional
- situational
Dispositional
Individuals usually have a “preferred” style
Situational
- there are some situations where the style may be more or less effective
- Be sure to assess the situation in order to determine the effectiveness of the style.
Conflict Dynamics
- Desire to win becomes more important than the solution
- Concealing information
- (-)ve stereotypes of others and boosting of self-image exacerbated
- Increase group cohesiveness
- Reduced between-group interaction
- Aggressive people, skilled at engaging in conflict, may emerge as leaders
- Result: conflict takes on a life of its own. It becomes a prob itself.
Group Identification and Intergroup Bias
- The identification with a particular group or class of people.
- People develop a more positive view of their own “in-group” and a less positive view of the “out-group.”
- Self-esteem is a critical factor.
- Attributing positive behavior to your own group should contribute to your self-esteem.
Benefits of Conflict
- There are some potential benefits of organizational conflict.
- Conflict can be functional when it improves decision making and promotes necessary organizational change.
Constructive Conflict
- is most likely to promote good decisions and positive organizational change.
- the parties to the conflict agree that its benefits outweigh the costs.
Conflict Stimulation
- A strategy of increasing conflict to motivate change.
- managing conflict well can spark creativity and stimulate innovation
How does a manager guage the need for conflict?
- Some signals
- ‘Friendly rut’
- Lack of interaction, even when needed.
Conflict suppression
Denial of differences/exaggerating agreement
uneasiness associated with conflict is associated with
- Lack of understanding of the causes and forms of conflict
- Lack of confidence in one’s ability to manage it effectively.
Stress
Psychological reaction to the demands inherent in a stressor that have the potential to make a person feel tense or anxious.
Substantial societal cost burden due to the impact of work stress on productivity loss and damaged health.
Stressors
environmental events or conditions that have the potential to induce stress
Challenge Stressors
Associated with workload, pressure to complete tasks, time urgency.
Hindrance Stressors
Stressors that keep you from reaching your goals (red tape, office politics, confusion over responsibilities, etc.)
Stress reactions
are the behavioral, psychological, and physiological consequences of stress.
Passive reactions:
Over which the individual has little direct control.
Active reactions:
try to cope with the stressor itself or reduce anxiety generated.