Please note that there are three posts needed to successfully complete the discussion board assignment.
Post 1: Initial post addressing the discussion board topic.
Think of a recent conflict you have been involved in and describe which of these five conflict management styles you used. Which of the five styles do you believe the other party in your conflict employed? In hindsight, would a different conflict management style have been more effective?
- Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length and include one in-text citation from Chapter Ten of the text.
Post 2: Response post to a classmate. Post to others should be a minimum of 100 words.
Cassandra MuelleR
I think conflict is normal in the workplace, especially when people have different opinions or expectations about how something should be handled. I recently had a situation where another person and I had different ideas about how to handle a work responsibility. We both had our own reasons for thinking our way was the better option, so it became a disagreement.
At first, I used more of an avoiding style. I did not address the disagreement right away because I did not want to make the situation worse. Lussier and Hendon (2021) explain that conflict can happen when expectations are not met or when people see a situation differently (p. 341). Looking back, I think avoiding was probably not the best choice because it did not actually solve the problem.
I think the other person was using more of a forcing style because they were focused on getting their preferred outcome. The textbook describes forcing as an assertive but uncooperative style that creates a win-lose situation (Lussier & Hendon, 2021, p. 351). After some time, we were able to talk about what each of us was concerned about and come to an agreement.
If I could handle the situation again, I would use the collaborating style from the beginning. Collaborating creates a win-win situation because both sides work together to find a solution that meets everyone's needs (Lussier & Hendon, 2021, p. 351). I think addressing the disagreement sooner and focusing on a solution that worked for both of us would have made the situation easier.
Reference
Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2021). Human resource management (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781544396880
Post 3: Response post to a second classmate. Post to others should be a minimum of 100 words.
Camden Wisner
A recent conflict I experienced involved a disagreement with a coworker about how responsibilities should be handled during a busy work period. The situation became stressful because both of us felt that our workload was not being divided equally. Instead of immediately addressing the issue, we both became focused on defending our own viewpoints. Looking back, I believe I used the avoiding conflict management style at first because I wanted to prevent the disagreement from becoming worse. However, avoiding the issue only delayed the conversation and allowed frustration to build.
The other person involved in the conflict appeared to use the competing style because they strongly focused on their own position and wanted their approach to be accepted. While being assertive can sometimes be useful when quick decisions are needed, it can also create tension when the other person feels their concerns are not being considered. Lussier and Hendon (2021) explain that conflict management styles vary based on the level of concern for oneself and concern for others, and choosing the appropriate style depends on the situation.
In hindsight, I believe the collaborating style would have been more effective. This approach would have allowed both of us to communicate our concerns, listen to each other, and work toward a solution that addressed both perspectives. A collaborative conversation could have improved teamwork and prevented the conflict from affecting our working relationship. Conflict is unavoidable in the workplace, but handling disagreements respectfully can strengthen communication and improve team performance.
Reference
Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2021). Human resource management (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Before beginning this post, review the section, Managing Conflict, in Chapter 10 of your textbook (Lussier & Hendon, 2021). Review the five conflict management styles: avoiding, accommodating, forcing, negotiating, and collaborating. It is very important that you use this Human Resource Mangement text for the course, no other Human Resource Management text will be accepted as a source.
APA format for the text is: Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2021). Human Resource Management (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
(US). https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781544396880
For an intext citation, the formatting would be (Lussier & Hendon, 2021, p 1) Very important to include the page number.