Negotiation strategies for resolving workplace conflicts

Conflict, Decision-Making and Organizational Design

Conflict, Decision Making and Organizational Design

Conflict is particularly common in organizations and are among the major causes of poor performance by employees. This leads to low production by the organization. Therefore, the organization comes up with various ways of solving the conflicts and an example of these ways is negotiation: To confer with another person for the purpose of reaching to an agreement for an issue; also organize or bring about such a discussion. However, for negotiation to be effective, the conflicting parties must apply various negotiation strategies in order to come to an agreement. The most common negotiation strategies applied to address potential conflicts in the workplace mainly include:

Effective preparation: this mainly involves gathering adequate information about the other party in the conflict. It also involves collecting enough information about the field of conflict. During the preparatory stage of a negotiation, parties conduct deep and intensive research so as to arm themselves with ammunition that they will use in the war called negotiations. The final success of the negotiation process hinges on the thoroughness of the preparation phase of the negotiation process (Hodgkinson & Starbuck, 2007). This ensures that one does not run out of ideas during the negotiation process.

Proper articulation: this is the ability to present ones thoughts and ideas effectively. During negotiation, the presenting party should be direct in giving ideas. That is, minimizing wordiness when explaining a situation. Also, the party should be clear while stating the thoughts. Proper articulation ensures that the ideas and thoughts are clear to both parties and thus the ability to establish a common ground while discussing an issue. Proper articulation helps the parties in the negotiation process to reach a common ground (Daft, 2010). Compromise is a common place event in most articulation. Before this is achieved, the parties must all understand each other via a properly articulated negotiations.

Diagnose one's strengths and weaknesses: this strategy enables one to plan effectively and thus base the negotiation on the strengths and avoid the weak areas. This strategy ensures that, one brainstorms on all the loopholes the opponent may take advantage of and thus avoid them. A candid understanding of the opponent's weaknesses will help one use it to his own advantage. Interestingly, a clear understanding of ones own strength will place them at a better negotiating position.

Managing behavior: this strategy allows one to use constructive behavior at the negotiating tables. These may include focusing on the interests of the conflicting parties rather than on their positions. It also includes avoiding making premature judgements that may aggravate the problem. Therefore, one should have the ability to separate the people at the negotiating table from the problem. This strategy is crucial considering the dynamic nature of a particular workforce. When behaviors are managed then the negotiations can be successful (Hodgkinson & Starbuck, 2007).

Integrative negotiation: this is a strategy that allows a wide range of solutions to the problem leading to the conflict. This strategy ensures that the conflicting parties are able to have a wide field of solutions from which they can choose from, thus resolving the problem and reaching an agreement (Daft, 2010). Negotiations that approach the discovery of a solution from an integrative angle will ensure that all alternatives are considered before a final choice is made. With proper application of the above strategies, the conflicts that arise in the work place will be solved and concluded amicably.

Evidence-based management in the workplace

Evidence-based management refers to a commitment to make informed and intelligent decisions basing on the best available hard facts (Daft, 2010). It uses scientific research findings to identify effective management practices that lead to high organizational performance. Proffer & Sutton has advanced various guidelines for using evidence-based management. Firstly, managers should avoid using old ideas and practices presented as new. This creates distrust and resistance towards the management of employees. Secondly, managers should take caution about embracing lone 'gurus'. Note that, rarely, knowledge from lone gurus does not guide effective decision-making. Knowledge should be generated from all the human resource in the organization and thirdly, managers should recognize and diagnose potential disadvantages of a new idea or practice. This should be done before and during implementation of the idea. Remember that, the idea should be fully supported by hard facts.

However, evidence-based management faces various limitations in its application, in the organization. Firstly, fact-based decision-making can be challenging. This is mainly evident when it comes to choosing the facts to be followed and the ones to be dismissed. Note that, data to be used in decision-making should be relevant and logical, and determination of this is quite difficult. Secondly, evidence-based management does not adequately address the value of judgement and intuition. This is mainly in situations of high uncertainty and risk which is a common phenomenon facing the management team while making strategic decisions. However, for the management to avoid these limitations, it should foster a culture of observation, experimentation and inquiry while coming up with ideas (Daft, 2010). Also, the organization should encourage diversity in terms of age, gender, expertise and experience to facilitate diverse ideas and opinions during the decision-making process.

Organizational design

It is a pattern of interactions and coordination that links the technology, tasks and labor of the organization to enable the organization to accomplish its purpose ( Taylor & Francis, 2011). There are various factors that affect the organizational design. These are mainly environmental and strategic factors. Environmental factors include; suppliers- these are people who supply the organization with high quality raw materials and at affordable prices; distributors- deal with delivery of organizational products to consumers (Daft, 2010). Distributors should be effective and be able to beat deadlines; competitors- are other organizations in the industry that drive the organization to be more productive and lastly, customers- are the consumers of the organizational products and services.

Strategic factors mainly comprise of; low-cost strategy- this is a factor that forces the organization to provide products and services cheaper than its competitors (Hodgkinson & Starbuck, 2007). This leads to a functional organization design; differentiation strategy- here, the organization provides products and services distinctive from its rivals. This leads to a product organization design; corporate strategy- are situations whereby the organization strives to create a reputation that gives it a brand name with which to identify with.

In conclusion, the organization structures into various organizational designs depending with the factor affecting it. These organizations mainly apply evidence-based management in their decision making mostly when choosing negotiation strategies to apply in conflict resolution. And by so doing the organization in question ensures that all of its employees are kept happy.