Workplace conflict resolution through negotiation and cultural understanding

¶ … Conflict

The Situation

Conflict is something that we come across in our everyday life-be it at the workplace or in our homes or with the neighbor. The basic source of conflicts is disagreements. In this paper we would restrict ourselves to the conflicts at workplace. There are several aspects in which conflicts at workplace can happen. Conflicts can be between co-workers and between workers and the management or between the management and the union (Lansford, 2008).

The way to resolve conflict at workplace-or for that matter at any other place, is through negotiations. Negotiation is the term that is given to the process of dialogues to resolve disagreements two persons or two groups of persons and when the disagreement is based on interest, goals, values or beliefs (Deutsch & Coleman, 2000). The process through which such parties arrive at a common goal or a possible agreement is termed as negotiation.

The aim of negotiations is to reach an agreement with the disagreeable individual or group of individual through the building of credibility with the opposite side, finding some shared interests, learning the position of the opposite side and sharing the information about the situation (Barkun, 1964). However the important aspect of conflict resolution is to be able to bring the disagreeable parties to the negotiating table.

There are several strategies and ways and approaches that can be used to resolve a conflict. In this case we will limit ourselves to the strategies that can be used to resolve conflicts at workplace.

The Situation

For the study in this paper we take a conflict between the union and the management. The imaginary situation arose after the management show-caused a worker for misconduct at the workplace and has suspended the worker for a month from work. The union is disgruntled as the employee was not given a chance to defend himself before he was suspended (Saundry & Wibberley, 2014). An initial round of talks with the management has failed and the union is adamant on taking on the management head on. There are even chances that there can be a lock out at the establishment threatening to put the production schedule haywire (Lansford, 2008). Let us also assume that as a line manager the manager of the concerned department, the management has given the researcher the initial responsibility of conducting the negotiations.

The Strategies

Strategy 1: Understanding the culture dynamics of conflicts

In any conflict it is important to understand the source of the conflict. It has often been seen that the sources of conflict arise from difference in opinion, values and ideas. Such differences in values and ideas often have their roots in differences of culture. Dynamics and differences in culture can give rise to many misunderstandings which can then become bigger to form conflicts (Behrens, 2007). Thus cultural difference is one of the major reasons for conflicts across the world. The same is true for conflicts at work places. In multicultural organizations there where people from various parts of the world come to work and where there are people from many cultures, there can be several reactions to a situation depending on the culture of the individual and the place from where the individual originates. While a reaction to a situation can be considered to be acceptable to one, the same reaction might be offensive to another. Therefore the context of the situation and the culture the individual belongs to is of prime importance while trying to resolve a conflict at work place (http://www.hawaii.edu, 2015).

In the case at hand it is important for the management to understand the context of the behavior of the employee who was suspended. The management needs to take into consideration whether the individual reacted to a particular situation on purpose or was a spontaneous reaction based on the learning from the culture that individual comes from or belongs to. This would help the management understand the real reason behind the behavior of the employee. Once this is understood, the conflict can be resolved or at least an understanding would be gained about the root cause of the behavior and the resulting conflict.

Strategy 2: Listen empathetically and responsively

Humans are by nature not good communicators. Many of the conflicts since ages have been due to lack of proper communication and the reason of one not intently and empathetically listening to the other. In our everyday life too we are often restless and do not tend to pay much attention when someone else is speaking let alone being and empathic listener (Katz & Flynn, 2013). As already discussed, conflicts are results of miscommunications and differences of opinion and values. Often during a conflict people tend to say more than to listen to the other's position and concerns. Conflicts often arise from fears and insecurity. Such attributes of human feelings can be reduced and sometimes eliminated when one is empathic and responsive to the fears, concerns and insecurity of the other. Conflicts can often be resolved when one or both of the parties are receptive and open to understanding the fears, concerns and aspirations of the other (Poitras, Belair & Byrne, 2005).

In the case at hand, if both the union and the management are empathetic and responsive to the fears and concerns of each other then there would be some degree of common ground for resolution of conflict. Such empathic and responsive attitude can be demonstrated by both parties by listening intently and with complete empathy to the others position and the causes of concern. This strategy is helpful not only in creating a good platform for the two parties before the negotiations but also ensures that the management gives this view to the union that they are understanding and open to logically hear the side of the unions. Such empathic and responsive listening to the other party can result in quick resolution of the conflict between the management and the labor union.

Strategy 3: Search beneath the surface for hidden meanings

Communications that have little connection to the real issues below the surface take the centre stage during a conflict. According to Cloke and Goldsmith (2001), "what is at stake is our capacity for mutual respect, integrity, inner truth, and honest relationships with other" (Cloke & Goldsmith, 2001 p. 113). They claim that the trivial issues of the conflict are rarely the real issues of conflict. There for ethey suggest that one should look below the apparent cause of the conflict to see the dep rooted problem that gave rise to the conflict. Cloke and Goldsmith suggested their idea in form of a figure which they called the iceberg of conflict. The picture is shown below.

(Source:www.dot.stock.com)

Researchers suggest that underlying issues like personality clashes, deep rooted emotional incidents, conflicting interest, needs and desires, self-esteem and prestige, hidden expectations and issues for the past are the prime causes of any conflict. Therefore while attempting to resolve a crisis, one must look beyond the apparent and search for the cause in among these spheres mentioned above (Maltby, 2009).

In the example at hand it is advised that both parties, the unions and the management should look into the real cause of the disagreement and discuss such issues if found to be true before arriving at the apparent problem for the present conflict. This would go a long way in resolving the conflict between the union and the management.

Strategy 5: Separate what matters from what gets in the way

Many of the conflicts in the world and society are based on disagreements about facts and values. While facts can be challenged and debated, it is very unlikely that values can be compromised by any one of the parties. Therefore it is of no worth debating issues that are not objective but subjective like values. It is rather pertinent to debate and fight over facts that can be measured and calibrated and evaluated. Values or other subjective issues do not have this property to the extent necessary for conflict resolution. This also applies to the aspect where one claims their experience and facts to be the truth and absolutely denying the facts presented by the other party (Cloke & Goldsmith, 2011).

In the example at hand, it is pertinent that both the parties debate about what the facts are. In this case from the management point-of-view, the facts are that the worker engaged in misconduct at work and was defiant of the bosses. This is fact that can be supported by material evidence and justifications. Therefore the management should only talk about this fact rather than debating subjective issues like the management is autocratic. From the point-of-view of the labor unions, the fact is that the management did not give the worker a chance to defend himself and this can be proven by material evidence. Therefore restricting the debate and the negotiations to these facts can help resolve the problem.

Strategy 6: Solve problems paradoxically and creatively

The working environment in most organization in the world today is complex and uncertain. This is coupled with increased conflicts at work place which are often of a complex nature (Deutsch & Coleman, 2000). Creative thinking and integration of conflicting ideas is essential for resolving conflicts in the modern business and workplace. It is important for managements to create a paradoxical frame where one can see more than one possibility. A paradoxical frame gives opportunity to an individual to choose between two or more self conflicting ideas and solutions. This encourages the individual to think out of the box and be creative in finding solutions because that individual now has more than one option. Even if such options may be self contradictory, there is opportunity that such options can be combined or the best points of one or more of the options is brought together to arrive at a creative and innovative solution (Miron-Spektor, Gino & Argote, 2011).

In the example at hand, both the management and the unions need sot create more than one option for resolving conflict. The management can look at more than one option for either appeasing the union or antagonizing them by choosing an opposing stand to them. In the same way the unions can make similar choices. This can create the opportunity for both the parties to create a completely new tread for conflict solving, one that was not an option altogether but originated from within the paradoxical options opened up (Reychler, 1979).

Strategy 7: Learn from difficult behaviors

Unfulfilled needs are the revolving stones around which conflict at work revolves. Such needs can be material or psychological like need for control, recognition, affection, and respect. It is understandable that such needs are natural and people would crave to have such needs fulfilled. But when such needs are attempted to be fulfilled by unacceptable or problematic behavior, conflicts arise. Is such behavior is rewarded in any form, then it not only sets a bad precedence but also encourages more such behavior. Therefore it is of importance that such behaviors be avoided and if possible shunted out. In a conflict situation, anyone who demands such behavior be rewarded or recognized, should be identified as being a problem in the solution finding attempts. Therefore one needs to earn from previous experiences of dealing with such individuals or groups and be aware of such behavior to nip them I the bud (http://www.cardiff.ac.uk, 2015).

In the example at hand it is necessary for the management to identify such behavior among the workers and the union and put their foot down about not to conduct or discuss anything about such issues. These would eliminate unnecessary complications in resolving conflict and help the solving attempts become easier.

Strategy 8: Lead and coach for transformation

Unlike conflict resolution, conflict transformation does not try and eliminate or control the conflict. It rather tries to understand and work out a solution with the dialectic nature of the problem. Researchers suggest that every conflict arises out of human relations and which changes or transforms into events and people. In a similar way, transformation of conflict can be made into relationship which was the basis of creation of the conflict (Scott, 2014). Therefore the concept or the strategy deals with the cause and effect of a conflict in both ways. Communication patterns and patterns of organization can be altered when conflict affects relationships. This strategy tries to bring back the conflict to the relationship issue and solve the problem from the aspect of relationship solving (Coffey & Matthewes, 2002).

In the example selected, this strategy can be put to use by trying and rebuilding the relationship between the management and the union so that the negotiations can begin on the basis of mutual relationships rather than based on events and people only.

Strategy 9: Explore resistance and negotiate collaboratively

Every conflict has a flash point and a point where there are chances of solving the problem exists. The aim of any conflict solution is to get to the point where there are more chances of arriving at a solution. In between these points there can be several impediments. Such impediments can be pockets or large roadblocks of resistance to conflict solving. Therefore a successful attempt to solve a conflict should begin with identifying the pockets of resistance and minimizing them. It is also necessary that some common grounds be achieved between the two parties for a solution to be arrived at. Such common grounds can only be achieved by understanding the problems of each other and earnestly working together to come to a solution (Deutsch & Coleman, 2000)..

In the example being discussed, the management and the unions must identify the points of resistance and work to remove such points. Such points can be some issues that tend to derail the problem solving process or certain individuals who try and derail the process. The two parties need to get together and understand each other's point-of-view and then work together in a committed way to arrive a solution.

Strategy 10: Mediate and design systems for prevention

This is a strategy that is used when every possible attempt to resolve conflicts fail. This is essentially a third party intervention who ideally does not have any interest in the conflict. When the two parties have very bitter relations, a third person is brought into the negotiations (Saundry & Wibberley, 2014). The third person can act as a link between the two parties. In the example being considered, a representative from the labor department can be requested to mediate between the management and the union to arrive at a mutually beneficial solution

A design system for conflict resolution involves the creation of a system that automatically takes care of conflicts at work place. Such systems generally consider organizations as a whole and are an integrated procedures rather than catering to individual or isolated incidents. Such systems are beneficial in stopping further escalation and reduce the chances of such conflicts arising in the future. The systems often called integrated conflict management systems and go beyond the resolving of conflict or mediation but includes a systematic approach to preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts (Lansford, 2008). The case being considered can also use this strategy where a third party, preferably from the administration mediates on behalf of both the parties. On the other hand creation of an integrated system would help the management prevent such conflicts in the future.

Conclusion

There are numerous ways to solve conflicts at work. Each of the options has their own strategies and advantages and disadvantages. It is upto the two parties and the graveness of the situation that would decide whether one or more of the options would be adopted.