Personal conflict management and team facilitation strategies

¶ … communicator, dedicated to getting the job done, and I try to minimize personal conflicts. All of these are assets that I can bring to a group and which create a positive, task-focused work environment. My weaknesses are that I try to avoid conflict and I can also take on too much, preferring to handle conflicts on my own versus delegating authority. I need to learn better how to engage in proactive relationships with other team members and to manage conflict in a manner so that it is focused on the issue, not upon the person.

Using my communication skills to deal with conflict is the best way to become better at managing it. Making a list of things I have in common with the other person as well as what we disagree upon helps me clarify the issue and also to understand how to talk about things in a non- confrontational but open manner. I also need to be willing to take a decisive role in leadership and to not be afraid to tell people to take on additional responsibilities. Often it is easier to do things myself initially but I have to learn that I cannot accomplish everything and quite often people have expertise and insight I do not possess.

UNI 2 JOURNAL

The role I took on in my team was that of a facilitator, or bridge-builder. Whenever the team seemed to be headed in two opposing directions, I sought to find common ground. I tried to work well with all members of the team and to create connections between the different tasks performed by each member. I believe I assumed this role because I was well-liked by all members of my team, had a strong base of knowledge, and a healthy respect for all group members. I was also seen as hard-working and not unduly striving for power and control for the sake of power itself. For my workplace, this taught me that if I am honest and forthcoming and try to get along with everyone, people will often be more open to accepting direction. People are more willing to follow if they see a potential leader as genuinely concerned about furthering organizational goals.

UNIT 3 JOURNAL

Good leaders are both knowledgeable and committed. For the leadership team of as major an undertaking as Habitat for Humanity, finding leaders with experience in community service as well as in the construction industry would be ideal. Some of the leaders should have knowledge about the logistics of building and ideally how to solicit the right type of donations needed to build shelters. Leaders should also have a proven track record of being able to engage in effective fundraising and to engage the community. They should be able to work well with a diverse range of individuals, including the people the organization is striving to serve. Connections with the community are obviously extremely valuable and are another critical component of this position. Leaders should be able to prioritize specific goals and multitask. Even if leaders also have other jobs, they should be able to allocate a specific time commitment to the work of the organization on a weekly basis.

UNIT 4 JOURNAL

When a problem arises between two people on a team, it is absolutely critical that it is dealt with in an open fashion. The worst thing possible is for a problem to be allowed to fester, given that if it is ignored, it inevitably seems larger in the eyes of the participants. Having a facilitator can be useful to discuss the problem in a rational manner and to outline the specific and significant differences between the participants. The issue should be defined based upon the specific issues involved, not upon personal accusations. Taking time to discuss the issue is important. The specific area of disagreement should be pinpointed, versus a vague discussion about how things are not working out.

It may also be necessary to collectively discuss an issue that affects everyone as a team, such as when project components are consistently being turned in late or people are failing to attend meetings. Once again, it is essential to be solution-focused rather than point fingers. Regarding the issue of lateness, if people get diverted by making excuses about why they were late, the leader must instead generate a list of how the team can move forward and avoid such obstacles in the future.

UNIT 6 JOURNAL

Starbucks places a premium on quality not quantity in the manner in which its products are sold. According to Fast Co Design (2015): "Inside Starbucks's corporate headquarters in Seattle, a team of just seven people -- a diverse group of men and women ranging from their 20s to 50s -- tastes endless cups of coffee. They're responsible for testing 75% of the 500 million-plus pounds of beans that the company will buy and roast each year, which is a process that has no shortcut." These tasters decide whether the new beans will be used as coffee, espresso, or an elite reserve blend. "They're tasting with clear parameters for outliers -- is something exceptionally good or bad?" (How 7 people test 400 million pounds of Starbucks coffee a year," 2015). Taste is subjective but by using practiced tasters Starbucks hopes to ensure a high-quality product that meets customer standards and justifies its higher price tag.

Reference

How 7 people test 400 million pounds of Starbucks coffee a year. (2015). Fast Co Design.

Retrieved from: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3025212/how-7-people-test-400-million-pounds-of-starbucks-coffee-a-year

UNIT 7 JOURNAL

Tone of voice is very important. Quite often, when everyone is apparently agreeing with a decision in a group context, it is evident that certain people do not based upon their vocal inflection and lack of enthusiasm. Not looking at the speaker, sitting in a closed-off manner with one's hands folded and legs crossed, and not making eye contact are all ways to convey displeasure. Similarly, nodding, smiling, laughing in an unforced way, and mirroring the speaker's body language are all ways to communicate agreement. When there is a discrepancy between body language and what is articulated, quite often body language is more revealing of the speaker's actual attitude.