Question

DISCUSS THE NOTION THAT CONFLICT IN AN ORGANISATION MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALL COST.

Answer 1

Conflict should be avoided because we were all created equal and the notion to fight is stating that we are not so we should blow up half the world just because of a disagreement. Children in our schools are taught to love one another and to always be kind, so where did we go wrong when one of the children decided it was okay to burn down cities and blow up countries. Most people say that its the fault of immigrants coming into our homes and changing everything, but in truth, these immigrants dont want to be here. They just want to have a country to call home and to be safe, they want to be able to live in their own countries and not constantly fear that being different is going to get them killed. The main reason conflict in an organization should be avoided is that it breaks up families and towns and divides people up and how can we be united as one and work together when we are so far apart just because we think differently. I think of it that the world is just one big family, its a little broken and sometimes gets into fights, but in the end it can still be a good place.(Im sorry that I was talking about world conflict when you said conflict in an organization but in a way the world is just one big organization.)

Answer 2

DISCUSS THE NOTION THAT CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATION MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALL COST

 

What is conflict?

Conflict is an activity which takes place between two or more conscious beings who wish to carry out acts which are mutually inconsistent (Michael Nicholson 1992). This definition proclaims that conflict arises from disagreement between parties who may have the same interests or tensions, and is characterized by the existence of conflict behavior, in which the beings are actively trying to damage one another.

 

Conflict from Michael Nicholson’s view depicts that where there is tension; beings involved try to damage one another. The causes of the conflicts may arise from various sources which may be emotional or physical. These forces may include the following:

·       Disagreement

·       Need something they don’t have

·       Jealousy

·       Freedom and greed

 

WHY IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED

So far from the definition and reasons that may escalate conflicts, it is clear that conflict in an organization has great impact on its productivity and unity. It is portrayed as non constructive having the power to destroy progress, hurt the participants and provide zero yields.

Since disagreement is the prerequisite of conflict, the results of disagreement such as disunity tend to be evident in a conflict. According to (colorado.edu), people often believe that conflict is bad and abnormal, disrupts normal relations and prevents them from attaining their goals and should be avoided when possible, and when it is inevitable it should be resolved instantly.

 

OTHERSIDE OF CONFLICT

Irving Janis (1971) proposed that conflict is beneficial in groups and committees to avoid the error of "group think”

Besides conflicts being associated with poor productivity and destructive results, there are undermined good results that can be attained from conflicts (Sherrie Campbell, online).

 . These include;

1. Opening eyes to new ideas. 

As thoughts are expressed back and forth we allow someone else to fine-tune the truth we are communicating, as our perspective becomes further shaped against theirs. Conflict is incredibly useful as a creative, fine-tuning instrument to our own ideas.

2. Opportunity to verbalize needs.

Most people do not get what they want because they do not say what they want. Conflict provides an opportunity to verbalize our needs to get them met. Who we are and what we stand for in the workplace largely determines our levels of success. If the “wake” behind our boat is too big no one else has room to get by, and if it is too small we get run over.

4. Teaches us to listen.

The key to any successful conflict resolution is the ability to listen. Most are so focused on litigation they have zero ability to listen; their only desire is to win. Successful relationships and/or negotiations cannot be forged with defensive, dominating people. Listening takes patience and the discipline to control our impulses to speak. It takes being able to put ourselves and our thoughts to the side so we can fully take another perspective in.

5. Teaches us patterns of behavior.

As we engage in conflict we learn about how others work, their style of communication, and their points of view. Knowing patterns helps us to be more effective in our relationships as they provide some level of predictability. Predictability is effective when strategizing in negotiations. When we listen, we get to know how people think and we gain insight into how they operate.

 

DEDUCTIONS

From the above examples it is evident that conflicts cannot be totally ruled out as evil events or processes but rather can be harnessed to the advantage of the organization. The result may improve the situation of the organization rather than the underlined conclusion that conflicts are purely destructive and should be shun from at all times.

Therefore conflicts can have their small space in an organization as a passive way of effective communication in an organization. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

1)  Michael Nicholson (27 March 1992).Rationality and the Analysis of International Conflict.

2) Sherrie Campbell, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/279778

3) http //www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/problem/prejudice .htm

4)Sophia Jowett (2007). Social Psychology in Sport. Human Kinetics. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-7360-5780-6. Retrieved 11 October 2012.

5) Janis, I. L. (November 1971). "Groupthink".Psychology Today. 5 (6): 43–46, 7