11-0 Introduction and Key Terms

Unit Ten explored another important communication skill for professionals and organizations, feedback. We reviewed the importance and application of feedback and discussed considerations and steps for giving and receiving feedback.

In Unit 11 we move to exploring conflict. Conflict is commonplace amongst professionals and within businesses and organizations. The causes of conflict are complex and dynamic and the detrimental impact to business performance can be severe. That being said, we shouldn’t avoid conflict, but we should be extremely cognitive of reducing the opportunity for it and take swift action to resolve it deliberately. Conflict “done right” can spark improvement and innovation.

Lesson 11-1 takes the time to explore and define what conflict is, specifically in professional and business settings. We look at the performance, people, and financial impact that workplace conflict has on businesses. We also examine the eight primary drivers of workplace conflict: conflicting needs, styles, perceptions, goals, pressures, role perceptions, personal values, and inconsistent policy and practice.

In Exercise 11.1, we identify our individual personality traits and preferred conflict style by completing two self assessments.

In Lesson 11-2, we look at the differences between good conflict and bad conflict or constructive conflict and destructive conflict. We learn that when handled effectively, conflict is an opportunity for improvement, understanding, clarification, empathy, and compromise. We also explore the five different conflict styles that people use; avoiding, collaborating, competing, accommodating, and compromising. Finally, we are introduced to the five-step conflict resolution process.

In Exercise 11.2, armed with an understanding of our communication style, personality, and conflict style preference, we have the opportunity to practice applying the resolution process.

Our next and final section of this course, Unit 12 will allow us to take all we have learned about effective professional communications and practice our interviewing skills.

The following terms and concepts appear in Unit 11;

Unit Warm-up Questions

Lesson 1

• Why do you think that “conflict” is included in a professional / business communication course?
• Do you believe that businesses and organizations should try and avoid conflict at all costs? Explain your answer.
• What do you think that Esther Harding meant when she wrote that “conflict is the beginning of consciousness?”
• Having studied receiving and delivering feedback in the last lesson, do you think that there could be the potential for conflict in the feedback process? Explain your answer.
• Have you ever experienced conflict in the workplace? What happened? How did you feel? How was it resolved?
• How could differences in background and intercultural context contribute to misunderstandings and conflict?

Lesson 2

• What is the ego? What advantages and disadvantages does it have on communication and our willingness to be wrong?
• Without using their names, describe the behaviour of sharks and turtles.
• What role do you think that non verbal communication can play in contributing to and resolving conflict?
• Do you agree with the stance that 10% of conflict is due to difference in opinion, and 90% is due to delivery and wrong tone of voice? Explain your answer.
• Do you think that is ever appropriate to ignore bad behaviour? Explain your thinking.
• How do you feel when other people critique your work or performance?
• Do you think that it is more important to be honest or to be kind when giving feedback?
• Why do you think that active listening is important when it comes to receiving feedback?
• What should we do if we don’t agree with feedback we are being offered?
• Do you think that there are wrong motivations for giving someone feedback? What would some of these be?
• What do you think are some of the advantages and disadvantages of inter organizational competition?