In today’s market conditions, the success of any enterprise directly depends on the ability of its leaders to solve conflicts with customers, and within the organization itself. Such situation can be explained by the fact that modern world society is formed of people form different backgrounds, cultures, and ways of thinking. The most efficient strategies for solving team conflicts are collaboration, adjustment, and dodging.
In modern globalized society, people from different cultures and backgrounds have to cooperate with each other on a regular basis. Due to different ways of thinking, unavoidable frictions between employees in an enterprise may appear. Such frictions, if not solved properly, result into conflict emersion (Sinha, 2011; Žikić, Marinović & Trandafilović, 2012). The other common reason for conflict can be seen in the following comment by Žikić et al. (2012, p. 202): “The modern methods of doing business are characterized in the first place by constant organizational changes. These changes are numerous and diverse, their common characteristics being that they always reflect on the employees and their interrelations”. Besides, among the other underlying factors of conflict are interpersonal relations and tensions. Interpersonal relationships in an enterprise may often be complicated on the reason of gossip, rumors, and office politics. Finally, conflicts within an organization may arise due to gender tension or discrimination.
The main components of conflict are disagreement, action, confrontation, and resolution (Ellis & Abbott, 2012). Disagreement is characterized by the growing spirit of contradiction between the opponents. Disagreement grows when opponents involve more and more people into the conflict to support them. When disagreement develops, conflict may not yet be obvious; however, the tension between the parties is quite noticeable due to their disregarding each other. Action during the conflict is characterized by final measures directed to engaging the members of collective body who may support each of the sides of the conflict. Action is also characterized by low level fighting, and obvious polarization in an enterprise. Confrontation is the peak of the conflict when violence and rivalry are mostly intense. Resolution is the most important components of a conflict. It is characterized by the victory of some of the parties in the conflict, or by a compromise between the parties.
To successfully address conflicts in team environment, a number of efficient measures can be implemented. “Collaboration and adjustment are the dominant strategies in managing interpersonal conflicts in the group” (Žikić et al., 2012, p. 203). The other strategies which can be effectively implemented in solving team conflicts are dodging, accommodating, and competing. Dodging may be applied during short-run conflicts when the issue under debate may appear not important for one side of the conflict. Accommodating can be implemented when one side in the conflict realizes that the matter is more important for the other side of opponents, and finally consents. Competing is used by the side which is sure in the rightfulness of their position regarding the problematic matter; in such situation it is important to fight to for justice (FIOL, PRATT & O’CONNOR, 2009). Any of the parties involved in the conflict should avoid such dangerous practices boosting rivalry as commanding, comparing, condemning, challenging, condescending, contradicting, and confusing (Ellis & Abbott, 2012).
An Example of a Conflict Situation
Telus Communication Inc. is a national telecommunications company located in Canada offering the most diversified range of telecommunication services to its customers including both phone services and the Internet ones. On July 21, 2005 the employees from Telus Company went on strike to protest against the new Code document which had been under development during the past five years. This new document threatened to limit employees union’s rights. Namely, the employees complained that in this new document the company violated their rights interfering into the process of administrating the trade union. In addition, they wanted to determine that the conditions of employment including the payment issues, working hours, working conditions, and the other issues connected to the process of work would not be affected. The representatives of the workers informed the company’s management of the difficulties the workers might have at their places of work as a result of such unfair document. The representatives of workers supported their statement with significant facts and addressing the guarantees of rights and freedoms provided in the Constitution. As a result of long-run negations, the union of workers succeeded to achieve its goals and secure the workers better working conditions. However, this result was achieved after a long session of negotiations and the interference of the state which laid to the companies’ great material and reputation looses. This example shows that companies will definitely have a better situation after the conflict if they choose to implicate collaborative strategies.
In conclusion, it should be stated that for any enterprise conflicts are very undesirable because under the current conditions in the global market, it is clear that only the companies which may boast with high level of cooperation between their employees may expect to prosper financially. Thus, in the case a conflict occurs at an enterprise, its leaders should implement urgent measured directed to solving the problematic issues. The most efficient strategies in solving conflicts are collaboration and adjustment.
References
Ellis, P., & Abbott, J. (2012). Strategies for managing conflict within the team. British Journal Of Cardiac Nursing, 7(3), 138-140.
FIOL, C., PRATT, M. G., & O’CONNOR, E. J. (2009). MANAGING INTRACTABLE IDENTITY CONFLICTS. Academy Of Management Review, 34(1), 32-55.
Sinha, A. (2011). Conflict Management: Making Life Easier. IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, 31-42.
Žikić, S., Marinović, A., & Trandafilović, I. (2012). PROMOTION OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN TERMS OF MODERN BUSINESS. Megatrend Review, 9(1), 201-221.