商务沟通教学（东北财经大学）lecture 8.pptVIP

Business CommunicationLecture 8:  Conflict Management Zhenhua Liu 2015.12 TODAY’S OBJECTIVES Benefits and sources of conflict Conflict resolution strategies Communication principles Problem solving steps and strategies CONFLICT The world seems to be full of conflict. Conflict is also pervasive at the corporate level (mergers, acquisitions, unfriendly takeovers) Within companies, tensions can also run high. Workplace violence is the No. 1 cause of death for women, and the No. 2 cause for men, on the job. Organizational conflict is a natural part of the traditional organizational structure because a built-in opposition between units often exists. Benefits of Conflict Conflict generally has a negative connotation; however, conflict is a positive occurrence if managed properly. Requires goal analysis Creates dialogue among employees Prevents stagnation Fosters creative thinking Offsets personal biases Elicits high-quality decisions In one study, high-quality decisions occurred in 45.8% of the situations with strong subordinate resistance, but in only 18.8% of the situations where the resistance was weak or nonexistent. Questions What causes conflict? When is it functional and when is it not? What methods can be used to resolve conflict? Is any one method best? Communication Conflict Conflict involves at least two parties. Conflict can be generated or resolved only through C. A good communicator can bring conflict to the surface and make it a productive process. Conflict develops from perceived mutually exclusive goals. Through C., the goal actually isn’t mutually exclusive. Conflict involves parties with different values or perceptions. Conflict ends when each side feels it has won or lost. ------Accurate C. may reveal that a “win” or a “loss” is not the only alternative. Sources of Conflict Lines of authority (e.g., lending vs. savings departments in banks) Distribution of limited resources (e.g., scholarship) Dive