Everyone deals with conflict at work. Here's a paper I wrote for a previous course about how to handle conflict in the workplace.

Conflict in the Workplace

            Conflict is inevitable, particularly in the professional workplace. Sources of conflict can vary widely, from personality differences to various types of leadership styles. Factors such as stress and anger, which may be amplified by too much work or work-related pressure, can feed conflict. This paper will discuss conflict management, the positive and negative effects of conflict, communication techniques, the roles played by stress and anger in conflict, and resolving conflict through mediation and arbitration. It will also explore the concept that conflict is not necessarily negative.

            Conflict management:

This first section will explore what conflict is and various styles of conflict management. It will discuss some of the more common and effective styles of conflict management.

“Many unanticipated conflicts may occur overtly, but there are also more subtle, self-destructive displacements when conflict is ignored altogether. Besides decreasing an organization’s potential for an open, creative and friendly atmosphere, hidden conflict can also be reflected in tardiness and absenteeism; high turnover and production errors; increased accidents, grievances and transfer requests; plus decreased productivity. In addition, there are stress-related physical symptoms: insomnia, headache, hypertension, asthma and cardiac irregularities, weight changes, ulcers and colitis, uncontrolled use of drugs, cigarettes or food, anxiety and depression. These all suggest unresolved conflict in the work place and add to occupational burn-out. But why should this be of particular concern now? Because with the advent of California’s Cumulative Trauma Act (1977), an employer may even be held responsible for treatment costs is such disorders can be traced to job-related stress.” (Welds, K., 1979).

Conflict management is important. It is human nature to engage in conflict; inevitably each of us will disagree with another person about something. Conflict management is an important tool for managers and leaders because conflict left unchecked can have a damaging effect on the workplace environment. It can manifest itself in low morale, high turnover rates, bad attitudes, and poor efficiency. Tools that can be used to manage conflict include communication skills, and mediation and arbitration, which this paper will delve into later. First, it is important to recognize that although conflict often has a negative connotation, it does not have to. Conflict can have positive outcomes as well.

            The positive and negative effects of conflict:

Conflict is not always a negative phenomenon. Often people assume conflict will always be a negative thing, but that does not have to be the case. In fact, the right kind of conflict can result in increased productivity.

“Positive conflicts can be difficult to determine, but when you see your more creative employees arguing about the good ideas they have to help the company, you have positive competition. Proactive people tend to motivate each other to perform at a higher level. Sometimes that motivation can come in the form of arguing or confrontation, but the end result is that both parties are pushed to their maximum productivity levels. As long as management can find a way to keep the conflict healthy, everyone will benefit” (Anderson, A., 2013).  

So, proactive people can motivate each other by picking apart each other’s ideas or by competing against each other to create a better product or perform a better service. If cultured carefully and appropriately, this can result in positive conflict. Unfortunately, there is plenty of room for conflict to get personal, and that will rarely end well.

“Bringing personal feelings and issues to the workplace always creates a situation of negative conflict. Personal issues in the workplace have nothing to do with employee efficiency or company productivity. The company becomes caught in the crossfire of a personal confrontation that is only looking for a battleground. Management needs to step into situations in which an employee threatens another worker or his job and remind the parties that personal conflict is not tolerated in the workplace. Human resources needs to log the issue, and managers should consider severe steps such as employee termination if the pattern persists” (Anderson, A., 2013).  

Having human resources log the issue is a great idea. Having a paper trail for any sort of issue or conflict, whether it is bullying or harassment (or any other form of conflict that has arisen) is an effective first step to handling negative conflict that has gotten out of hand in the work place. One way to anticipate and prevent conflict is to know how to communicate well.

            Communication techniques:

A huge part of managing conflict appropriately is knowing how to communicate effectively. Effective communication includes sending and receiving information, as well as doing so in a manner that lends itself to a respectful and professional environment. It seems that one source of conflict is ineffective communication, so this section will take a look at ways to communicate clearly and to the desired effect.

“…according to a recent Hiring Trends survey conducted by one of the nation’s largest privately held staffing companies Express Employment Professionals, leaders and employees agree: effective communication is an issue in today’s workplace. The survey showed that both leaders and employees believe effective communication is the most lacked trait among their leadership team” (Taylor, C., 2012).  

            Often the message can be lost in translation, or individuals may simply fail to pass a message on. Communication can move up the chain; down the chain; or horizontally, but factors such as tone can have an impact on how a message is interpreted. There are a variety of mediums used in the work place for communication.

“Meetings and emails are the two most used forms of workplace communication, but we also spend a lot of time communicating with non-verbal signals. Non-verbal signals are usually misunderstood and often lead to tension in the office, so it’s important to be aware of common nonverbal mistakes and how to avoid them. When you’re speaking with co-workers and team members, be aware of your arm positioning, avoiding crossed arms as it sends a defensive message. A simple smile can also go a long way in starting the day off right, so remember that the next time you come into the office with your mind already racing through the day’s to-do list” (Taylor, C., 2012). While misunderstandings or miscommunications can cause conflict, other factors, such as stress and anger, can serve to escalate the situation.

            Stress and anger:

Stress and anger can play significant roles in conflict. Although, these factors do not have to be negative, it often seems that more often than not they are. This section will explore ways to harness stress and anger to improve conflict resolution instead of conflict escalation. There are a variety of types of stress. This section will take a look at hypostress and hyperstress.

“This [hypostress] happens when we’re bored or unchallenged by our situations. If you are employed in a job that is repetitive and requires little adaptation on your part, you may experience hypostress and find yourself more and more unwilling to go to work. When an absence from pressure gets too long, we hunger to get back into action…Hyperstress occurs when too many tasks and responsibilities pile up on us and we are unable to adapt to the changes or cope with all that is happening at once.⁷ This is the kind of stress frequently experienced by students and teachers …Hyperstress can lead to overblown conflict, which occurs when people greatly exaggerate their reaction in a conflict situation, generally using a relatively unimportant issue as a focal point. The conflict is overblown by one or more of the parties who invests far more emotion and energy than usual” (Cahn 123).

            The kind of stress an individual experiences may vary dramatically from work place to work place, or simply from day to day. For example, a soldier may experience hypostress while living in the barracks with nothing to do while waiting to deploy. Later during deployment, that same soldier may be exposed to a combat situation resulting in hyperstress. Stress is really not the problem, rather it is the individual’s response to a stimulus or situation. Anger is an emotion that can have a profound effect on stress or conflict, but it is not necessarily a negative effect.

         “Generally, anger “can be seen as a means of trying to get something done by forcing a change in the target’s behavior, especially when one feels that one has power or control over the target… Some people have learned to turn this burst of energy into more positive or constructive endeavors. Although we have a tendency to see anger in a negative light, feelings of anger may be positive for the person experiencing them if, over the long term, that anger serves to change a situation or relationship that is currently unsatisfactory into something more acceptable.⁷ Further, research suggests that if a person knows he or she will have to engage in a confrontation, that person is “sometimes motivated to engage in activities likely to increase their anger, despite the fact that such activities are less pleasant than alternative ones …. Angry participants performed better than excited participants in a confrontational task.”⁸ We want to emphasize the fact that sometimes anger can be used constructively. It can motivate us to get off our seats and stand up for our interests, needs, and wants or what we think is right”

 (Cahn 140-141).

            Anger is a complex emotion. It can occur for a variety of reasons and in varying degrees of intensity, but if it can be harnessed and controlled it can be used in a positive manner. On the other hand, anger left unchecked can serve to feed conflict and damage relationships.

“Not getting what we want is frustrating. According to Hocker and Wilmot, the primary emotion is the fear that occurs when our personal security is threatened or our self-esteem is attacked.¹³ Some psychologists claim that anger and hostility are cover-ups for insecurity, loss, and sadness.¹⁴ If we are angry at or with someone, we feel more righteous about our emotions, and it is easier for us to lay the responsibility at the other person’s feet, than if we say, “I fear …” or “I am disappointed.” Anger protects us; admitting our fears or disappointments may make us feel vulnerable. Regardless of the cause of anger, we usually know who or what made us angry. It is the person who offended you, the romantic partner who is late, or the person who offended a member of your family. In any of these situations, we may react with aggression, hostility, and revenge. These reactions may permanently harm an interpersonal relationship, such as a romantic partnership. For those who disrupt frequently or carry their resentments over a long period of time, they may suffer cardiovascular problems and heart attacks” (Cahn 142-143).

Although conflict is virtually inevitable in any work environment, there are tools and techniques that can be used to help people reconcile their differences. Often, the intervention of a third party through mediation or arbitration can help resolve a conflict.

Mediation and arbitration:

Conflicts need to be resolved effectively in order for both parties to be able to move on and to continue to work together effectively. This section will discuss the importance of mediation and arbitration and include suggestions to make it happen effectively.

“When mediating conflict, preface the discussion by defining winning and losing.  If the disputants enter into a mediation process with the goal of deflecting blame and assigning it to the other party, the dialogue is unlikely to be completely honest.  In the context of mediation, "winning" means having a creative, collaborative problem-solving process.  "Losing" is failing to have that process for any reason… Mediation can be very time-intensive, so it's not the best way for managers to deal with all employee conflicts.  However, effective mediation can be very empowering for employees, and it can help them develop stronger relationships and better conflict management skills.  In many instances, managerial mediation is well worth the time invested” (Soin, R., n.d.).

“While less formal than court proceedings, arbitration hearings are conducted according to specific rules of procedure which include both state court rules of procedure as well as those set forth by the organization administering the arbitration, such as the American Arbitration Association or the National Arbitration Forum. Often contracts you and a company, business or another person sign include an Arbitration Clause requiring that disputes that arise be submitted to arbitration rather than litigated. Court-annexed arbitration occurs when a lawsuit is filed but the court requires you to first submit to arbitration before allowing a court trial. However, even if not mandated by court or contract you can always agree with the other side to submit a dispute to arbitration” (All Things Arbitration, 2012).  

            Conclusion

In conclusion, conflict in the workplace is inevitable, but that does not mean it has to always be viewed as a negative thing. This paper has explored various facets of conflict and more specifically, ways it can be addressed and resolved. Recognizing that conflict can be a healthy part of communication and the improvement of work flow is key when negotiating conflict resolution with others. Understanding the role of conflict management is the first step. It should be an integral part of any organization because at some point the need for it will arise. Recognizing that there are both positive and negative types of (and effects of) conflict is important too. Being able to identify situations where conflict is positive is an important aspect of conflict management. Good communication is a good way to avoid conflict in the first place. If the conflict is already occurring, communication can help clarify the problem(s) and expedite the resolution of the issue. Of course anger and stress play a huge role in the occurrence of conflict. Understanding them and how to exploit them in order to reign in conflict or to increase productivity is vital to any organization. Finally, mediation and arbitration are tools that can be used to resolve conflict through the intervention of a third party. These techniques can help cool the tensions and provide avenues for the individuals in conflict to reconcile their differences.

 

References

All Things Arbitration (2012). All Things Conflict Resolution & ADR. Retrieved from http://www.all-things-conflict-resolution-and-adr.com/All-Things-Arbitration.html

Anderson, A. (2013). Positive & Negative Conflicts in the Workplace. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/positive-negative-conflicts-workplace-11422.html

Soin, R. (n.d.). Mediating Conflict. Retrieved from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/mediating.htm#Mediation's Goals  

Taylor, C. (2012). Effective Workplace Communication More a Necessity Than Ever. Retrieved from http://www.rockymountchamber.org/cwt/external/wcpages/chamber/effective_workplace_communication_more_a_necessity_than_ever.aspx

Welds, K. (1979). Conflict in the work place and how to manage it. Personnel Journal (Pre-1986), 58(000006), 380-380. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203716053?accountid=32521

 

Blogging Critiques Repost

   Blogging is a popular form of social media. It can be a great way to keep friends abreast of current events, or it can be a way to post an online diary anonymously just to share your thoughts. Blogging is more than simply a matter of writing a couple paragraphs for your audience to read though. It is important to recognize that certain elements can be used to increase the appeal of your blog. Conversely, failing to use those elements effectively can lead to a blog that is visually unappealing or simply hard to navigate.

            Each of my class members has a blog, and this week one of my assignments was to critique three of them. These are responses to my classmates:

Hi Annaliisa,

This is your classmate, Stuart Phillips. I love your blog! I laughed reading about the beans, and at first was a little surprised they had a Mexican restaurant in China. Then I remembered eating at a Mexican restaurant in Chile last year. They had beans (be jealous). I like your blog's design, and I love the name. Your writing flows well, and I enjoyed your sense of humor. I also like the photos. My only suggestion is to post more of them (I need to as well).

http://eatingbeansinchina.blogspot.com/ 

Hi Jeannie,

I enjoyed reading your blog! It is clear to me that your audience is primarily readers, and I like your design. You did a good job going for the “simple yet appealing” look. I also really like that you found an image for each blog post. Somehow that never occurred to me. The only suggestion I have would be to add more photos (I need to as well). Everyone loves photos.

http://thereshouldbea12stepprogramforthis.blogspot.com/ 

Hi Matt,

I like that your blog has a simple, user-friendly layout. I also think it is great that you are using this as an outlet for your own personal writing, in addition to your school assignments. I have not done any extra-curricular writing for my blog, but maybe I should. I noticed one of our classmates posted images with each of her posts and I might start doing that as well. I think that would be a great way to round out your blog. Do you draw at all? Maybe you could draw graphics to go with your creative writing.

http://mjshouseofpain.blogspot.com/ 

            What I focused on most with my critiques was the need for more visuals. I am a very visual person, so it is important for me to see more than just text when I look at a website. A big part of my job in the Navy is photography, so I have a special interest in photos. However, as I mentioned with Matt, even drawings can help accentuate a blog, as long as they are relevant. I also commented on the fact that my classmates kept their blogs simple and easy to navigate. I find this very important because no one likes to deal with a website that is difficult to navigate. It can kill the purpose of having a blog to share information with others if your audience gets frustrated trying to find their way around.

            I also received some useful feedback from my classmates. In general, people commented positively on the simplicity of my design and said they enjoyed my writing and my photos. One big piece of feedback I received (and that I gave others) was to post more photos. I intend to. One of my classmates, Jeannie, gave me some great feedback for my blog. She suggested I focus on my fonts, spacing, and colors consistency. Some of my posts have had different fonts, which can make the text more visually confusing to the reader. Honestly, I had not even noticed they were different until she pointed them out. I am glad that she did. She also suggested that I use the same color schemes for my profile and my webpage. This makes sense. Finally, she encouraged me to remember to stay consistent with my spacing. Some of the blogs I have posted have had extra spaces between the paragraphs. This can also lead to visual confusion for a reader, and beyond that, it just looks sloppy. I am glad my classmates were able to provide me with some constructive criticism, and I hope they feel the same about mine. I appreciate their suggestions and intend to apply them to my blog.

            To wrap things up, I think there are a number of important elements to any blog. First, it should be visually appealing. This includes color consistency, font consistency, and text that is not too small to read. Of course it is important for the text to be well-written so that it flows smoothly. Imagery is a great way to draw your audience in! Photographs and even drawings that are relevant to the subject at hand can be a great way to enhance a blog. A sense of humor, as well as the use of interesting topics is also pretty important. No one wants to read a boring blog. Finally, I think it is important for the author to enjoy the work they are doing. If the writing is forced, it will show. If you want people to read your blog it should keep them engaged, either through good writing, interesting topics, or an interesting sense of humor.

 

 

 

This is a paper from a previous course I took. Enjoy!

Oral History Interview

People are shaped by their experiences, their perspective, and a multitude of other factors such as family life and the subcultures they identify themselves with. As people grow older and begin to carve out their own place in life, their perspective and subcultures will probably change. I had hoped to interview my grandmother for this assignment, but we had conflicting schedules so instead I interviewed my mother, Sandy Phillips, a sixty year old French and Spanish middle school teacher and divorced mother of four adult children. I enjoyed working on this assignment. I have always been interested in hearing other people’s stories and experiences, and getting to hear some stories from my mother’s childhood was a rewarding experience. It is easy to forget that at one point she was a child and that she also had a life as an adult before she married and had children. The interview did not cover every phase of her life. It focused primarily on her childhood, young adult years, and where she is currently in her life. Personally, I was most interested in learning about the first two phases because I knew surprisingly little about them.

My mother was born on July 3, 1952 in Richmond, VA to Paul and Florence Goolsby. She grew up during the Cold War in a segregated society with her three younger siblings. As she painted a picture of her childhood I could tell it was much different from mine. One of the first things she mentioned was that girls always wore dresses to school. Whenever older women from her neighborhood went shopping downtown they would wear hats and gloves as they walked to the bus stop.

“Downtown Richmond was thriving, and Thalheimers and Miller and Rhodes were the elegant places to shop. Ladies, especially the older ones, always wore hats to church.  It was almost impossible to see if you sat behind them.”

Other significant differences were that almost no one had air conditioning, everything was closed on Sunday, cars did not have seat belts, and her family had a party line in their home. Their phone had a specific number assigned to it, but it was a shared line. Surprisingly, although her family lived in the city, they owned a pony named Chocolate who my mother rode often. Another difference was that she grew up during the Cold War, although she said she did not spend much time worrying about it.

“When I was in the 5^th grade (1962) Castro was making threats in Cuba.  My mother said that sugar prices were going to go up.  I don’t remember the Bay of Pigs, but fifth graders talked about the Russians attacking and we had air raid drills.  At the sound of the siren we had to go to the basement of the school and squat down.  We watched TV shows like “Get Smart” that poked fun at the Russians. I don’t remember worrying; I just listened and pondered.”

As my mother mentioned, the use of humor was one way Americans dealt with the fear of nuclear war with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

“America's new enemy, the Soviet Union, had the bomb, too. In preparation for the day when they might use it against us, American schools staged "duck and cover" drills. Communities drew up evacuation plans, designated basements of downtown public buildings as bomb shelters and stocked them with canned water and food rations. Ultimately, however, we responded to the specter of the bomb not with our hearts in our throats but with our tongues in our cheeks. "You had to joke about it, otherwise you'd be too scared," said Edie Yentis, a Fort Worth psychologist who was a child and teen-ager during the height of the Cold War. “The Kingston Trio sang this witty song in the late '50s called Merry Minuet, which joked about some lovely day, someone setting the spark off and all of us being blown away' " (Stewart, 1995).

            It is hard for me to imagine a time when people were convinced we could be attacked with nuclear weapons at any moment. However, America had significant internal problems as well during this time. My mother was a child during the Civil Rights movement, but seemed generally unaware of racial inequality or the significance of the movement at the time.

“My elementary school, Jeb Stuart, had two sixth grade classes, until my fifth grade year, the year we were integrated.  So my sixth grade year, there were 4 integrated sixth grade classes.  Black students from another school were bussed.  There was only one other white girl in my class.  The black kids were nice and I don’t remember any problems.  I wasn’t really aware of racial inequality.  The worst thing for me was not being in class with my friends. On the news I saw riots.  The integration of my schools seemed rather quiet.  When Kennedy was running for president, my mother said, “How would you like it if a black person sat next to you on a bus?”  I was 8 years old and don’t remember if I had ever ridden a bus.  I was completely unaware that black people couldn’t sit next to whites.  To me the Civil Rights movement seemed to be the right thing.”

My mother’s sentiments are echoed by other whites who grew up in the era of the Civil Rights movement as well.

“Growing up in the 1950s, I first became aware of a more colorful world beyond the neat lawns of my Chicago suburb because of the civil rights movement. I attended St. Petronille elementary school and viewed my community through windows of stained glass. In that naive state, I believed the world contained only two kinds of people: Catholics, who subscribed to our "one true faith," and "publics," the less spiritually fortunate herded into public schools. I had never met a Jew. I had never even heard of Islam, Hinduism, or any of the world's other faiths. Everyone I knew was Christian and white. But I heard plenty about "Negroes." Their struggle for equal rights reached me through television, the Chicago Tribune I delivered every morning, and the glossy pages of the Life magazine I eagerly awaited every week. As with many of my generation, the belief that the protesters were right -- and in the bedrock American principle that all men are created equal -- was the first strong conviction of my life” (Bowden, 2010).   

It is actually very surprising to me that my mother was so unaware of the significance of the Civil Rights movement because apparently it was a huge issue for Richmond.

“School desegregation there was the centerpiece of a series of judicial decisions that have helped to structure public education across the United States, as Richmond, in 1973, was the first city where the issue of metropolitan school consolidation -- merging a city's school system with neighboring suburban school districts, usually to create or maintain a more even racial balance -- was debated before the United States Supreme Court” (Pratt, 1992).

            As my mother became a teenager, the war in Vietnam slowly began brewing. By the time she was finishing high school, she knew boys her age who were shipping out to fight.

“During the Vietnam War I was in junior high, high school and college.  It was on the evening news, but I didn’t really follow it or understand what was going on.  By the time I was a senior in high school, boys my age were concerned about being drafted and being sent to Southeast Asia. I remember Dan Rather broadcasting from rice fields in Vietnam.  He struck me as being arrogant.  Although I don’t know why, I didn’t trust his presentation of the “news.”  After that, I never liked him.”

            I can relate to this on some level. I was a sophomore in high school when the 9/11 attacks occurred. Although no draft has been instated, I have had many friends deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past almost twelve years. I myself have deployed three times and my brother who is a Marine, also deployed last year. My mother told she feels like the media had no effect on her perception or views. Maybe she became a skeptic of the media early on because of her instant dislike for Dan Rather. I think the media has had an effect on me though. I read the New York Times every day (I downloaded the application to my cell phone), which is well-known for its liberal bias. The more I read, the less favorably I think of far-right Republicans. I also remember watching the media whip the U.S. into a frenzy after 9/11 as we invaded Afghanistan, and later how the media was used to incite support for an invasion of Iraq. The media plays a huge role in national politics and in presenting international issues and events. I am not sure if I am being more realistic about the influence I have noticed exerted on me by the media, or if my mother really is strong-willed enough to feel as if she has been unaffected by it over her life time. One significant difference now is the development and use of social media. Naturally, these things did not exist when my mother was growing up (and I was actually 18 before I began using it in 2005), but I think social media outlets have a huge effect on what people think about certain issues.

Over the years as she has journeyed through life, the subcultures my mother has associated with have changed. She has a much more diverse group of friends now than she did growing up in an all-white neighborhood. She now lives in a neighborhood with black and white neighbors who are all on very friendly terms with each other. Her circle of friends has changed and grown quite a bit over the years. She is no longer Baptist, but attends a Pentecostal church and occasionally attends Messianic Shabbat services on Friday nights. “The subcultures I identify with now are educators, Christians, and Jews, and I have friends who are Philipino, black, Native American, Korean, Hispanic, and of European ancestry.”

As individuals, we are all shaped by our various experiences, perspectives, and the things we identify ourselves with. The things we identify ourselves with are bound to change over time, and this is all part of the process we go through as we find ourselves and develop into our own personalities. I learned some interesting things about my mother through this assignment. I got to take a look at what life was like in Richmond, VA in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Cars did not have seat belts and neighbors shared the same phone line! I learned that (at least from my mother’s experience) the integration of schools was not such a huge deal to the children who found themselves in integrated classrooms. I sat back and tried to imagine what it would be like to fear an atomic attack by the Russians at any given moment. Beyond that, I considered not only the differences between my life experience and my mother’s, but also the similarities. I think I inherited my ideas of fairness from my mother. She told me that upon hearing that people did not like Kennedy because he was Catholic (she was raised Baptist) that she went and put a Kennedy bumper sticker she found on her parents car. I think she was about eight or nine at the time. Later, as the schools around the country began to be integrated, she said she felt like it was the fair and right thing to do. In a similar vein, I am open and accepting to people of all backgrounds. Both of my roommates were born in foreign countries (India and Romania) and I have dated black, white, and Jewish girls. If racial integration and Civil Rights were the huge divisive issues of the day when my mother was growing up, I think one of the biggest and most pertinent issues of my generation is the gradual acceptance of homosexuals as normal human beings. Obviously I am biased, and I have a limited perspective on this, but I feel like it is my generation (I was born in 1986) that has been more willing than previous generations to accept homosexuals into society as people. I have been in the Navy for four years and during that time I have witnessed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” with none of the friction that many people seemed to have expected to occur. Gay marriage is gradually gaining acceptance, and will probably be completely legalized in my life time. The final, and perhaps most significant, similarity I have noticed between my mother and myself as a result of this assignment is our shared ability to adapt and grow as individuals. This is essential for any person, and who better to learn about it from than the divorced French and Spanish teacher of four who grew up riding a pony in Richmond with her Baptist family, and now attends Messianic Shabbat services on Friday nights?

References

Bowden, M. (2010, March 24). The face of America is changing. McClatchy - Tribune News Service. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/456404851?accountid=32521

Pratt, R. A. (1992, Mar 09). White flight doomed racial integration in Richmond schools. Richmond Times - Dispatch. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/423449530?accountid=32521

Stewart, P. (1995, Aug 06). Nuclear fallout the cold war generation warmed up to parodies of life in an atomic world. Fort Worth Star - Telegram. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/273300072?accountid=32521

 

 

 

 

Conflict Management

Delivering Bad News Tactfully and Effectively

Conflict management is a skill that every professional will be required to apply at some point in their career. I believe it is a skill that can be taught, but ultimately, it will probably take time and patience to learn through experience how to manage conflict in an effective manner. While reading for this assignment, I referenced a text book from a previous course and came across a method of conflict management referred to by the acronym STLC, which stands for stop, think, listen, communicate. These are the four steps:

“Step 1: Stop. When you realize that a conflict exists, begin by saying: “Stop!” Don’t become so upset that you start to lose control of yourself. Instead, try to calm down and cool off. Try to control your mental faculties.

Step 2: Think. Think before you act! At an elementary level, try not to take the conflict personally. At a more advanced level, think about your goals, wants, and needs and those of your partner.

Step 3: Listen. Listen before you say anything! The tendency of most people is to justify themselves the moment they hear criticism rather than really listening to what the other person is saying. We believe that the ability to truly hear what the other person is saying is as important as what we say in a conflict.

Step 4: Communicate. Decide how to communicate and do it! You could react with violence or not. What are the outcomes if you react violently? What would happen if you don’t? You could respond by communicating in a destructive way such as by using aggressive speech. You could respond by avoiding the conflict altogether or by simply giving in. You could sit down and discuss the problem with the other person” (Cahn, p. 69).

If I found myself in the situation where I had to confront an employee who was not meeting the standards in terms of their work quality, and who had an aggressive attitude at work, I would use the S-TLC method during out interaction. First though, I would explain to him that his work ethic and his dealings with customers were unacceptable. I would inform him that if he did not improve his work ethic and his attitude, and stop being aggressive with the other employees, that he would lose his job. I would deliver this news calmly in a private conversation with him.

Most people do not enjoy being corrected, and I am sure his reaction would be angry and maybe defensive. If he did not calmly accept what I had to say, and instead got angry with me, I would use the S-TLC method to deal with the situation. First I would stop and remind myself to stay cool and to handle the situation professionally. Then I would think about his perspective on the situation – he is being told by his boss that he may lose his job. Depending on how professionally I have delivered the news, he may even perceive this as a personal attack instead of a cause-and-effect. I would think about the fact that it is probably more practical to retain him (if he corrects his behavior) rather than fire him and have to train someone else. I would remind myself that we are having a two-way discussion and that it is important for me to listen. Then I would hear him out. I would truly listen to what he had to say, without interrupting him. This would accomplish two things: I would get his perspective, and I would possibly calm him down a bit by letting him talk. Finally, I would communicate. I would respond to whatever he had to say, and then firmly explain why he would be fired if he did not change his act.

References

Cahn, Ruth Anna Abigail andDudley D..  Managing Conflict Through Communication VitalSource eBook for Ashford University, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions. Retrieved from <vbk:9780558711184#outline(6.5)>.

Media Technology

There are a variety of forms of media we use every day. Over time, the forms have changed to adapt to new technology or new trends. The Internet has played a huge role in the adaption of media technologies. This post will focus on forms of media used to disperse news, provide entertainment, and encourage networking. Some of these forms of media are: radio, print (such as newspapers and magazines), television, and social media like Facebook and Twitter. Social media is a product of the Internet and the other three forms I mentioned have been adapted to the Internet.

Through the first half of the 20^th Century most people probably relied on radio and print media to receive their news and to stay informed of current events. Then television was introduced, which allowed people to hear and see the anchors who were providing the news updates. Although television was a marked improvement that quickly became part of people’s homes, radio has not gone away. People have radios in their vehicles, and normally have them in their homes as well. Technology continued to adapt as the Internet gained widespread use. Online radio outlets like Pandora are hugely popular, especially among people who want to personalize the type of music played on a certain station and who do not want to listen to commercials.

One appeal to radio is the option to listen to local radio stations. This can be an effective way for people to stay abreast of current events in their area. Many people, such as my mother, enjoy talk show radio for listening to political commentators or to listen to sermons. The convenience of being able to listen to the radio while driving or even while doing yard work or tinkering in the garage is another reason radio will probably continue to remain in use. Aside from entertainment purposes, radio has a practical implementation too. Many people keep emergency battery operated radios in their homes in preparation for natural disasters or simply for a power outage. Radio will probably remain firmly entrenched in our society for some time.

Most major print media outlets have websites so their newspapers or magazines can be viewed online. This is good. As printed media slowly dwindles, people are still able to receive news articles from media outlets they trust, and they have the convenience of being able to access them from their cell phones, laptops, or work computers. The transition to online publication is an environmentally healthy development as well. A reduction in printed media means a lesser demand for lumber. The trickle-down effect here means that as fewer trees are harvested, less fuel is expended transporting lumber to be processed. As smaller amounts of paper are produced, less environmental pollutants are produced as byproducts of the process. Lastly, the environmental impact of transporting and disposing of paper waste is reduced as well. The advent of online print publications is a beautiful thing.  

Another way that print media has adapted to technology to allow itself to remain relevant is through the use of ‘apps’ that can be downloaded to smartphones. I enjoy being able to read the news, but I do not have a newspaper delivered to my home, and I do not always have access to a computer while at work. Fortunately, I have a New York Times application on my phone so I can peruse top news articles at my leisure. The best part is that it is free! The transition to a paperless system of news delivery will allow electronic print media to continue to play an important role in the way people receive their news.

One of the primary ways people stay aware of current events is by watching television. Television is also probably one of the top entertainment outlets for individuals too. Although I rarely watch television, it is a part of most of my friends’ and coworkers’ daily lives. News stations have also adapted to technology by creating websites where news videos and articles can be viewed at leisure. This is a convenience earlier generations did not have. People who work late or who work odd hours can still watch the news. Technology has also made it easier to receive live coverage of remote areas where current events are taking place. Every year, globalization makes the world seem just a little bit smaller, and constant news updates from around the world are one of the reasons for that. One downside to the ready access of news is a sensory overload. It can be hard to keep track of everything that is happening, and it is possible to become desensitized to the constant bombardment of news. With so much news available, it can also be difficult to pick through it all to find what is relevant or worth following. So much of it is just fluff. Technology has also led to a blending of television with the Internet. If a person misses an episode of a particular show that they normally watch, they can often find it online, whether through Netflix or some other program. It seems that the recurring them with media technology is the convenience factor.

Social media is the newest of these four forms of media. The earliest form I knew about was the social media website MySpace. Over time, MySpace fell out of popularity and was replaced by Facebook. Initially, Facebook was intended solely for use by college students, but it has gradually expanded and now anyone can have a Facebook page. Although I do not think Facebook will go away any time soon, I do think it will eventually be replaced by newer social media platforms. My instructor (and also one of my bosses at work) pointed out to me that the younger generation is not as enthralled by Facebook as the rest of us seem to be. It will be interesting to watch what sort of platform comes long as the next big thing.

One of the biggest impacts the Internet has had on media, and what makes social media unique, is that it is interactive.

“…traditional forms of mass media typically enable one-way communication that does not allow direct feedback from receivers of the messages. That is, these media are not interactive. When we read a book or a magazine, listen to the new CD we just bought, or turn on the television, there is no way to use those media to directly respond to the mes­sages we have received” (Croteau, Hoynes & Milan, 2012, “Media Society,” p. 288).

People can keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers through Facebook. It is common for readers to be able to post responses to news stories posted online, allowing for greater discussion between readers. As news outlets have embraced Facebook, it is not uncommon for me to see news stories shared on Facebook. Businesses and professional organizations have also joined the trend by creating Facebook profile pages.

The audiences of media technologies are varied but broad. One of the biggest appeals of it is convenience. Most people I know use the Internet daily and have a Facebook profile. Aside from that, one unifying characteristic of these audiences is at least a basic understanding of the newer technology, and of course, an access to it. Not everyone has a computer or Internet access. For some that could be due to economic circumstances; for others it could be a choice.

References

Croteau, D., Hoynes, W., Milan, S. (2012) Media Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Hello

 

Hi my name is Stuart and this is my first blog. It is an assignment for my final course with Ashford University. When I have completed my degree in Communication Studies I hope to become a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy. For now I plan to work on this blog for my class, and I will post updates about my life from time to time.

When I am not working or doing school work I enjoy running, hiking, and spending time with friends and family. I just moved to the Baltimore area and I was pleasantly surprised to find out there are some awesome hiking trails in the area.

Right now I am enlisted as a mass communication specialist in the Navy. My job encompasses photography, newswriting, videography and graphics work. I love my job and the unique opportunities it has provided me with. Although I just transferred to the area, I am hoping to be accepted into the Navy's officer candidate school, which would mean moving again in the near future. Maybe I'll get stationed in California or Japan! Who knows! I will go wherever the Navy needs me.