The Fundamentals of Power and Self-esteem in Organizational Conflict
Introduction:
In this analysis, we explore the core principles of power and self-esteem in organizational conflicts. Our understanding of these concepts shapes our perception of ourselves, which in turn influences our approach to conflict resolution.
Additionally, individual power and its correlation with authority, control, and influence within an organization serve as indicators of one’s engagement in conflict. By examining various elements such as communication, values, needs, resources, personalities, and work styles, we can identify factors contributing to organizational conflicts. COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
Poor Communication and Misaligned Values:
Conflict within an organization often stems from ineffective communication or divergent communication styles, such as aggressive or passive communication. Furthermore, conflicts arise when there is a lack of recognition and understanding of different values among individuals and departments. The clash intensifies when personal agendas supersede organizational goals and hinder growth.
Moreover, scarcity mindset and competition for resources contribute to organizational conflicts, as employees engage in overly competitive behavior due to perceived resource limitations. Differences in personalities, work styles, and problem-solving abilities also fuel conflicts within the organizational setting. Underperforming employees can strain their colleagues and impede organizational progress, often resulting from a lack of commitment, poor work ethic, and accountability.
Identifying Conflicts in the Webuwrite Academy Simulation:
The analysis of the Webuwrite Academy Simulation reveals five distinct conflicts. The first conflict involves Melanie Michaels and Jeff Taylor, while the second conflict arises between Brad Hayes and Jill Kaplan-Zuckerman. The third conflict emerges between Meera Agarwal and Alvin Lim, followed by Meera Agarwal’s internal conflict regarding Angela Camper. The final conflict centers around Tyler Sanchez, Melanie Michaels, and his own feelings of insecurity. COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
The conflict between Brad Hayes and Jill Kaplan-Zuckerman:
Brad, the Vice President of Marketing, demonstrates verbally aggressive behavior while attempting to appear polite and respectful. He possesses a superior mindset and wields his power accordingly.
Brad’s offensive remarks target every department except for Jill’s, suggesting that good writing skills are not necessary for other job functions within the company. In a private confession, Brad admits to being comfortable with being disliked, intentionally maintaining limitations.
His conflict style is dominantly destructive, lacking collaboration and promoting a winner-takes-all approach, thus polarizing the situation. Jill, who enjoys a close relationship with the CEO, may adopt an agreeable and accommodating strategy to maintain her status through this connection. Rather than directly confronting Brad, she chooses an indirect approach, responding subtly and then withdrawing into her role.
COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
Jill may harbor deep resentment toward Brad, whom she perceives as incapable of constructing a coherent sentence. The suggested conflict resolution strategy for their conflict involves compromise. By establishing a level playing field for discussion and rebalancing the power structure, Brad’s need for control over others can be addressed, leading to mutual recognition of each other’s contributions.
However, this compromise strategy may not thoroughly examine underlying conflicting behavior for long-term business effectiveness. Brad must recognize that both he and Jill, as VPs, contribute to the company’s success. Jill should not shield herself from criticism using her relationship with Melanie but rather learn about the business aspects of her role and assess the financial viability of her creative decisions.
The conflict between Meera Agarwal and Alvin Lim:
Meera expresses frustration and anger over the outsourcing of twenty-five jobs within her community, Industraville, which holds significant personal value to her. Instead of confronting Angela, the CEO, and a former high school classmate whom Meera believed shared her commitment to Industraville, she transfers her anger and dissatisfaction to Alvin Lim, the director of Singapore Tech Solutions. Meera avoids communicating with Angela about her plans for Webuwrite Academy Simulation and, more importantly, Angela’s continued dedication to Industraville. COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
‘s revitalization. By avoiding Angela, Meera finds an outlet for her criticism by being uncooperative and disparaging toward Singapore Tech Solutions operations. Meera’s hostility and lack of civility isolate Alvin, hindering his ability to request appropriate and efficient support. Alvin, in turn, avoids engaging with Angela to buy time for improving customer interactions with Singapore Tech Solutions professionals. He uses avoidance to prevent escalating hostility between himself and Meera.
Alvin recognizes that language acts as a barrier to his company’s performance and eagerly awaits the assistance of competent students willing to help him in his mission. The suggested conflict resolution strategy for this conflict involves collaboration. This approach would foster unity between Meera and Alvin, who share joint responsibility for their company’s educational technology.
COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
Both could potentially derive moral and professional benefits by supporting each other. Meera could propose hiring at least one technical writer in her department dedicated to creating technical documents in support of the Singapore Tech Solutions division. Meera should also be more accommodating and understanding of Alvin’s professional growth and personal success needs.
She must recognize that the decision to outsource ultimately rests with the CEO, Angela Camper. Meera needs to realize that her animosity towards Alvin is impacting the productivity of educational technology and could harm customer relationships, leading to lower satisfaction levels. She should reflect on her continued association with the company and determine whether working for Webuwrite Academy Simulation aligns with her personal values.
Alvin, on the other hand, should stop avoiding the need to seek guidance and assistance in training his staff to meet the company’s expectations. He may need to communicate his needs to someone other than Meera to ensure optimal performance in his role. COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
The conflict between Melanie Michaels and Jeff Taylor:
Melanie and Jeff employ an avoidance technique to evade direct and honest communication about their conflict, resulting in an internal “avoid/blame loop.” Despite not engaging in face-to-face verbal attacks, they harbor deep criticisms of each other and fail to respect each other’s needs and goals. Jeff’s values and activist activities align with those of CEO Angela Camper and Webuwrite as a company.
While Jeff is comfortable embodying Webuwrite’s beliefs, he must learn to respect differing viewpoints expressed by Melanie and Brad Hayes from the Marketing department. Not everyone attaches the same significance or societal value to assisting the underprivileged. Jeff projects his beliefs onto Melanie, who is judged and found lacking. Melanie is unhappy about working in an unsafe community and prefers not to allocate personal resources (time) to Industraville intentionally.
COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
The suggested conflict resolution style for Melanie and Jeff is integration. They experience conflict due to lifestyle differences and personal emotions rather than work performance. Integration involves a high level of collaboration, where both parties engage in a functional (collaborative) or effective interaction.
Jeff and Melanie not only work together but also have a subordinate-supervisor relationship, which requires a more comprehensive compromise style that addresses the root causes of their mutual animosity and enables them to establish and maintain professionally stable roles.
The most significant challenge with this strategy lies in the power imbalance in their professional relationship. Since Jeff is Melanie’s superior, he might pretend to adopt a compromising or accepting attitude toward Melanie while exhibiting punitive behavior. Such behavior is common when using an integrative compromise strategy.
To ensure mutual satisfaction in resolving their differences, both parties must commit to adopting a collaborative approach. Jeff should also openly address whether Melanie’s discomfort with his sexual orientation affects their ability to communicate effectively and reach common ground. Melanie, as a gesture of goodwill and conciliation, could compromise by offering support to Jeff in ways that feel authentic to her without compromising her own time.
Conclusion:
Understanding the dynamics of power and self-esteem is crucial in addressing conflicts within organizations. By recognizing the impact of power dynamics, communication styles, and personal values, individuals can navigate conflicts more effectively. COM 3700 WEEK 2 Webuwrite Academy Conflict Summary
The case study analysis of the conflicts at Webuwrite Academy Simulation highlights the need for open communication, compromise, collaboration, and a focus on organizational goals to resolve conflicts and promote a harmonious work environment.
References
Hocker, J. L., & Wilmot, W. W. (2018). Interpersonal conflict.
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