conflict in the workplace requires using interpersonal skills, management skills, and techniques

As discussed in the unit lesson, resolving conflict in the workplace requires using interpersonal skills, management skills, and techniques. Interpersonal skills can consist of understanding individual differences, self-esteem, self-confidence, communication, teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, cultural relations skills, motivation skills, customer service skills, ethical behavior skills, and stress management skills. Management skills focus on the type of management skill applied such as collaborating, accommodating, forcing, avoiding, and compromising. As a member of the workforce, you must be able to effectively resolve conflict, either with the use of interpersonal skills, management skills, or by applying the recommended ways of responding to tension in the workplace (e.g., overcoming defensiveness, accepting of the tension, and resolving the tension).

For your Unit VI Assignment, please reflect on your knowledge of resolving conflict that you have experienced or observed in the workplace. Please analyze what you have learned. Describe how your learned knowledge can be used. Also, identify how this information can be used to resolve conflict in the workplace in your current job or from a past incident you have experienced. What steps/methods were used in resolving the conflict?

As discussed in the unit lesson, resolving conflict in the workplace requires using interpersonal
skills, management skills, and techniques. Interpersonal skills can consist of understanding
individual differences, self-esteem, self-confidence, communication, teamwork skills, problemsolving skills, cultural relations skills, motivation skills, customer service skills, ethical behavior
skills, and stress management skills. Management skills focus on the type of management skill
applied such as collaborating, accommodating, forcing, avoiding, and compromising. As a
member of the workforce, you must be able to effectively resolve conflict, either with the use of
interpersonal skills, management skills, or by applying the recommended ways of responding to
tension in the workplace (e.g., overcoming defensiveness, accepting of the tension, and resolving
the tension).
For your Unit VI Assignment, please reflect on your knowledge of resolving conflict that you
have experienced or observed in the workplace. Please analyze what you have learned. Describe
how your learned knowledge can be used. Also, identify how this information can be used to
resolve conflict in the workplace in your current job or from a past incident you have
experienced. What steps/methods were used in resolving the conflict?
Your reflection paper should be at least three pages in length, including an introduction, a body
that supports your reflection, and a conclusion. Be sure to include a title page. The title page does
not count toward the total page requirement.
UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE
Conflict and Customer
Satisfaction
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
6. Assess methods for resolving conflict in organizations.
6.1 Analyze steps/methods to resolve conflicts in your current or past experiences in the workplace.
Reading Assignment
Chapter 9: Resolving Conflicts with Others
Chapter 14: Customer Satisfaction Skills
Unit Lesson
Chapter 9 is based upon why interpersonal conflict exists, methods of resolving conflict, styles in handling
conflict, and combating sexual harassment in the workplace. According to DuBrin (2015), “A conflict is a
situation in which two or more goals, values, or events are incompatible or mutually exclusive” (p. 198). As an
individual in the workforce, you must handle conflict in the most effective and efficient manner possible and in
doing so overcome defensiveness, accept the tension, and resolve the tension (Corner & Pavlovich, 2014).
Conflict
There are various reasons why conflict exists within an organization. According to DuBrin (2015), conflict can
exist due to the following reasons: competition for limited resources, role conflict, competing work and family
demands, personality clashes and drama, bullies in the workplace, incivility and rudeness, cross-generational
conflict, workplace violence, and task versus relationship conflict. Understanding the causes of conflict can
help resolve it and prevent similar recurrences. Refer to the textbook to identify rules for dealing with conflict
in the workplace.
Conflict affects job performance in positive or negative manners; however, if performance is negatively
affected, you should consider methods for properly resolving it. Refer to the textbook to identify specifics.
Some suggestions for dealing with conflict in the workplace include avoiding confrontations, remaining calm,
actively listening to other parties, putting yourself in the other party’s place, asking questions to clarify, not
interrupting the other party as that person is expressing his or her concerns, discussing concerns in private,
involving a mediator, showing understanding and compassion for that person’s concerns, and resolving with a
win-win outcome.
Once the situation has been resolved, each party must document his or her concerns for a record of the
situation. Then, the mediator should support the accounts of the occurrence, witness the outcome, and sign
for legal purposes. Doing this accounts for what was said and done by all parties and identifies the final
outcome in moving forward within the work environment. Of course, in documenting the material, the following
points should be covered: who, what, when, where, why, and how of the situation.
Resolving Conflict
It is the responsibility of the manager or supervisor to promptly resolve conflict within the work environment. In
handling conflict within the work environment, the manager is required to exercise the proper management
style. The type of style used will depend on the situation at hand. Each style is based on a combination of
satisfying one’s own concerns (i.e., assertiveness) and satisfying the concerns of others (i.e.,
cooperativeness; DuBrin, 2015). In the conflict management process, behaviors such as aggression,
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assertiveness, and passivity may be exhibited by those involved in the disagreement.
These behaviors
UNIT x STUDY
GUIDE play a
critical role in the management style needed to successfully resolve the conflict.
Title
As stated in the textbook, conflict is inevitable. There were some good points identified by the author
regarding what methods can be used to effectively resolve conflict. The methods “are based somewhat on the
underlying win–win model, or integrating the interests of both parties” (DuBrin, 2015, p. 207). You can refer to
the textbook to identify other specifics associated with the methods for conflict resolution. Overall, the desired
outcome is to come to a win-win solution rather than having a win-lose outcome. No one should walk away
feeling that he or she has lost anything without a single possible gain. One of the most vital conflict resolution
skills is knowing how to achieve a win-win solution (DuBrin, 2015).
Harassment
Harassment is defined as offensive, humiliating, or intimidating behavior (Anderson & Bolt, 2013). Two types
of harassment are quid pro quo and hostile behavior. The most common harassment in the workplace is
sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is identified as unwanted advances of a sexual nature. According to
the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, n.d.), some basic statistics on sexual
harassment in the workforce from 1997 to 2015 indicate that sexual harassment cases have decreased from
30.7% to 29.5%–not a large margin. The data also shows that the application of suggested tips in handling
harassment cases within the work environment has been effective. The suggested tips include a sexual
harassment policy, harassment and sensitivity training, and prompt response and follow-up to complaints.
Chapter 14 is based upon identifying ways to satisfy customers, create bonds with customers, and manage
customer dissatisfaction. Customers are identified as external and internal customers, which is a definition
that contributes to the understanding of customer service. External customers are customers, guests, and
patients, while internal customers are employees and staff you serve within the company (DuBrin, 2015). To
identify customer satisfaction, we must define customer satisfaction. Refer to the assigned chapter reading to
identify with the various levels of customer satisfaction. Can you identify with some customer services skills
and applications on the self-assessment quiz?
Customer Satisfaction
What is customer satisfaction? Customer satisfaction is approval and acceptance of firm behavior in the
delivery of services rendered and successful product performance. It can be ranked by a point system, basic
observation, and direct feedback. The following is an example of a point system:
(1) Excellent
(2) Good
(3) Fair
(4) Poor
Note: Refer to the textbook to identify some customer satisfaction tips.
Customer satisfaction can make or break an organization. Customer satisfaction can be viewed in two ways:
win-win and win-lose. Customer satisfaction involves striving to offer a win-win situation at any given time. If
this type of solution is not possible, there should be some form of compromise developed. As the manager,
you should avoid situations where there is a win-lose outcome, resulting in an unhappy customer. What are
your thoughts?
Adopting customer satisfaction best practices brings about positive change, which can help lead to positive
outcomes such as increased employee morale, new business or clients, and increased profits. Some best
practices include identifying the mission of the organization, developing ways for customer service to begin,
identifying the goals and objectives of the organization, hiring the right candidates to perform the duties of the
position, and conducting training and outcome reviews.
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Bond with Customers
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Within an organization, you must bond with the customers on internal and external levels. Customers can
consist of employees, clients, and vendors to the organization. This mentioned bond is identified as an
emotional relationship between the organization and the customers. As the bond is being created, the focus is
on the service orientation to the customers. You can identify the six principles, per the textbook, to apply as
the bond is being created. The success of any business is centered on bonds created. For example, from the
employer to employee bonds, manager to subordinate bonds, and organization to customer bonds—the
bonds are created with building the necessary working relationships to successfully fulfill the missions, goals,
and objectives. There are times when the bonds are not as secure as needed to successfully operate, so all
parties must secure these relationships with open communication, availability, transparency, and a win-win
working environment or relationship. Ways to develop the bonds include training sessions, interoffice
activities, customer appreciation days and activities, and reward and incentive programs. As the practitioner, it
is the manager’s responsibility to not only identify what creates the bonds but also to maintain those bonds.
Ways to identify with creating and maintaining the bonds are through observations, feedback, comment cards,
interviews, and surveys.
Managing Customer Dissatisfaction
Managing customer dissatisfaction is crucial to the overall success of an organization. An organization must
collect the feedback and properly assess it to bring about the necessary changes and to maintain the desired
level of business on a day-to-day basis. Organizations routinely survey customers for feedback to detect
problems and needed area updates. Ways to collect the data are surveys, comment cards, interviews,
assessments, and observations. Once the data has been collected, the organization must analyze the
information and determine possible ways to address dissatisfied customers and avoid developing dissatisfied
customers. If dissatisfied customers are identified, there are ways on to properly handle them as identified in
the assigned reading.
References
Anderson, L. E., & Bolt, S. B. (2013). Professionalism: Skills for workplace success (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson.
Corner, P. D., & Pavlovich, K. (2016). Shared value through inner knowledge creation. Journal of Business
Ethics, 135(3), 543-555. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2488-x
DuBrin, A. J. (2015). Human relations: Interpersonal job-oriented skills (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Charge statistics: FY 1997 through FY 2015.
Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/charges.cfm
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Suggested Reading
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
In order to access the following resource, click the link below:
The following article reflects how human resource managers are a business’ front line for employee
complaints. You are encouraged to review this information.
Schaller, R. (2013, December 10). Five points to train your staff. Workforce. Retrieved from
http://www.workforce.com/2013/12/10/five-points-to-train-your-staff/
Review the PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 9 and Chapter 14 to supplement the textbook reading and
lesson content.
Chapter 9: Resolving Conflicts with Others
Click here to access the Chapter 9 PowerPoint presentation.
Click here for the PDF version.
Chapter 14: Customer Satisfaction Skills
Click here to access the Chapter 14 PowerPoint presentation.
Click here for the PDF version.
Learning Activities (Nongraded)
Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit
them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.
You may complete one or all activities.
1. Read the Interpersonal Relations Case 9.1 or Case 9.2 on pp. 222-223, and answer the case
questions for the case you have chosen.
2. Read the Interpersonal Relations Case 14.1 or Case 14.2 on pp. 350-351, and answer the case
questions for the case you have chosen.
3. Complete this Unit VI content activity for further enhancement of the lesson.
a.
Click here to access the Unit VI content question pyramid. (Click here for a PDF version.)
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