A CASE STUDY ON CONFLICT



     To some conflict is a reason to concede. To another person, conflict is an adrenaline rush. For some, conflict is a dilemma that has no beneficial conclusion. Conflict occurs due to our relationship with individuals, a perception of resource needs, incompatible goals, and urgency (Cahn, 2014). Conflict is not preventable. Conflicts presence is even more present in business relationships. The purpose of this paper is to review the given case study below:

“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services.  You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service.  One of your employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers.  In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment.  You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”

This paper’s objectives will define the most appropriate approach to the employee; list three predictable responses from the employee, and detail conflict resolution techniques to manage the employee. 
Because the case study requires an ultimatum, the best approach for this instance would be a combination of a collaborative and competitive approach.  The collaborative part permits the employee and the manager to work together for a resolution. Reporter Valencia (2015) further defines collaboration by picturing the other’s concerns, clarifying and sharing underlying concerns helps the other parties clarify their concerns as well.  This can be accomplished in three ways. First, the case study indicated that the employee has been performing at a substandard level.  So, the manager would want to make sure that the employee has met all current training as the other workers.   Next, a review of the complaints would be conducted.  It would best to determine if the conflicts were due to personality issues or training issue.   Lastly, an evaluation of the employee’s attendance could determine if there is some underlying personal conflict.  Since the employee has been with the company for a bit, they are worth the investment to understand the entirety of the issues.

Whereas, the competitive side of the approach will be the ultimatum.  The competitive style depicts a situation where there is a party triumph over the other party in dispute (Cahn and Abigail, 2014).  The case study indicated that the situation requires immediate intervention.    Valencia suggests, “Be effective by explaining your motives, being respectful and listening, and sticking to the particular issue, as well as avoiding making threats (Valencia, 2015).”  A manager will have to clearly and directly communicate that the results for their noncompliance could lead to termination.  In this way, the manager is putting the ultimate decision to continue working on the employee’s decision to act.

Typically, I think that the employee’s initial three response will be defensive, explosive, and emotional.  Merriam-Webster defines defensive as “behaving in a way that shows that you feel people are criticizing you”.  According to the case study, the employee has already shown signs of confrontational behavior.  So, the beginning of the conversation displays of hostility, anger, and aggressive retorts should be expected.  If personal stress is a factor in the employee’s recent behavior, then during the confrontation, the emotional display may lead to some revelation as to the root of the poor performance.

There are several techniques a manager could do to make confrontation productive.    First a manager must be willing to listen to the employee perspective. Effective listening is a communication skill that many individuals neglect (Kline 2012).  Often in a communication event, we tend to rush in to depart our positions, but fail to listen to the reply our partners are communicating. “Concentrating exclusively on facts often causes leaders to miss the main idea” (Kline, 2012).  To promote effective listening, a manager should meet privately with the employee.  This will prevent distractions and onlookers.

Conflict management requires dialogue (Kline, 2012). It is important that the language we use is understood by others.  Some expressions only have meaning to individuals within a certain region or society.  Many individuals fail to recognize verbal differences.  For example, in South Texas, many residents use a combination of Mexican and English in local colloquialism and names.  Additionally, personal constructs do affect the communication process amongst individuals.  The individuals’ age, activity preferences, and personal quirks are all elements that could either help or hinder our efforts in conflict resolution. Language should be professional and precise. 

Lastly, make sure that there is a plan for resolution in place before leaving the meeting. “Summarize all possible options for a solution” (Lytle, 2015). The manager should write out the specifics of the issues being address and what actions needed to prevent termination.  Additionally, this plan needs to include a future appointment for re-evaluation.   This will provide a gauge for the manager to determine if improvement goals have been met.

In conclusion, this paper suggests that the case study above needs a collaborative/competitive approach to appeal to the employee. The employee may demonstrate emotional, defensive, and explosive responses.  Lastly, by using effective listening, maintaining professional dialogue, and summarizing objectives, a manager can make the conflict productive.

Resources

Cahn, D., & Abigail, R. A. Managing conflict through Communication, (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: 

Pearson Learning.

Conduff, M. (2016). Threats from Within. Public Management (00333611), 98(2),

20-21. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/

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Defensive. (2016). In Merriam-Webster.com.  Retreived from http://www.merriam-

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Huerta, D. (2015). Brainy quote. Retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/

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Lytle, T. (2015). Confronting Conflict. (cover story). HR Magazine, 60(6), 26.  Retrieved from

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Valencia, P. (2015). Trouble is brewing. TD: Talent Development, 69(4), 60. Retrieved from

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