BRIEF: PERSONAL CONFLICT STYLE ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
In the marketplace, your ability to integrate form and content for a professional audience is a
valuable part of everyday communication. This gets tricky when the content is more personal or
poses a challenge in some way.
In both cases, the art of communicating to maximize impact, professionalism and constructive
outcomes are crucial. So is clarity. That’s why a brief is so valuable. A brief is the marketplace
equivalent of a mini academic paper written to a professional audience. The integration of form
and content in this format helps to refine your ideas and equips you to write for impact. This
assignment is designed to engage you in this style of writing while expanding your content
connections.
This assignment will introduce you to facets of conflict at an interpersonal level and equip you to
engage your conflict style in a professional setting. The audience for this brief is your boss,
supervisor or current leadership. It should be written as though you are submitting it to them for
review and discussion.
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by taking the personal conflict assessment provided by the United States Institute of
Peace. You can find this link on the Brief: Personal Conflict Style Assignment page under
Brief: Personal Conflict Style Resources.
Review your results and, using videos and readings from class, answer the questions below.
1. Based on the assessment, how do you tend to respond to conflict?
a. What were your results / percentages for each conflict style?
b. Were you surprised? If so, in what ways? OR was this confirmation? If so, in
what ways?
2. What factors contribute / have contributed to your conflict style? Consider what you’re
learning from course readings and videos as you answer these questions.
a. What struggles do you face when addressing a conflict situation?
b. What strengths do you bring to situations that require conflict management?
3. How can you become more effective in your approach?
a. Identify two specific aspects of conflict management you can focus on to improve
your effectiveness.
b. Provide one specific strategy for improving each aspect.
c. Provide one biblical truth that supports your development of each strategy and
thoughtfully explain the connection.
Complete the brief by following these content and style requirements.
1. Length of assignment: 1000 words
2. Content of assignment. The Brief is to include the following components.
a. Cover Page (not included in word count).
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b. Executive Summary that serves as a preview to the content found in the brief (250
words). An Executive Summary is NOT an academic abstract. The Executive
Summary previews the brief by giving away the key insights or findings in the
brief. Think of this as a one-page cheat sheet or as the “spoiler alert,” providing
the audience with the main ideas clearly stated in an easy-to-read format. Follow
the details below to prepare this part of your brief.
c. Professional, thoughtfully analyzed response to the questions listed in the
previous section (750 words).
d. Reference page (not included in word count).
3. Format of assignment: Follow APA Style, paying close attention to the formatting of in-
text citations, the reference list and headings. Creative business formatting as found in
Word templates is permitted, as long as APA style is adhered to in in-text citations and
references.
a. Use of first person is permitted in this assignment; however, keep in mind how
you use it since this brief is being submitted within the context of the workplace
with your supervisor as the audience.
4. Number of citations: 5
5. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years, unless citing
classic, philosophical, literary or historical and theoretical information or research.
Acceptable sources include course materials, and scholarly peer-reviewed sources, and
the Bible. At least one of the sources must be from course materials and two from
scholarly peer-reviewed articles or texts.
Here’s how to prepare an Executive Summary.
● ASK YOURSELF: If my target audience could only read this one page to understand my
brief, what do they need to know? By the time the reader finishes the Executive
Summary, they should be able to:
○ State the main idea.
○ Clearly identify the key insights or significant points made in your brief.
○ Accurately recap the next steps based on your findings.
● WHAT TO INCLUDE: Follow these guidelines to ensure that the content is complete.
○ Clear statement of purpose. This is your thesis (your WHY) for the brief.
○ Key insights. Be specific, not vague. Share your findings here.
○ Next steps. Be specific. List what you’ve learned that’s relevant to your audience.
○ Concise writing. Stay focused and on point with your content.
○ Professional language. Write for your audience. Aim to be clear, not clever.
○ Easy-to-read formatting. Use bullet points to emphasize key ideas.
○ APA citations. Usen APA style if source support is provided.
● MORE ON HOW TO WRITE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Use the general structural
recommendations in these sources for additional insight into how to prepare an Executive
Summary. These are only guides. Emulate aspects of these sources that help you frame
your brief well. You can find links to these articles on the Brief: Personal Conflict Style
Assignment page under Brief: Personal Conflict Style Resources.
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GOOD STYLISTIC APPROACH: This will help you think through how to be
compelling in this part of your brief.
GOOD GENERAL OVERVIEW: This will help you think through how to format for
impact.
GOOD ACADEMIC ABSTRACT vs. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REVIEW: This will
help you avoid writing the more traditional academic abstract, which serves a similar
function in scholarly papers/publications.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism too
