Part one respond with 175 words
Conflict manifests within organizations in different ways and especially during periods of change. It can stem from policies that are not ethically aligned with the current state of the organization or with cultural trends in the larger community, among other sources. For organizational leaders, conflicts that arise must be mitigated, and studying strategies that have been tried is a good place to begin.
Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:
How are the signs of conflict displayed in the organization?
How does resistance to change and conflicts impede organizational change? Please be specific and provide examples.
In what ways can conflict be used to create change?
Part two respond with 175 words (Charmayne Butler)
Good afternoon everyone,
Conflict in organizations often manifests in subtle yet noticeable ways, signaling underlying tensions and disagreements requiring attention. These signs can include a palpable sense of employee unease, strained interactions, decreased morale, and a general atmosphere of discontent. For instance, you might observe increased absenteeism, higher employee turnover rates, or a decline in productivity—all of which could indicate unresolved conflicts simmering beneath the surface.
Resistance to change and conflicts can pose significant challenges to organizational change efforts. Imagine attempting to introduce a new strategic initiative to improve efficiency and competitiveness, only to encounter resistance from employees who are hesitant to embrace unfamiliar processes or technologies. This resistance can manifest in various forms, such as passive-aggressive behavior, skepticism, or outright defiance, ultimately impeding progress and undermining the change initiative’s success.
Furthermore, organizational conflicts can hinder effective communication, collaboration, and decision-making, leading to delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. For example, disagreements between departments or teams over resource allocation or project priorities can result in competing agendas and power struggles that detract from the organization’s goals. Similarly, conflicts between management and frontline employees over workload, compensation, or organizational culture can erode trust and morale, creating barriers to meaningful change.
However, it’s essential to recognize that conflict can also catalyze positive change when managed constructively. By fostering an environment where differing perspectives are valued, and open dialogue is encouraged, organizations can harness the creative potential of conflict to generate innovative solutions, foster collaboration, and drive continuous improvement. For instance, conflict resolution techniques such as mediation or facilitated discussions can help facilitate constructive dialogue and problem-solving, leading to mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties involved.
Ultimately, by addressing conflicts head-on and leveraging them as opportunities for growth and learning, organizations can transform challenges into catalysts for positive change, driving innovation, resilience, and organizational success.
Part three respond with 175 words (Gustavo Encinas)
Good morning, everyone,
Conflict in the workplace can cause an organization to fall out of alignment with the mission statement of the organization. The biggest sign of conflict is confusion, this is a clear sign that there is resistance to changes or implementations of new metrics. The next sign would be workforce burnout, indicators are constantly calling out, and the conversation of being overwhelmed by workloads. Complaints are a clear sign of conflicts, this is a workforce that disagrees with changes, workloads, pay, and even appraisal metrics.
Changes are important for organizations to be adaptable to the times and advancement of technology and systems available to accomplish the mission. The biggest obstacle when change is announced is employee turnover, it is difficult for an organization to change when the focus is diverted to training and hiring to fill voids in skillsets. The next obstacle is the lack of production, by way of sabotage by the workforce because they do not support changes. Another challenge that is faced due to conflict is the change in loyalty behavior, which in turn increases the use of leave, and reduces the quality of work impacting the change process in the short term and more expenditure of resources in the long term.
Conflict, while alarming as it should be, can be revealing. This is in the way that it brings to light what are some underlying issues within an organization. Exposing problems can drive the motivation to create solutions, drive unity and communication, foster innovation, and embrace uncertainty and change. Strategically conflict can be a tool that forces a proactive and positive approach, by exposing the problems and engaging it can cultivate common ground and a shared vision.
Gurchiek, K. (2022). How to Identify and Address Conflict in the Workplace. SHRM.
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/how-to-identify-address-conflict-workplace
WahKhaw, K., Alnoor, A., AlAbrrow, H., Tiberius, V., Ganesan, Y., & Atshan, N. A. (2022, April 13). Reactions towards organizational change: a systematic literature review. Current Psychology, 42, 19137-19160.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-022-03070-6
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