Conflict management

Organizations must practice conflict management because it reduces the negative effects of disagreement while boosting its beneficial effects (Baack, 2012). The problem may result from people with varying interests and viewpoints. However, if the issue is discovered sooner, it may be resolved to stop a major altercation from happening. In addition, disagreement should be managed to maximize each employee's contribution to productivity and business operations (Baack, 2012). I once worked for a company that had three distinct teams spread across three different branches, all of which were in the same general area. Since the groups did not share an office with their managers, conflicts between them were constantly present and needed to be resolved. The majority of people essentially worked from home. The team managers required to account to the senior manager that in turn reported to the director of the organization. Therefore, the discussion will focus on identification of conflict that occurs among the teams and develops resolutions that for effective collaboration.
Description of Conflict within the Organization's Teams
The director always delegated work to the executive managers allowing them to handle reports, presentation, and budget matters. He commonly stated that he did not enjoy duties of management. As such, he often left them to the three regional managers. The director did not always get involved running the company actively. Therefore, the senior managers received little direction from him and although they were required to work together to ensure effective operation. However, the managers did not meet frequently, and each had distinct agendas about their teams. Further, the company had just had hierarchical changes leading to differences among the managers. Each team managers focused on strengths that fit the group and had separate goals and needs for the business. Over time, the managers began talking despairingly about one another through the reports they submitted to the director which showed disrespect for each other's opinions. Further, their situation was evident during meetings where the managers did not mind their verbal and non-verbal cues when address each. The problem continued, and the teams started dividing as managers became more outspoken. If the conflict is not handled efficiently, it can be damaging since the issue can quickly cause dislike among colleague (Heathfield, 2013). As an outcome, the matter can cause team breakage and talent wastage. At the same time, the responsibilities at the company required the teams to mingle and travel together to task once a week. One of the teams showed constant frustration since they were consistently exposed to disparaging comments from the others and when they tried to explain their concern, it heightened rivalry. The team leader reported the matter to the director over their dissatisfaction. However, they were told they needed to work cohesively without his intervention to accomplish the tasks. The director was not concerned about creating a work environment that promoted effective collaboration among employees.
Identification and Description of the Sources and Level of Conflict
When I spoke to my managers, I realized she was experiencing interpersonal conflict nonindividuals level because the values she needed the team to represent were not aligned with the processes followed in the other branches. She believed that one of other managers influenced the director who had relied on him for years. The power and status differences resulted in the development of interpersonal conflict and competition between that manager and her. As the two became disrespectful to one another, the conflict affected the other two teams' ability to work. In particular, the problem leads to the development of intra-group conflict as each tried to dominate the others. As a matter of fact, two teams withdrew and stopped participating in meetings. The organization literally split into three distinct groups which heightened the intergroup conflict making them unable to tolerate each and collaborate to perform the required tasks.

Steps Taken to Resolve the Conflict
Team members visited the directors individually and constantly to express their dissatisfaction with their jobs. The leader held that he did not understand why there would be a divergence between the teams. As a result, he made a general statement during the next meetings stating that division among the groups was unacceptable and individuals were asked to amend their differences and work together. The directors did not effectively address the issue.
Also, the regional managers attempted to change their team's dynamics by involving each other in the assessment of projects trying to ensure each group's ideas and opinions were effectively represented (Weider-Hatfield & Hatfield, 2015). Further, there was a reshuffle of how individuals would be traveling. The method focused on overseeing that the groups had a chance of working together and engaged more in completing the task as stipulated allowing members who had not collaborated before to function collectively. However, they were unable to break the conflict cycle since they had watched their managers engage in interpersonal related disagreements for a long time. The groups were not fully involved and sometimes withdrew and refused to help the others since they felt they were being disrespected and dominated when their ideas or contributions were not taken into account.
Additionally, the director disbanded the groups and was recreated with different associates and managers (Weider-Hatfield & Hatfield, 2015). He explained that the new teams were established to ensure reduced the conflict for people to engage with others from different groups at a personal level. The step was followed by involving them in a project that did not require traveling and which needed less supervision. The director aimed at giving them the autonomy to functions collectively.
Conflict outcome that could have Reasonably Occur as Result of the Resolution
There would be little difference in how the teams worked since the director was not significantly involved in the process. In other words, he was not actively engaged in creating safe working environment even when the members of the teams reported to his their concerns (Weider-Hatfield & Hatfield, 2015). In particular, he expected them to deal with their problems without him. As such, the conflict between the managers continued. If the director had addressed the concerns as he should as the leader of the organization, the conflict cycle would have been stopped early. There was a need for him to identify the parties that were propagating the issue.
Further, the director would be resorted to investigating the matter and addressing the issues which would have allows him to resolve the problem creatively and effectively as well as enhance the process of their teams' work (Saeed et al., 2014). The existence of conflict is not necessarily a bad thing as may bring growth as long as it is handled properly. For example, three teams were concerned that one of the managers was not delivering reports which prevented the associates from maintaining a long-term relationship with one another. If the director took the initiative to understand clearly the source of the problem, it would have been easier to enforce compliance with rules or taking important measures early to prevent further damage that arose from the conflict (Saeed et al., 2014). Further, the investigation would have helped him comprehend the primary cause of the differences in agendas. When a corporate culture incorporates positive conflict resolution, employees are unified by the knowledge that every person is expected to be involved in completing the tasks or projects.
Another outcome that would have resulted from effective resolution measures regards how team members trusted each other. Usually, people trust those they never had a difference of opinion with and allow the parties to negotiate to find common ground with one another. As an outcome, the organization would have realized increased productivity. Commonly, a company that promotes positive workplace encourages employees to be innovative which means they acquire the ability to solve conflict before it escalates.
Conclusion
Indeed, conflict management is an important component that impacts an organization positively. As such, the discussion identifies disagreement in interest and goals among three team leaders and their members. The company was experiencing division in the three branches because managers had distinct work agendas. At the same time, the director was less concerned about the matter. As a result, the teams continued to engage in fights which affected their ability to complete the tasks assigned to them. Additionally, although there were several measures put forward to address the problem, most were not effective. However, if the director has taken the initiative of investigating the source of the challenge, he would have been able to bring cohesiveness, trust, and unity among the team. As a result, the approach would have helped the company realizes increased productivity.









References
Baack, D. (2012). Management communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Heathfield, S, (2013). Workplace conflict resolution: avoid these actions in effective conflict resolution. www.about.com. Retrieved 04/28/2014 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementtips/a/conflict_solue.htm
Saeed, T., Almas, S., Anis-ul-Haq, M., & Niazi, G. S. K. (2014). Leadership styles: relationship with conflict management styles. International Journal of Conflict Management, 25(3), 214-225.
Weider-Hatfield, D., & Hatfield, J. D. (2015). Relationships among conflict management styles, levels of conflict, and reactions to work. The Journal of social psychology, 135(6), 687-698.