Mediating Conflict

In this paper I will discuss the conflict that is occurring at General Hospital, the conflict management styles that are evident in the case, and how General Hospital could have used teams to address the cost reductions needed to stay competitive. I will also describe how the CEO of General Hospital, Mike Hammer can us negotiation skills to get buy-in for the cost reductions and finally I will recommend a strategy for Hammer to resolve the problem.

What is conflict? Even something as basic as a universal definition for the word conflict seems to vary from source to source. A literature review focusing on conflict defined it as “the interaction of interdependent people who perceive incompatibility and the possibility of interference from others as a result of this incompatibility” (Brinkert 2010). Often times the disagreement results not from a concrete difference, but rather a difference in perception (Ellis & Abbott 2012). One of the most important factors effecting conflict management is the resolution style used. The most often used tool for classifying how conflict is managed is the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (Iglesias & Vallejo 2012).

After hearing from all parties involved in the conflict, participants are sometimes able to come up with a resolution for the problem they are facing

In my view points I would describe mediation to a friend by saying, we are the change. People need to respect others, view points, cultures, and backgrounds. Mediation is resolving a conflict by opening our minds and seeing the other side. It is the driving force behind uniting communities and people.

In this situation, mediation is a widespread technique for dealing with conflicts. Its main aim is to facilitate the resolution of conflicts, being non-coercive and non-binding. As mediation works with the approval of the parties, it does not involve conflicts with sovereignty, as international intervention does (Greig and Diehl 2012:41). Furthermore, mediation is generally a relevant pillar of a more comprehensive process of peaceful and conflict management (Bercovitch 2011:5).

Conflict is a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to be negatively affect, something that the first party cares about. It also encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people experience in organizations.

Leaders must learn how to deal with issues that may arise among their followers. Some of these issues may consist of the leader managing conflicts, handling communication challenges among team members, or addressing organizational communication needs. The communication process is important step for the transfer and understanding of meaning between individuals when working toward a goal together (Robbins & Judge, 2013). With the correct style of communication utilized leaders can help to avoid conflicts among groups.

Conflict cannot be eliminated from the workplace therefore learning appropriate conflict-handling skills is important. It is imperative nurses learn how to effectively handle conflict in the work environment (Morrison, 2008). According to the Conflict Resolution Questionnaire Analysis, my style of conflict resolution is Collaborating. I believe that working together will get better results than working alone, a win/win situation. I can express assertiveness, cooperation and welcome differences of opinions. I will listen to the opinion of others and will give you mine as well.

In trying to resolve the conflict between Reece and Patel, Edwards used an avoidance strategy. Instead of speaking directly about the root causes, or sources, of the conflict, Edwards focused on the behaviors and treated Reece and Patel like children. Edwards scolded them, and sent them off without bothering to find out what was bothering the two. Of course, this type of conflict resolution is ineffective because it fails to address the underlying issues. As Anderson (n.d.) points out, addressing the problem is key to conflict resolution. "When a conflict does happen, a manager needs to focus the conflicting parties on the issue and have them leave out any personal problems they may be having," (Anderson, n.d.).

A conflict is a disagreement between two individuals. A conflict resolution is both individuals having an understanding and coming to an agreement on the conflict. The conflict can be resolved by both parties having a perspective of the other point of views. According to, Bisno, H. (1988)," Conflict, arguments, and change are natural parts of our lives, as well as the lives of every agency, organization, and nation. Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a disagreement among them. The disagreement may be personal, financial, political, or emotional. When a dispute arises, often the best course of action is negotiation to resolve the disagreement. The goals of negotiation is to produce a solution that all parties can agree to, work as quickly as possible to find this solution, and improve, not hurt, the relationship between the groups in conflict. Conflict resolution through negotiation can be good for all parties involved. Often, each side will get more by participating in negotiations than they would by walking away, and it can be a way for your group to get resources that might otherwise be out of reach."

Whenever conflicts surface in Africa, the first thing that the concerned parties go for is the fastest way of solving the conflict before it grows to uncontrollable proportions. This is when conflict resolution mechanisms are required. In the African context, most conflicts are fueled by rush for scarce resources between individuals and mostly between communities within one nation. The conflicts in Africa are rarely experienced between one nation and the other. The conflicts also arise out of rush for power and positions in government. This is predominantly due to the fact that such leadership positions come with strapping of authority and access to resources that are within the country.

One of the most peaceful and highly sought after ways of resolving conflict is mediation. It is the process where a mutually acceptable third party, with no authority to make descisions, intervenes and helps involved parties improve their relationships, enhance communication, and use effective problem-solving and negotiation procedures to reach mutually understanding or agreement.

The most effective way to ensure resolution is to formulate an adequate conflict strategy. Conflict strategies are “overall plans consisting of a cluster of behaviors that people use in a specific conflict situation” (Abigail & Cahn, 2007). This should occur during the following phase which is known as the differentiation phase. During this phase, it is advised that you analyze the information exchanged in the previous stages and work to formulate an adequate conflict strategy suitable for this particular conflict. Ideally, this process should foster an open, honest communication amongst the affected parties. It is important that everyone involved keep an open mind so that all possibilities are heard and so that we may keep our conflict strategy flexible. Again, communication plays a pivotal role in determining the success of the conflict strategy. The use of active listening and clear communication will be useful in getting all resolution ideas out on the table. It is important to be clear about what you expect from this conflict but it is of equal importance to listen to what the other party is seeking from this conflict.

Conflict management and resolution can be approached through numbers of ways that ramble from least to most threats. Legislation, political action or violent forces are common methods to avoid conflicts however talking with the dispute parties, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and adjudication must be used in conflict resolution process. Conflict parties who cannot negotiate together efficiently may hire mediator or negotiator to make easy negotiation procedure. Thus mediation is considered as the interference or involvement in a high level negotiation with third party who has no reliable or authoritative executive power. The primary goal of mediator is to skillfully assist the concerned (involved) parties reaching a mutually

By one of its broadest definitions, mediation is “a process of conflict management, related to but distinct from the parties’ own negotiations, where those in conflict seek the assistance of, or accept an offer of help from, an outsider (whether an individual, an organization, a group, or a state) to change their perceptions or behavior, and to do so without resorting to physical force or invoking the authority of the law.” Under certain conditions, mediator may stop violence or facilitate a peace agreement. Mediation is often used as an alternative to failed negotiation efforts between parties.