ASSIGNMENT OF BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION AND REPORT

WRITING

TOPIC :CONFLICT IN BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION

PRESENTED TO : PROF. MALIK MUHAMMAD

HAYAT SB

PRESENTED BY : ZAHID MASIH

ROLL NO : 012SS

CLASS : M.COM 1ST SEMESTER

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

UNIVERSITY OF SARGODHA

What is Conflict?
 “Situation in which people groups or countries are involved in a serious
disagreement”

"Conflict." This is a word that causes most of us a great degree of discomfort,

anger, frustration, sadness, and pain.

Example:

Pakistan and India are disagreeing on the issue of Kashmir. It means there is
conflict between Pakistan and India about Kashmir. India says that Kashmir is part of
India but Pakistan says that Kashmiri people have the right to choose which they
want, that is a type of conflict between Pakistan and India.

Conflict in business communication:

Here I will discuss it as business point of view that what is conflict in a

business communication so we can further define conflict as;

“The state in a relationship or interaction where two or more people are

attempting to have differing needs met in a way that creates discomfort and results
in negative reactions.”

Example:

We can give example of supervisor and workers that supervisor says that all
workers should take tea at 4:00 P:M and one time in a day but all workers say that we
have to take tea at 3:00 P:M and two times in a day, now there is conflict created
between supervisors and workers about time of taking tea and how many times should
worker take tea. It has become conflict.

One another example we can take that our lecturer of B.C.R.W says that
prepare assignment on the topic of conflict in business communication and present
me typed in MS word, but student says that we will prepare assignment but we will
present hand written, this is conflict between lecturer and students that students wants
to present hand written but lecturer demands it typed in MS word.

There may be lot of examples of conflict between business, we can say that
when you have to achieve some goals and while adopting the methods to achieve the
goals there may occur a conflict. Suppose company has set the goal for the sale
department that it has to achieve the sale of Rs 10 million this month and sale
department has to get it without promotion of marketing. Here sales department says
that we will achieve the goal but we need promotion but company says that you have
to get it without promotion, here goal is same but in methods the conflict occur. So
like this we can take hundreds of examples of conflict.

Causes of Conflict:
 Conflict may stem from a variety of causes, and understanding them is the first
step in dealing with it effectively. Below are a few of the most common reasons.

 There is a perceived breach of faith and trust between individuals

 There is unresolved disagreement that has escalated to an emotional level
 There is miscommunication leading to unclear expectations
 There are personality clashes
 There are differences in acquired values
 There is underlying stress and tension
 There are ego problems
 There are combinations of the above

 There is a perceived breach of faith and trust between individuals :

When one puts faith and trust in another, and that confidence is broken, it can
create an emotional response that elevates to conflict.

To trust someone is to place a high confidence level that the relationship will
not be compromised in any way...that I can expect you to do what you say. A trusting
relationship leads to feelings of confidence and security.

 There is unresolved disagreement that has escalated to an emotional level

Disagreements are normal. When they are left unresolved, however, the
associated feelings and emotions will remain in force, at least at some level.

When another situation brings this disagreement back to the forefront, these
suppressed emotions can erupt with force, usually far in excess of those associated
with the original disagreement. Therefore, it is critically important to resolve
disagreements as soon as possible and not let them fester.

 There is miscommunication leading to unclear expectations

How often do we give instructions to someone, only to have those

instructions misinterpreted? The ability to communicate is one of our most
commonly used skills. As such, we sometimes take it for granted so that the words
we use to communicate don't always clearly state the picture in our minds. When this
occurs, errors often result that lead to frustration. Depending on a multitude of factors
(stress level for one), the error sometimes results in conflict if neither person is
willing to accept responsibility for it.

 Personality Clashes
 We are all different. Experts say that our personalities are genetically
determined resulting in different sets of preferred behaviors. See if the following
comparisons ring some bells for you:

Some people are: While others are:

Outgoing,
Introspective,
spontaneous,
serious, and quiet
and talkative
Intuitive...shoot Detailed...evaluate,
from the hip ponder, and consider
Feeling and Logical and
emotional analytical
Concerned for Concerned for
people concepts
Structured, Flexible, go with the
ordered, planned flow, unplanned

These natural sets of differences are some of our greatest strengths as

individuals and teams; however, they are also sources of conflict. If I, for
example, prefer to look at only the "big picture," then I may become frustrated
by your attempts to discuss details. You, on the other hand, may see me as
irresponsible for not doing the analysis. Result: potential conflict.

 There are differences in acquired values.

From the moment we are born, we begin acquiring our value system. Our
values are the beliefs we hold that help us to make decisions about what is right or
wrong, good or bad, and normal or not normal.

Our values come from parents, siblings, friends, mentors, coaches, teachers,
books, churches, movies, television, and music ...life in general. No two people ever
have the same life experience, so we ultimately have different sets of values and
beliefs that guide our decisions and behavior.

People struggle over religion, politics, race, humanitarian issues, ethics and
morals, abortion, sex, and more. In extreme cases, some people will, literally, die for
their beliefs. So this "gut level" value system is a strong driver of behavior and a
frequent source of conflict in our lives and in our teams.

 There is underlying stress and tension

 Our lives today place enormous demands on our time and energy. But
frequently those demands exceed our capacity to deal with them. Never the less, we
come to work and attempt to function normally with our team members.
 Ego Problems
Ego is another strong driver of our behavior and decisions. Ego wants us
to be "right," and moves us into defending our position, sometimes unreasonably.
 There are combinations of factors.
Conflict situations are rarely clear-cut, single-source events. Usually,
they are a combination of the factors listed.

Stages of conflict:

There are three stages of conflict.

 Smouldering stage.
 Ignition stage.
 Full blown conflict.

These stages are explained below.

 Smouldering stage:

Smouldering stage is the first stage of arising a conflict. Discomfort is

one of the earliest signs, which if ignored for too long or in some cases
not acted on immediately, will create conditions for conflict.

Suppose an account clerk forgets to follow up on a customer’s

query and the supervisor has to deal with an irate complaint some days
later.

A shop assistant comes back from lunch fifteen minutes late one
day and the supervisor notices. Despite the fact that things were very
quiet anyway and that everyone worked through lunch earlier in the
week, the incident is added to the list of transgressions.

 Ignition Stage:

One event or incident, perhaps unrelated to any of the circumstances that

created the conditions for conflict, will cause the situation to boil over.

Suppose two workers are arguing with each other about tea brake
and they are having different time in their mind to be set for tea brake, if
the supervisor sees it and intervene them and resolve the matter this will
avoid conflict.
  Full Blown Stage:

When both the parties argue against each other openly

about any matter because the cause of conflict is not settled before called full
blown stage of conflict.
This happens because the conflict is not resolved
earlier, suppose that in the above example if supervisor did not solve their
conflict about tea brake it is possible that both will argue against each other
about tea brake and it may become cause of quarrel as well. So to avoid full
blown stage of conflict it should be solved at the earlier stage.

Resolving Conflicts

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for
responding to conflict." - Dorothy Thompson

Up to 30% of a typical managers time is spent dealing with conflict (Thomas,

K and Schmidt, W) and yet avoiding conflict is not only impossible but undesirable.

Some conflict is inevitable and so the effective leader needs to embrace conflict
and create an environment where differences of perspective can be discussed and a
win-win outcome created.

To elegantly manage conflict requires a high level of self leadership as well as

excellent communication skills; for this reason we often recommend that this
workshop be taken as a follow up module or additional content to another program.

The ability to resolve conflicts is a highly prized skill. Getting into conflict is
easy, getting out of it is something else. The following pages will give you direction
on how to approach conflict.

The 7 Steps to Conflict Resolution

STEP 1. Develop an attitude of resolution

STEP 2. Set the stage, plan your approach

STEP 3. Arrange a place and time to talk

STEP 4. Tell your stories, gain an understanding of the issues

STEP 5. Listen actively and with empathy

STEP 6. Generate solutions and a shared, win-win vision of resolution

STEP 7. Test for satisfaction

STEP 1. Develop an Attitude of Resolution

• Take a deep breath and count to "10."

• Think about the conflict and what gave rise to it. Instead of seeing
yourself as a victim, think about your own behavior.

Did you say or do something that could have been misinterpreted by the other
person?

• Were the instructions clear?

• Was he having a bad day, and you just "tripped the trigger"?
• Was this a one-time occurrence, or does it happen repeatedly?

Thinking through these questions will give you time to calm yourself and be
prepared to respond rather than react. Try to change your mental state from one of
anger and confrontation to one of calm, inquiry, and resolution.

STEP 2. Set the stage, plan your approach

After putting yourself in a better frame of mind (in Step 1), it's now time
to plan your approach to the resolution.

• If
you are still angry, find a safe place and person with whom you can
vent your anger and get some honest, objective feedback. This should be
a person who will not just side with you, but help you to look at the
conflict from other points of view.
• Look over the remaining steps of this process and begin to plan your
approach.
• Think through what you want to accomplish and create a vision of a
desired outcome.
• Mentally "see" this outcome as benefiting both parties and an image of
both parties walking away satisfied.

STEP 3: Arrange a place and time to talk

Since there is considerable emotion in any conflict, the ability to focus is

important. Choose a time and a place convenient to both parties where they can focus
attention on resolution.

Sometimes it is useful to find an environment different from the setting where

the conflict arose. For example, you might suggest a walk outside (if weather
permits), or sit at a picnic table. Get away from distractions, such as those at work.
STEP 4. Tell your stories, gain an understanding of the issues

By definition, a conflict contains conflicting views of what has happened.

You see it one way, the other person sees it another. And, of course, our version is the
true version. Understand that the truth in any conflict is an illusion, as both parties see
their version of what happened as "the truth." Looking for "the truth" in their story is
not as important as honoring their authenticity and understanding "their truth."

Ask the person to relate his side of the conflict. Then sit back, and listen. This
is difficult because to actively and empathetically listen to someone, we have to
suspend our version of the story and focus on theirs. Ask questions, and seek to
understand why they see it that way without implying they are wrong.

Restate the key points and ask the person if you have heard them correctly. This is a
critical step, because it will tend to defuse hostility.

Then tell them your story, and ask them to suspend judgment until you've finished. At
this point, don't be afraid to show some vulnerability. If you think you may have
erred, say so. When they can restate your key points, there should be more clarity of
each other's issues and concerns.

As these stories are being told, listen for a preliminary vision of resolution. There is a
tendency to rush in and resolve conflict before we ever have a real understanding of
the underlying issues. Telling your stories and really listening will provide a
framework for this understanding.

STEP 5. Listen actively and with empathy

There is, perhaps, no greater recognition that one person can pay to another than to
listen to them.

Active listening entails:

• looking directly at the person

• making eye-to-eye contact
• nodding occasionally (to indicate comprehension and agreement)
• sitting quietly
• speaking only for clarification
• summarizing their key points (to demonstrate comprehension)

As a person tells their story and perceives they are being heard, tension tends to
decrease and real dialogue begins. Sometimes just the act of being heard is all that is
necessary to defuse a conflict.
One way to improve your listening skills is to watch a good listener and begin to
notice their actions. Then begin practicing what you have learned.

STEP 6. Generate solutions and a shared, win-win vision of resolution

A good, win-win solution comes from a sense of fairness. It honors that there
are elements of truth in each person's story, and so the resolution should consider this.
Brainstorm with the parties for ideas on how to resolve the issue.

Explore and be creative in searching alternatives. Write down the ideas, preferably on
a flip chart so all can see. Then move to find a solution, or combination of solutions
that appear to satisfy everyone.

Understand that everyone may not get exactly what they want, but that it is possible to
arrive at a resolution that they can live with.

STEP 7. Test for satisfaction

Ask each party if the solution works for them. This again involves actively
listing to the response. If one party is not really satisfied with the outcome, but is not
saying so, then the conflict will probably arise again. Finding satisfaction releases
tension and hostility.

Conclusion:

Above we have discussed about conflict and we have studied the causes of
conflict as well. So to make your communication work you have to avoid the conflicts
and above also have been told the steps of resolving the conflicts so we can also solve
the conflicts as well by following those above steps and we can become effective
manager and we can make our communication strong as well by following the above
steps.