Managing Conflict and Change

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Chapter 12

• Managing Conflict and Change

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Learning Objectives

• Define conflict and explain some of the major
  types of conflict.
• Relate some of the most effective ways of
  managing conflict.
• Discuss how change occurs.
• Explain four common responses to change
  rejection, resistance, tolerance, and acceptance.
• Identify three dimensions of change.

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Learning Objectives (contd.)

• Describe the five basic steps in the change
  process.
• Describe the characteristics of a change leader.
• Explain how participation and communication can
  help the manager implement change, and how
  structural changes can be used as change
  interventions.
• Explore ways of using a mentor to enhance your
  career.

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Figure 12.1 - Blocked Need Drive and Frustration
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Approaches to Resolving Conflict

• Counseling
• Advice
• Reassurance
• Release of emotional tension
• Reorientation
• Mutual problem solving
• Expansion of resources
• Smoothing
• Compromise

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Change
Change is any modification of the status quo.

• Movement from one set of conditions to another
• Some forces cause the change to come about
• A consequence results from the change

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Responses to Change

• Rejection is the refusal to accommodate a
  particular condition or change.
• Resistance
• Overt resistance is observable.
• Covert resistance is not readily observable.
• Tolerance involves putting up with a change.
• Acceptance

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Figure 12.4 - Analysis of Response to Change
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Causes of Resistance to Change

• Obsolescence of job skills
• Fear of the unknown
• Fear of economic loss
• Ego defensiveness
• The comfort of the status quo
• Shortsightedness
• Peer pressure
• Lack of information
• Social displacement

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Managing Change

• Understand the three dimensions of change
• Know the basic steps in the change process
• Understand the characteristics of change leaders
• Be aware of the importance of participation and
  communication

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The Dimensions of Change

• The logical dimension of change is based on
  scientific reasons.
• The psychological dimension of change is based on
  how the individual will be affected.
• The sociological dimension of change is based on
  how the change will affect the group.

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Basic Steps in Change

• Ask, Is this change truly necessary?
• Consider whether the proposed change is the right
  one.
• Evaluate the impact of the change.
• Work to secure acceptance of the change.
• Follow up.

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Organizational Development

• Organizational development is an effort to
  improve an enterprises effectiveness by dealing
  with individual, group, and organizational
  problems.
• An OD intervention is a method used in carrying
  out the OD process.
• An OD change agent is a person who carries out or
  leads an OD intervention.

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OD Intervention Techniques

• Role Playing is acting out a realistic situation.
• Team building is an OD intervention for resolving
  group problems.
• Survey feedback is an OD intervention based on
  the collection of data and the feeding back of
  this information to the organizational personnel.

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Key Terms in the Chapter

• Conflict
• Frustration
• Interpersonal conflict
• Institutionalized conflict
• Emergent conflict
• Counseling
• Mutual problem solving
• Smoothing

• Compromise
• Change
• Rejection
• Overt resistance
• Covert resistance
• Logical dimension
• Psychological dimension

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Key Terms in the Chapter (contd.)

• Sociological dimension
• Organizational development
• OD intervention
• OD change agent

• Role-playing
• Team building
• Survey feedback
• Tolerance