Conflict Resolution for the Workplace

Self-reflection assignment

While the former manager was transferred to another store, a new coming manager has run her management style differently. Some of the co-workers said she is a micro manager, mean and angry leader. For me, I see her as very rigid and nepotistic.

To handle with the new manager, first of all I have to understand myself first: what is my strength and weakness, how is my self-awareness and self-expression? What type of personality style am I in comparing to animals or bird such as turtle, teddy bear, fox, shark and owl? How could I build creative response and appropriate assertiveness? What is my personality profile – task focused or people oriented? Primary step is the emotional management and the courage to stand up with open listening and open communication in a way of win-win approach.

Comparing to animals on how do I handle conflict, I am likely characterized by owl that win-win strategy is very substantial. Unlike Turtle who withdraws into its shell when he/she is facing with problem; Teddy Bear who is cheerful and refusing to talk about the problem; Fox who likes compromise all the time; and Shark who hardly pushes to the end to determine win or lose; Owl will make special effort to mutual understand, build trust, and undertake appropriate assertiveness etc. As I took my vow to understand the new manager style and personality, I furthered my step in putting myself within a cool situation although my manager was always tense and authoritative.

“I statement” is very helpful for me. Once, I directly told her that “I feel that the caring both internal and external customer(s) are very important”. With this statement, I furthered explain the unfriendly action against staff(s) are like treating internal customers unproductively. Whenever, the staffs don’t incorporate with the management teams, it might make work environment worse. So the prospect of putting customer first possibly referred to everyone especially external customers and internal customers (co-workers). I am considering this action as part of my creative response and appropriate assertiveness.

When I was a graduate assistant at the university, one of my senior co-workers tended to offer me many tasks in which distorted my time to serve my boss who directly supervised my tasks. As he set deadlines for those tasks, I had to double energy and time to complete them. Once, the burden was overwhelmed, I must state the need of change to the management team. Before that, I face-to-face talked with co-worker about assigned duties I must also complete for the boss. He finally understood on my responsibility.

I am more inclining to task-focused than people-oriented. I believe in tidiness, compliant, well organized, set-policy and punctual. But I might miss parts of sense of humor, people sensitivity and social outgoing etc.

To handle both conflicts, I was ready on positive emotion, integrity, understanding the internal regulations as well as code of conduct, pre-destining the consequences and laying down appropriate assertiveness. It is essential to comprehend on good paper theory and actual onsite operation; they are two contradictorily items in which require wisdom, experiences and flexibility to attain it. Conflicts are happening every moment of livelihood. Workplace is one of the frequent sites to be bombarded by differences and conflicts.