(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)
How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization. Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or are ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!
Leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills that we learned when we were little. Today's skill, conflict resolution.
When children disagree, we make sure the shouting and the yelling don't get too out of hand. Name calling indicates the disagreement has gotten to the point where there is no point. Physical hands-on each other is a definite no-no (I know this is different for parents who use the ole "go out there and kick his butt" attitude but I think we have grown enough bullies, boys and girls, with that type of stance. just my opinion) Our responsibility as adults is to teach children how to argue. There is a time to allow venting (letting each state their side), then there is a time to say "stop" and move them to resolution. They cannot hear each other if both are speaking at the same time (or yelling and screaming). Name-calling is not a solution, it says "the real problem [I have with you] is over 'cause I don't have any more to back up my side." An initial solution today is to call a time out. The purpose is to give both time to think about their (poor) behavior, return, apologize, and calmly discuss the problem (hopefully) to resolution. All is good with the world (for at least 30 minutes).
A simple swat to the head with a large club was our cave-dwelling forefathers’ method of conflict management. Debate, alternative solutions, creative ideas, and change are the differences in people that can also breed (positive) conflict.
Cognitive Conflicts are helpful conflicts. The focus is on issue alternatives, advantages, disadvantages, cost-benefit analysis, and opportunity costs. They clarify the issues and result in better decisions. Members have a high commitment to the decisions made. Properly managed conflict yields Constructive outcomes
· Introduction of new approaches or solutions
· Prevelent problems are brought out in the open
· Thoughts and feelings are clarified
· Interest and creativity are stimulated
· Personal capabilities are stretched
Affective Conflicts are more personal conflicts. They focus on members, accuse each other of selfish motives, argue for self-serving alternatives, finger-pointing, lobby each other, blame the other side, and second-guess previous decisions. They can tear a team apart. The result is a weak or ineffective decision with little or no commitment to implementation. Unmanaged conflict yields Destructive outcomes.
• It breeds a climate of distrust and suspicion
• There is resistance to teamwork
• People leave the situation because of the turmoil
The selection below is one I found on the children's mini-page of our local newspaper. It is a test to evaluate conflict management skills 001. How well will you do?
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