Conflict

Conflict management refers to the long-term management of intractable conflicts. It is the label
for the variety of ways by which people handle grievances—standing up for what they consider
to be right and against what they consider to be wrong. Those ways include such diverse
phenomena as gossip, ridicule, lynching, terrorism, warfare, feuding, genocide, law, mediation,
and avoidance. Which forms of conflict management will be used in any given situation can be
somewhat predicted and explained by the social structure—or social geometry—of the case.

Conflict is when two or more values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature and
haven't been aligned or agreed about yet, including:
1. Within yourself when you're not living according to your values;
2. When your values and perspectives are threatened; or
3. Discomfort from fear of the unknown or from lack of fulfillment.
Conflict is inevitable and often good, for example, good teams always go through a "form, storm,
norm and perform" period. Getting the most out of diversity means often-contradictory values,
perspectives and opinions.

Conflict is often needed. It:

1. Helps to raise and address problems.
2. Energizes work to be on the most appropriate issues.
3. Helps people "be real", for example, it motivates them to participate.
4. Helps people learn how to recognize and benefit from their differences.
Conflict is not the same as discomfort. The conflict isn't the problem - it is when conflict is poorly
managed that is the problem.

Conflict is a problem when it:

1. Hampers productivity.
2. Lowers morale.
3. Causes more and continued conflicts.
4. Causes inappropriate behaviors.

Types of Managerial Actions that Cause Workplace Conflicts

1. Poor communications
a. Employees experience continuing surprises, they aren't informed of new
decisions, programs, etc.
b. Employees don't understand reasons for decisions, they aren't involved in
decision-making.
c. As a result, employees trust the "rumor mill" more than management.

2. The alignment or the amount of resources is insufficient. There is:

a. Disagreement about "who does what".
b. Stress from working with inadequate resources.

3. "Personal chemistry", including conflicting values or actions among managers and

employees, for example:
a. Strong personal natures don't match.
b. We often don't like in others what we don't like in ourselves.
4. Leadership problems, including inconsistent, missing, too-strong or uninformed leadership (at
any level in the organization), evidenced by:
a. Avoiding conflict, "passing the buck" with little follow-through on decisions.
b. Employees see the same continued issues in the workplace.
c. Supervisors don't understand the jobs of their subordinates.

Key Managerial Actions / Structures to Minimize Conflicts

1. Regularly review job descriptions. Get your employee's input to them. Write down and date
job descriptions. Ensure:
a. Job roles don't conflict.
b. No tasks "fall in a crack".

2. Intentionally build relationships with all subordinates.

a. Meet at least once a month alone with them in office.
b. Ask about accomplishments, challenges and issues.

3. Get regular, written status reports and include:

a. Accomplishments.
b. Currents issues and needs from management.
c. Plans for the upcoming period.

4. Conduct basic training about:

a. Interpersonal communications.
b. Conflict management.
c. Delegation.

5. Develop procedures for routine tasks and include the employees' input.
a. Have employees write procedures when possible and appropriate.
b. Get employees' review of the procedures.
c. Distribute the procedures.
d. Train employees about the procedures.

6. Regularly hold management meetings, for example, every month, to communicate new
initiatives and status of current programs.

7. Consider an anonymous suggestion box in which employees can provide suggestions.

Ways People Deal With Conflict

There is no one best way to deal with conflict. It depends on the current situation. Here are the
major ways that people use to deal with conflict.

1. Avoid it. Pretend it is not there or ignore it.

a. Use it when it simply is not worth the effort to argue. Usually this approach tends
to worsen the conflict over time.

2. Accommodate it. Give in to others, sometimes to the extent that you compromise yourself.
a. Use this approach very sparingly and infrequently, for example, in situations
when you know that you will have another more useful approach in the very
near future. Usually this approach tends to worsen the conflict over time, and
causes conflicts within yourself.

3. Competing. Work to get your way, rather than clarifying and addressing the issue.
Competitors love accommodators.
a. Use when you have a very strong conviction about your position.

4. Compromising. Mutual give-and-take.

a. Use when the goal is to get past the issue and move on.

5. Collaborating. Focus on working together.

a. Use when the goal is to meet as many current needs as possible by using mutual
resources. This approach sometimes raises new mutual needs.
b. Use when the goal is to cultivate ownership and commitment.
General Rules for All Business Correspondence

1. Address it to a particular person by name.

Send your letter to the person who will be making the hiring decision. Personal letters get
read far in advance of form letters. If you do not have a contact name, call the firm. If you
are unsuccessful, you can call the main phone number for the company and ask for the
person in charge of MBA recruiting. This name is usually easier to obtain.
2. Letters should be kept to one page only.

Your letter should not be more than one page in length. If it is more than one page, you are
probably giving the reader too much information. Keep your letter focused, succinct, and to
the point. Letters exceeding one page in length usually don’t get read.
3. Remember the aesthetics.

Print on high quality paper. Your letter should be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
Proofread! Have someone review your letter to get feedback regarding style and content.
4. Construct a letter that is unique and specific to the individual.

This will make you stand out from the others!

5. Keep a copy of the letter and response for your records.

This allows you to avoid confusion later.

 Business Letter Format

Block Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3

Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................6

Closing (Sincerely...), 7

Signature 8

Your Name (Printed) 9

Your Title

Enclosures (2) 10
Typist Initials. 11
The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flush against the left margin.

1. Your Address: (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead
already on it.): The return address of the sender of the letter so the recipient can easily find out
where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date.
2. Date: Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. August
30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines
after the date).

3. Inside Address: The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the
recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter should be addressed
to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e. "Director of Human Resources". Skip a line
between the date and the salutation.

4. Salutation: Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It
May Concern: if recipient's name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the salutation. Skip
a line between the salutation and the subject line or body.

5. Subject Line (optional): Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about.
Skip a line between the subject line and the body.

6. Body: The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should be single
spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the end of the body
and the closing.

7. Closing: Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with
Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma after the end of
the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the
closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the signature.

8. Signature: Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen.

9. Printed Name: The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or
position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure.

10. Enclosure: If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will include
the word "Enclosure." If there is more than one you would type, "Enclosures (#)" with the #
being the number of other documents enclosed that doesn't include the letter itself.

11. Reference Initials: If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your
initials in capital letters followed by the typist's initials in lower case in the following format;
AG/gs or AG:gs.
 Business Letter Formats

Modified Block Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3

Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.................................6

Closing (Sincerely...), 7

Signature 8

Your Name (Printed) 9

Your Title

Enclosures (2) 10
Typist Initials. 11
In the modified block format, your address, date (the date can actually go on either the left or
the right side), the closing, signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of the
page (how far you indent in is up to you as long as the heading and closing is lined up, use your
own discretion and make sure it looks presentable).
 Semi-Block (Indented) Format: Business Letter
Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3

Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.....................................

Body Paragra[h 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
....................................

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................................................................
.....................................6

Closing (Sincerely...), 7

Signature 8

Your Name (Printed) 9

Your Title

Enclosures (2) 10
Typist Initials. 11
In the semi-block format, your address, date (the date can actually go on either the left or the
right side), the closing, signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of the page
(how far you indent in is up to you as long as the heading and closing is lined up, use your own
discretion and make sure it looks presentable). Also the first line of each paragraph is indented.
The indentations of the first line of each paragraph is the only diffrence between the semi-block
and the modified block formats.
Perhaps one of the most neglected phases of letter writing is planning. Let’s face it, you have to
know what you’re writing about and who you’re writing to before you start writing.
Planning avoids miscommunication or ill-worded letters and get your point through.

Here are steps in planning that letter:

1. Determine the purpose of your letter

Why are you writing the letter? Having an unclear purpose will only lead to a fuzzy letter
that will not get a message through. So you better know . It’s sometimes best to state
your purpose in a clear sentence.

2. Know your reader

Who will read it? Is it for the boss? Subordinate? Client? Knowing who will help you
choose the right tone and words. Remember that letters should read as if you’re directly
talking to them.

3. Choose the thoughts to be included

If you are responding to a query, simply answer the questions posed by your reader. If
you’re the one initiating contact, anticipate what questions your reader may have and
“answer” them in your letter.

4. Collect supporting facts

To enhance your credibility as author, include facts to support the thoughts that you
have. Determine if you need to attach other materials like tables, charts, picture and
other supports.

The Importance of "Style"...

Some of the most basic tips to remember when writing include:

• Avoid the use of slang words

• Try not to use abbreviations (unless appropriately defined)
• Steer away from the use of symbols (such as ampersands [&])
• Clichés should be avoided, or at the very least, used with caution
• Brackets are used to play down words or phrases
• Dashes are generally used for emphasis
• Great care should ALWAYS be taken to spell the names of people and companies
correctly
• Numbers should be expressed as words when the number is less than 10 or is used to
start a sentence (example: Ten years ago, my brother and I…). The number 10, or
anything greater than 10, should be expressed as a figure (example: My brother has 13
Matchbox cars.)
• Quotation marks should be placed around any directly quoted speech or text and around
titles of publications.
• Keep sentences short
The AIDA strategy. AIDA : Attention, Information, Desire, Action

• Attention: The first part of your write-up grabs the readers' attention.
• Information: The second part gives them information.
• Desire: The third part makes them desire your product.
• Action: The fourth part spurs them to action making them reach for their credit card and
buy your product.

Letter Writing: Planning

The planning stage is crucial and the more thought you give to planning your business
message, the more likely it will be effective. Effective planning will help you determine what to
include in your message, the style and tone to adopt, as well as the approach to take, given the
nature of the situation and the reader. The planning stage includes: (1) understanding the
nature of the business situation/problem, (2) defining your objectives, and (3) analysing your
readers.

1. Understanding the situation/problem

The writing of a business message is usually prompted by a desire to change some aspect of
the current situation – the way things are now – into a more desirable state. So, in defining the
objectives of your letter, you need to understand the nature of the business situation/problem
you are dealing with and what aspect of it you want to change.

The relevant question for you to think about is:

What prompts you to write this letter?

2. Defining your objectives

Next, you need to think about what you want your letter to accomplish to effect the change you
desire. The questions you need to consider are:

• What is/are your purposes: to inform your readers, to persuade them, to entertain
them, to call them to action – or some combination of these?
• What specific information do you want your readers to give/to know?
• What specific actions do you want your readers to take?
• What specific attitudes do you want your readers to adopt?

3. Analysing your reader

An effectively written document must be understood by your readers. For your message to be
meaningful to your readers, it is important for you to do a careful analysis of your audience’s
informational needs as well as their concerns/questions. In addition, you need to consider your
readers’ characteristics, your relationship to your readers and their attitude towards you and the
subject.
In addressing your readers’ informational needs, you need to consider factors like:

• Your readers' familiarity with the subject.

• The specific pieces of information you need to give your readers for your message to
be understood.

In addressing your readers’ concerns/questions, you need to:

• Identify specific issues that your readers will be concerned about.

• Identify specific questions that your readers will be asking.
• Anticipate which parts of the letter your readers are likely to accept/reject.

In considering your readers’ characteristics, you may want to think about the following:

• Your readers’ position in the organisation.

• Your readers’ educational background.
• Your readers’ familiarity with the technicalities of your profession.

In considering your relationship with your readers, it is useful to look at the relationship from:

• A social point of view.

• A professional point of view.

With respect to your readers’ attitude towards you and the subject, the likely possibilities are:

• Negative
• Positive
• Neutral/Indifferent