Conflict Resolution

As you continue to develop in your career, you will find that your responsibilities as a leader will increase. You will be tasked with many different jobs, such as managing conflict, handling communication challenges among your team members, or addressing organizational communication needs. As you know, no employee likes to speak up only to have his or her ideas not taken seriously, or to confront others about their working styles, or to face uncomfortable gossip among coworkers.

View the LDR/531 Storybooks.

Develop a summary of 350- to 450- words that includes multiple ways to handle the situations shown in the Storybook.

Discuss communication styles and barriers and the conflict and negotiation process involved in handling the situation. For the storybook,

describe the strategy or strategies you would apply in this situations.

Consider the following as you complete the assignment:

Storybook #2:

• As a manager, how would you relay an important negative message with as little impact on your team as possible? Why would you choose this method?

• What is the best way to handle gossip before it spreads?

• How might you handle your team's feelings after a negative situation has occurred that does not directly affect your team but affects others around them?

Storybook 2: Breaking the News Transcript

NARRATOR So you roll into work one morning, and at first, it feels like just another day in the online marketing department at the Wimwam Sandwichery corporate office. But then you open up your e-mail, and you've got an urgent message from some of the higher-ups burning a hole in your inbox. Uh-oh... it's about downsizing.

The e-mail explains that the downsizing will not be widespread - they're just hoping to trim a few departments that grew really fast when the company was expanding, but now need to be more efficient as the company becomes more profitable. Gulp. ¬¬

You go to a meeting for team managers and, phew, your team won't be directly affected. But still, it's kinda scary, and if your team hears the news the wrong way, it could cause quite a bit of panic.

You get back to your desk and look around. You can feel the gossip mill churning already. People are whispering. They've definitely caught wind of the news. What do you do?