Blind Kick Ball ( 18+ GAMES)

The game is simple and would work with any group of 18+. The rules are the same as kickball (3 outs/inning, foul balls, force outs, etc.). The twist is that the students play with a partner and one is blindfolded. At bat, the seeing player kicks the ball, but the blind player runs the bases. The seeing player can run alongside and coach, but may not touch the runner. In the field, the seeing player can catch or stop the ball, but not throw or tag a runner.

They can, however, touch their own blind partner to guide them to throw the ball or lead them to tag the runner. Players alternate being blindfolded each inning. This game is HILARIOUS to watch! It enjoyed games and funny.

(We had an audience at the public park where we were playing.) The Point: Trust, faith, helping each other along in our faith journeys.

Negotiation

Although there are common patterns, there is no one best way to deal with conflict. Disputes arise for different reasons and every team is unique. Varney proposes that negotiation is the most effective response to conflict when both parties stand to gain something, each has some power,and there is interdependency.

Negotiation offers flexibility and viability other responses, such as Avoidance, Confrontation, and Diffusion lack. The process of negotiation involves listening to both sides, seeking out common areas of interest and agreement, and building on them so that individuals can understand each other's points of view.

Varney believes there are four essential skills team leaders need to learn and apply to effectively resolve disagreements using the negotiation process:

Diagnosis: Recognizing areas of understanding and areas of differences.

Initiation: Bringing the disagreements to the surface.

Listening: Hearing not only what the other person is saying, but the Emotional aspects as well.

Problem Solving: A process with numerous steps including data gathering, Considering its impact, examining alternatives, identifying solutions, and developing a plan of action.

Five-P's of Conflict Management

Perceptions:
People associate conflict with negative responses such as anger, fear, tension, and anxiety. Rarely do we perceive any benefits from being involved in a dispute. Our negative perceptions impact ourapproach in resolving conflict as we strive to eliminate the source of these negative feelings.

Problems:
Anyone can be involved in a conflict, and the amount of time, money, and equipment needed for resolution will vary according to its complexity.

Processes:
There are different ways to go about resolving disputes: Suppress the conflict, give in, fight, litigate, mediate, etc.

Principles:
We determine the priorities of all resolution processes on the basis of an analysis of our fundamental values regarding efficiency, participation, fairness, compliance, etc.Practices:
Power, self-interest, and unique situations are all factors relating to why people resolve disputes the way they do.

Stulberg proposed these patterns as an aid for formal mediators, but anyone dealing with conflict can benefit from understanding the elements common to disagreements.

Team Resolution Process

Rayeski and Bryant (1994) recommend using the Team Resolution Process to handle conflict when it occurs in teams. Conflict should first be handled on an informal basis between the individuals involved. This, they say, will allow time for resolution or self-correction by the individuals. If the conflict remains unsettled, a mediator can be brought in to help resolvethe situation. If resolution is still not achieved the dispute should be openly discussed in a team meeting. A formal discipline process needs to occur, if resolution is not achieved after being addressed at the team level.

The escalating process of Team Resolution is as follows:

1. Collaboration (One-on-one):
Handle the new problem person-to-person. Use as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the session in a private setting. Document the concerns or issues, the dates, and the resolution, if any, and have both parties sign it.

2. Mediation (One-on-one with Mediator):
If collaboration did not work or was inappropriate, handle the problem with a mediator. The mediator must be trained in conflict resolution, understand policy and ethics, be trusted by the team, and have the ability to remain neutral. Gather facts and talk over the issue with the people involved. Bring up as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, ororganizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the mediation session in private. Document it and have all parties sign.

3. Team Counseling:
The conflict is now a definite issue to the team. Collaboration and/or Mediation could not be done, were not appropriate, or did not work. Handle the conflict at a team meeting; put the problem on the next agenda and invite the necessary individuals. Again, bring up the facts, relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest, discuss it in a private setting, document it, and have all parties sign it. Anyone on the team can put an issue or problem on the team agenda, however, this step should be used only after Collaboration, and Mediation has beenruled out.

Managing Cooperative Conflict

Though we often view conflict through a negative lens, teams require some conflict to operate effectively. Cooperative conflict can contribute to effective problem solving and decision making by motivating people to examine a problem. Encouraging the expression of many ideas; energizingpeople to seek a superior solution; and fostering integration of several ideas to create high-quality solutions (Tjosvold, 1988). The key is to understand how to handle it constructively. If members understand how to doit, differences that arise can result in benefits for a team.

While it is true that suppressed differences can reduce the effectiveness of a team, when they are brought to the surface, disagreements can be dealt with and problems can be resolved. The actual process of airing differences can help to increase the cohesiveness and effectiveness of the team through the increased interest and energy that often accompanies it. This in turnfosters creativity and intensity among team members. In addition, bringing differences to the surface can result in better ideas and more innovative solutions. When people share their views and strive toward reaching a consensus, better decisions are reached. Team members also improve their communication skills and become better at understanding and listening tothe information they receive when differences are freely aired. Fisher,Belgard, and Rayner (1995) offer these tips on improving listening skills

1. Listen for meaning.

2. Understanding is not agreeing.

3. Seek clarification before responding, if needed.

4. Apply listening skills when receiving a message.

5. Evaluate yourself for how well you listened at the end of anyconversation.

The tension of well-managed conflict allows teams to confront disagreement through healthy discussion and improve the decisions made (Rayeski & Bryant, 1994). This leads to greater team efficiency and effectiveness. Effectively managing conflict allows teams to stay focused on their goals.Swift and constructive conflict management leads to a broader understanding of the problem, healthy expression of different ideas or alternatives, and creates excitement from the positive interaction and involvement which will help the team through periods of transition and on to greater levels ofperformance.

As teams become more responsible for managing themselves, it is important for organizations to help them by identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required to handle conflict. Then developing plans to transfer these skills and capabilities over to their teams. Becauseconflict is inevitable in teams, the focus needs to be on how it is managed. Conflict that is poorly handled creates an environment of fear and avoidance of the subject. On the other hand, if properly managed, it can lead to learning, creativity, and growth.

Handling Negative Conflict

When negative conflict does occur there are five accepted methods forhandling it: Direct Approach, Bargaining, Enforcement, Retreat, andDe-emphasis (Nelson, 1995). Each can be used effectively in differentcircumstances.

1. Direct Approach: This may be the best approach of all. It concentrateson the leader confronting the issue head-on. Though conflict isuncomfortable to deal with, it is best to look at issues objectivelyand to face them as they are. If criticism is used, it must beconstructive to the recipients. This approach counts on the techniquesof problem-solving and normally leaves everyone with a sense ofresolution, because issues are brought to the surface and dealt with.

2. Bargaining: This is an excellent technique when both parties haveideas on a solution yet cannot find common ground. Often a thirdparty, such as a team leader, is needed to help find the compromise.Compromise involves give and take on both sides, however, and usuallyends up with both walking away equally dissatisfied.

3. Enforcement of Team Rules: Avoid using this method if possible, it canbring about hard feelings toward the leader and the team. Thistechnique is only used when it is obvious that a member does not wantto be a team player and refuses to work with the rest. If enforcementhas to be used on an individual, it may be best for that person tofind another team.

4. Retreat: Only use this method when the problem isn't real to beginwith. By simply avoiding it or working around it, a leader can oftendelay long enough for the individual to cool off. When used in theright environment by an experienced leader this technique can help toprevent minor incidents that are the result of someone having a badday from becoming real problems that should never have occurred.

5. De-emphasis: This is a form of bargaining where the emphasis is on theareas of agreement. When parties realize that there are areas wherethey are in agreement, they can often begin to move in a newdirection.

Conflict Issues

1. Administrative Procedures: If the team lacks good groundwork for whatit's doing, its members will not be able to coordinate their work.

2. People Resources: If the team does not have enough resources to do thejob, it is inevitable that some will carry too heavy a load.Resentment, often unexpressed, may build, so it is crucial that teamleaders ensure adequate resources.

3. Cost overruns: Often inevitable, cost overruns become a problem whenproper measures are not taken. The whole team should know early onwhen cost becomes a problem so additional funding can be sought by theteam. This way the problem can be resolved before it grows into aproblem for management.

4. Schedules: The schedule is highly consequential to the team's projectand should be highly visible. All members should be willing to worktogether to help each other meet their deadlines.

5. Responsibilities: Each team member must know what areas are assignedand who is accountable for them.

6. Wish Lists: Stick to the project at hand and avoid being sidetrackedinto trying to fit other things into it. Wait and do the other thingsyou would like to do after successful completion of the originalproject.

Conflict Arises From Differences.

When individuals come together in workteams their differences in terms of power, values and attitudes, and socialfactors all contribute to the creation of conflict. It is often difficultto expose the sources of conflict. Conflict can arise from numerous sourceswithin a team setting and generally falls into three categories:communication factors, structural factors and personal factors (Varney,1989). Barriers to communication are among the most important factors andcan be a major source of misunderstanding. Communication barriers includepoor listening skills; insufficient sharing of information; differences ininterpretation and perception; and nonverbal cues being ignored or missed.Structural disagreements include the size of the organization, turnoverrate, levels of participation, reward systems, and levels ofinterdependence among employees. Personal factors include things such as anindividual's self-esteem, their personal goals, values and needs. In orderfor conflict to be dealt with successfully, managers and team members mustunderstand its unpredictability and its impact on individuals and the teamas a whole.

Conflict in work teams is not necessarily destructive, however. Conflictcan lead to new ideas and approaches to organizational processes, andincreased interest in dealing with problems. Conflict, in this sense, canbe considered positive, as it facilitates the surfacing of important issuesand provides opportunities for people to develop their communication andinterpersonal skills. Conflict becomes negative when it is left to escalateto the point where people begin to feel defeated, and a combative climateof distrust and suspicion develops (Bowditch & Buono, 1997). Nelson (1995)cautions that negative conflict can destroy a team quickly, and oftenarises from poor planning. He offers this list of high potential areas fromwhich negative conflict issues commonly arise:

Resolving Conflict in Work Teams

A major advantage a team has over an individual is its diversity ofresources, knowledge, and ideas. However, diversity also produces conflict.As more and more organizations restructure to work teams the need fortraining in conflict resolution will continue to grow. Varney (1989)reports that conflict remained the number-one problem for most of the teamsoperating within a large energy company, even after repeated trainingsessions on how to resolve conflict and how to minimize the negative impacton team members. One reason for this may be that mangers and other leaderswithin organizations are not giving the issue of resolving conflict enoughattention. Varney's research showed that although most managers are awareof disagreements and have received training in conflict resolution, theyseldom assign a high priority to solving conflict problems. With this inmind, it is critical that team members possess skills to resolve conflictamong themselves.

Beckham Back To Real Madrid

David Beckham is back in the reckoning at Real Madrid after Fabio Capello reversed his decision to sideline the former England captain and included him in the squad for Saturday's league match at Real Sociedad.
Capello said Beckham's continued professionalism had persuaded him to backtrack on his pledge that the midfielder would never again play for Real following his announcement that he would be joining LA Galaxy at the end of the season.
We had doubts after he signed such an important contract with the American side," Capello told a news conference at Real's training base in Valdebebas.
"We doubted he could train with the same enthusiasm after that, but he has been training perfectly. He has always had the full support of his team mates. He has behaved like a great professional and is now returning to the squad.
"I'm counting on him until the end of the season."
Capello, whose position is under threat after back-to-back defeats in the league, said that the decision was his own and that he had not been pressured by either the players or the club's directors.
"It was down to Beckham's hard work and attitude. The intelligent thing to do is to correct things when mistakes are made. I spoke with him a week ago and again today. We are
very happy and he is too."
Club captain Raul, midfielder Guti and several other first team players had come out in support of Beckham in recent weeks saying he should continue playing until the end of his contract.
Beckham was embraced by several team mates including Raul after being given the news of his inclusion in the squad.
The 31-year-old midfielder said earlier this week he was desperate to play for Real again. "It is very hard for me because I would like to help the team," he told sports daily Marca.
"I'm desperate to play again ... I don't know if I will but I've got to keep on training. I want to leave this club on a high."
Spanish media have pointed to the fact that other players such as Barcelona's Javier Saviola and Valencia's Roberto Ayala, whose contracts also terminate at the end of the season, are still playing for their respective clubs. Beckham's last appearance for Real was when he came on as a substitute in their 2-0 defeat at Deportivo Coruna on January 7 a few days before announcing he had signed a five-year deal with LA Galaxy worth $250 million (128 million pounds

Beckham go MLS

Former England captain David Beckham is likely to make his Major League Soccer debut on August 5 when the Los Angeles Galaxy travel to Canada to take on the league's newest franchise Toronto FC.
According to the MLS schedule released on Tuesday, Beckham and the Galaxy will make stops in every league city except Dallas after he completes his contract with Real Madrid in mid-July.
Beckham has signed a five-year $250-million deal with Los Angeles.
Dallas could become the first North American city to welcome Beckham with the Galaxy scheduled to take on FC Dallas in a Super League clash in late July.
With the MLS schedule now confirmed, the announcement is likely to trigger another rush on ticket sales as fans look to catch a glimpse of the world's most recognizable soccer player.
News of Beckham's signing sparked a surge in ticket sales in Toronto with the club selling more than 3,000 seasons tickets in the days following the announcement.
The 12th MLS season will kick off on April 7 when four-times MLS Cup champion D.C. United visit the Colorado Rapids.

How To Avoid Dealing With Conflict?

Engaging in dialogue and negotiation around conflict is something we tend to approach with fear and hesitation, afraid that the conversation will go worse than the conflict has gone thus far. All too often, we talk ourselves out of potential dialogue:

"Why should I talk to him? She'll bite my head off and not listen to anything I have to say!" OR

"I should talk to him about this problem, but maybe it will go away on its own. There's no sense stirring up something that makes us both uncomfortable." OR

"If I go to him, I'm making myself vulnerable. No, that's his responsibility - he should come to me and ask me to talk!"

Our responses, as noted earlier, tend to include behaviors, feelings, thoughts and physical responses. If any of these responses indicates stress factors that make us reluctant to talk things out, we are more inclined to follow the pathway of avoidance. In addition, if we have history with the individuals involved in this conflict (i.e., we've tried to negotiate with them in the past, without success), it will "filter" our perceptions of this situation and make us reluctant to negotiate.

In addition, consider that our society tends to reward alternative responses to conflict, rather than negotiation: People who aggressively pursue their needs, competing rather than collaborating, are often satisfied by others who prefer to accommodate. Managers and leaders are often rewarded for their aggressive, controlling approaches to problems, rather than taking a more compassionate approach to issues that may seem less decisive to the public or their staffs. In other circumstances, those who raise issues and concerns, even respectfully, are quickly perceived to be "problem" clients or staff members… they tend to be avoided and minimized. In any of these approaches, negotiated solutions to conflicts are rarely modeled or held in high esteem.

Finally, we should keep in mind that negotiation requires profound courage on the part of all parties: It takes courage to honestly and clearly articulate your needs, and it takes courage to sit down and listen to your adversaries. It takes courage to look at your own role in the dispute, and it takes courage to approach others with a sense of empathy, openness and respect for their perspective. Collaborative approaches to conflict management require us to engage in the moment of dialogue in profound and meaningful ways, so it is understandable if we tend to avoid such situations until the balance of wisdom tips in favor of negotiation

The Role of Perceptions in Conflict For Worker & Employer

As noted in our basic definition of conflict, we define conflict as a disagreement through which the parties involved perceive a threat to their needs, interests or concerns. One key element of this definition is the idea that each party may have a different perception of any given situation. We can anticipate having such differences due to a number of factors that create "perceptual filters" that influence our responses to the situation:

Culture, race, and ethnicity: Our varying cultural backgrounds influence us to hold certain beliefs about the social structure of our world, as well as the role of conflict in that experience. We may have learned to value substantive, procedural and psychological needs differently as a result, thus influencing our willingness to engage in various modes of negotiation and efforts to manage the conflict

Gender and sexuality: Men and women often perceive situations somewhat differently, based on both their experiences in the world (which relates to power and privilege, as do race and ethnicity) and socialization patterns that reinforce the importance of relationships vs. task, substance vs. process, immediacy vs. long-term outcomes. As a result, men and women will often approach conflictive situations with differing mindsets about the desired outcomes from the situation, as well as the set of possible solutions that may exist.

Knowledge (general and situational): Parties respond to given conflicts on the basis of the knowledge they may have about the issue at hand. This includes situation-specific knowledge (i.e., "Do I understand what is going on here?") and general knowledge (i.e., "Have I experienced this type of situation before?" or "Have I studied about similar situations before?"). Such information can influence the person's willingness to engage in efforts to manage the conflict, either reinforcing confidence to deal with the dilemma or undermining one's willingness to flexibly consider alternatives.

Impressions of the Messenger: If the person sharing the message - the messenger - is perceived to be a threat (powerful, scary, unknown, etc.), this can influence our responses to the overall situation being experienced. For example, if a big scary-looking guy is approaching me rapidly, yelling "Get out of the way!" I may respond differently than if a diminutive, calm person would express the same message to me. As well, if I knew either one of them previously, I might respond differently based upon that prior sense of their credibility: I am more inclined to listen with respect to someone I view as credible than if the message comes from someone who lacks credibility and integrity in my mind.

Previous experiences: Some of us have had profound, significant life experiences that continue to influence our perceptions of current situations. These experiences may have left us fearful, lacking trust, and reluctant to take risks. On the other hand, previous experiences may have left us confident, willing to take chances and experience the unknown. Either way, we must acknowledge the role of previous experiences as elements of our perceptual filter in the current dilemma.

These factors (along with others) conspire to form the perceptual filters through which we experience conflict. As a result, our reactions to the threat and dilemma posed by conflict should be anticipated to include varying understandings of the situation. This also means that we can anticipate that in many conflicts there will be significant misunderstanding of each other's perceptions, needs and feelings. These challenges contribute to our emerging sense, during conflict, that the situation is overwhelming and unsolvable. As such, they become critical sources of potential understanding, insight and possibility.

Conflict With Someone : How Do Your Respon

In addition to the behavioral responses summarized by the various conflict styles, we have emotional, cognitive and physical responses to conflict. These are important windows into our experience during conflict, for they frequently tell us more about what is the true source of threat that we perceive; by understanding our thoughts, feelings and physical responses to conflict, we may get better insights into the best potential solutions to the situation.

Emotional responses: These are the feelings we experience in conflict, ranging from anger and fear to despair and confusion. Emotional responses are often misunderstood, as people tend to believe that others feel the same as they do. Thus, differing emotional responses are confusing and, at times, threatening.

Cognitive responses: These are our ideas and thoughts about a conflict, often present as inner voices or internal observers in the midst of a situation. Through sub-vocalization (i.e., self-talk), we come to understand these cognitive responses. For example, we might think any of the following things in response to another person taking a parking spot just as we are ready to park:
"That jerk! Who does he think he is! What a sense of entitlement!" or:
"I wonder if he realizes what he has done. He seems lost in his own thoughts. I hope he is okay." or:
"What am I supposed to do? Now I'm going to be late for my meeting… Should I say something to him? What if he gets mad at me?"
Such differing cognitive responses contribute to emotional and behavioral responses, where self-talk can either promote a positive or negative feedback loop in the situation.

Physical responses: These responses can play an important role in our ability to meet our needs in the conflict. They include heightened stress, bodily tension, increased perspiration, tunnel vision, shallow or accelerated breathing, nausea, and rapid heartbeat. These responses are similar to those we experience in high-anxiety situations, and they may be managed through stress management techniques. Establishing a calmer environment in which emotions can be managed is more likely if the physical response is addressed effectively.

Conflict & Worker Behavior

Conflict is often best understood by examining the consequences of various behaviors at moments in time. These behaviors are usefully categorized according to conflict styles. Each style is a way to meet one's needs in a dispute but may impact other people in different ways.

Competing is a style in which one's own needs are advocated over the needs of others. It relies on an aggressive style of communication, low regard for future relationships, and the exercise of coercive power. Those using a competitive style tend to seek control over a discussion, in both substance and ground rules. They fear that loss of such control will result in solutions that fail to meet their needs. Competing tends to result in responses that increase the level of threat.

Accommodating, also known as smoothing, is the opposite of competing. Persons using this style yield their needs to those of others, trying to be diplomatic. They tend to allow the needs of the group to overwhelm their own, which may not ever be stated, as preserving the relationship is seen as most important. Avoiding is a common response to the negative perception of conflict. "Perhaps if we don't bring it up, it will blow over," we say to ourselves. But, generally, all that happens is that feelings get pent up, views go unexpressed, and the conflict festers until it becomes too big to ignore. Like a cancer that may well have been cured if treated early, the conflict grows and spreads until it kills the relationship. Because needs and concerns go unexpressedpeople are often confused, wondering what went wrong in a relationship.

Compromising is an approach to conflict in which people gain and give in a series of tradeoffs. While satisfactory, compromise is generally not satisfying. We each remain shaped by our individual perceptions of our needs and don't necessarily understand the other side very well. We often retain a lack of trust and avoid risk-taking involved in more collaborative behaviors.

Collaborating is the pooling of individual needs and goals toward a common goal. Often called "win-win problem-solving," collaboration requires assertive communication and cooperation in order to achieve a better solution than either individual could have achieved alone. It offers the chance for consensus, the integration of needs, and the potential to exceed the "budget of possibilities" that previously limited our views of the conflict. It brings new time, energy, and ideas to resolve the dispute meaningfully

Anticipating Conflicts Likely to Arise in the Workplace

Anticipating conflicts is useful in either situation for transforming these situations into opportunities for growth and learning. Consider

1.Are there seasonal peaks in our workload that tend to occur annually?
Chart the occurrence of such challenges, and consider whether they can be managed as a normal period of stress and transition. For example, a school had a large population of students who arrived after long bus rides without breakfast, who tended to arrive at school ready to fight. The school identified 10 minutes at the start of the day to give these students a healthy snack, and worked with teachers to pull out students who weren't yet ready for school before they became disruptive. After food and a little counseling, students entered their classrooms in a better frame of mind (and body) to participate.

2.Do we have channels for expressing normal problems and concerns in a predictable, reliable manner?
Staff meeting should be used as a tool for effective problem-solving in a range of situations, including anticipated conflicts. If such channels are perceived by staff as closed, unsafe, and non-productive, they will be replaced by gossip, 'end runs' and back-biting.

3.Are there certain factors in the environment that make problems worse, especially at times of conflict?
Take stock of your processes for managing during stressful times. Look at how phones are routed, noise is managed, client lines are queued, distractions are managed, etc. Often, our response during times of stress is to meet less frequently, because 'we have no time to meet.' And we continue to do things the way we've been doing them, because 'we have no time to create new procedures.' This approach dooms us to repeat the same errors, rather than to learn from the opportunities. Examine your systems for managing problems, including dispute resolution systems, and use times of "harmony" to identify process improvements that can be implemented in times of stress.

Conflict is Normal?

Consider your own work environment for a moment:
1.What are some key sources of conflict in our workplace?
2.When do they tend to occur?
3.How do people respond to these conflicts as they arise?
4.When we solve problems, do we do so for the moment, or do we put in place systems for addressing these types of concerns in the future?

In reflecting upon your answers to these questions, you may begin to understand what we mean by anticipating conflicts likely to arise in the workplace: Normal, healthy organizations will experience their share of conflict, and workplaces experiencing a certain amount of dysfunction will experience it in greater quantities.

When We Talk About Conflict

A conflict is more than a mere disagreement - it is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status, etc.) to their well-being. As such, it is a meaningful experience in people's lives, not to be shrugged off by a mere, "it will pass…"
Participants in conflicts tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation, rather than an objective review of it. As such, people filter their perceptions (and reactions) through their values, culture, beliefs, information, experience, gender, and other variables. Conflict responses are both filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and powerful guides to our sense of possible solutions.
As in any problem, conflicts contain substantive, procedural, and psychological dimensions to be negotiated. In order to best understand the threat perceived by those engaged in a conflict, we need to consider all of these dimensions.
Conflicts are normal experiences within the work environment. They are also, to a large degree, predictable and expectable situations that naturally arise as we go about managing complex and stressful projects in which we are significantly invested. As such, if we develop procedures for identifying conflicts likely to arise, as well as systems through which we can constructively manage conflicts, we may be able to discover new opportunities to transform conflict into a productive learning experience.
Creative problem-solving strategies are essential to positive approaches to conflict management. We need to transform the situation from one in which it is 'my way or the highway' into one in which we entertain new possibilities that have been otherwise elusive

Conflict at Workplace?

We define conflict as a disagreement through which the parties involved perceive a threat to their needs, interests or concerns. Within this simple definition there are several important understandings that emerge:

Disagreement - Generally, we are aware there is some level of difference in the positions of the two (or more) parties involved in the conflict. But the true disagreement versus the perceived disagreement may be quite different from one another. In fact, conflict tends to be accompanied by significant levels of misunderstanding that exaggerate the perceived disagreement considerably. If we can understand the true areas of disagreement, this will help us solve the right problems and manage the true needs of the parties.

Parties involved - There are often disparities in our sense of who is involved in the conflict. Sometimes, people are surprised to learn they are a party to the conflict, while other times we are shocked to learn we are not included in the disagreement. On many occasions, people who are seen as part of the social system (e.g., work team, family, company) are influenced to participate in the dispute, whether they would personally define the situation in that way or not. In the above example, people very readily "take sides" based upon current perceptions of the issues, past issues and relationships, roles within the organization, and other factors. The parties involved can become an elusive concept to define.

Perceived threat - People respond to the perceived threat, rather than the true threat, facing them. Thus, while perception doesn't become reality per se, people's behaviors, feelings and ongoing responses become modified by that evolving sense of the threat they confront. If we can work to understand the true threat (issues) and develop strategies (solutions) that manage it (agreement), we are acting constructively to manage the conflict.

Needs, interests or concerns - There is a tendency to narrowly define "the problem" as one of substance, task, and near-term viability. However, workplace conflicts tend to be far more complex than that, for they involve ongoing relationships with complex, emotional components. Simply stated, there are always procedural needs and psychological needs to be addressed within the conflict, in addition to the substantive needs that are generally presented. And the durability of the interests and concerns of the parties transcends the immediate presenting situation. Any efforts to resolve conflicts effectively must take these points into account.

So, is it still a simple definition of conflict? We think so, but we must respect that within its elegant simplicity lies a complex set of issues to address. Therefore, it is not surprising that satisfactory resolution of most conflicts can prove so challenging and time consuming to address.
Conflicts occur when people (or other parties) perceive that, as a consequence of a disagreement, there is a threat to their needs, interests or concerns. Although conflict is a normal part of organization life, providing numerous opportunities for growth through improved understanding and insight, there is a tendency to view conflict as a negative experience caused by abnormally difficult circumstances. Disputants tend to perceive limited options and finite resources available in seeking solutions, rather than multiple possibilities that may exist 'outside the box' in which we are problem-solving.

Telephone Etiquette For Worker

What is telephone etiquette? It is the correct or professional manners or courtesies one should have when using the telephone.

Why bother with telephone courtesies? When you speak over the telephone, you are the voice of your company. To the caller, you represent the company. Quality products and services must be complemented with courteous and efficient services on the telephone. This is for building good public relations between your company and clients.

Unfortunately, we can be overwhelmed by the stress of the day and make these common mistakes when answering the telephone:
1.Allowing the telephone to ring for too long
2.Mumbling, speaking too fast and talking with food in the mouth
3.Putting on an ascent
4.No greetings
5.Rude, impatient and unfriendly reply
6.Shouting or raising your voice when you cannot hear the caller clearly
7.Not addressing the caller by his name
8.Holding two conversation at the same time
9.Making the caller wait unnecessarily
10.Failure to check the caller’s name and other details for return call
11.Taking complaints as personal criticism
12.Slamming the telephone down before the caller finishes talking
Simple steps, such as, answering calls promptly (within three rings), speaking with a clear and normal tone of voice, putting a ‘smile’ in your voice and being helpful to the caller, can be learnt quickly by anyone in your office. If you are feeling irritated or moody, try not to let it be reflected in your voice - take a deep breathe and count to ten (or less) before answering the call. Otherwise, take a break.

What are telephone techniques? This is an art of using the telephone correctly and effectively, to achieve one’s goals. Good telephone techniques pave the way for effective communication between our callers and us. It also helps to save time and achieve our objective in making the telephone call. Bad techniques may cause irritation, loss of business and reflect poorly on the company.

Build a rapport with the caller from the onset to ward off any feeling of uneasiness or anxiety when the call is made. Once the rapport is established, it would be easy for us to communicate the information required to the caller.

So, how can we establish this rapport with the caller? Well, it’s all in the person’s attitude. As this mode of communication relies on the message relay through our VOICE, having a positive attitude and speaking with the right tone of voice are essential for the caller to get the message correctly. Good posture will also help to control your voice. Start to practise these techniques and remember the golden rule: do unto others what you would like others to do unto you.