Introduction
Conflict is an unavoidable occurrence in modern society and life in general. They occur as a result of different reasons and at every level (Folberg et al, 2004) from global levels where states argue over borders and also in families among members over household chores. Since they are unavoidable, it is prudent that they are handled with care so as to mend the differences, and also not to sever delicate future ties among the parties involved. This article is a description of a conflict that I have experienced in one of my class projects.
Background
It was part of the course syllabus that the students conduct a project in marketing research. This was to be a collective project and all the class members worked together. Our instructor consequently divided us into groups for effectiveness and distributed constituent tasks to each of the groups. It was required that the members of each group consult each other in their tasks for learning purposes. My group was in charge of the marketing mix.
The conflict
June was working on the promotion but felt that Sally, her partner, did not appreciate her effort. She said that she had spent close to five hours compiling the strategy, but Sally had only taken a five minute look and already began criticizing her work and pointing out mistakes. Sally in turn, accused June of not paying attention and being overly melodramatic. The two could not work together. It would be unfair to reshuffle the group as all other were far into the work and doing so would end up disorienting the whole group.
Conflict Assessment
As group leader, I was obligated to manage the group to ensure that we not only completed our potion of the work but also do so in a manner that would add value to the project. June and Sally were enthusiastic team mates and their differences needed to be mended to derive their potential and effectiveness. I decided to mediate between the two. This method has been proven to be highly effective and used successfully in sensitive matters like divorce (Kelly, 2004). Moreover, tension was high between the two and negotiation would not be successful. It was imperative that I find a solution to enable them work together and achieve their goals.
Theory
I realized that there were two differences between Sally and June. Sally was singularly task oriented unlike June who was more of a people person. Furthermore, there was a difference in their personalities. Sally was firm while June needed appreciation and motivation. These, I believed were the biggest challenging blocks that between them. What needed to change was the way they worked together.
Resolution
After airing out their grievances, I informed them of the importance of them working together. I enquired on how they had decided to work on their assignment. They had decided that each does half, and then they would assess each other’s work and come to a consensus. The flaws that Sally pointed out in June’s report were valid, but June needed motivation to work. After discussion, I suggested that they abolish the division of labor. I suggested that they work together on each of the tasks and that way they would communicate more. Also, the result would be work done by both and thus no one would feel disregarded.
References
Folberg, J., Milne, A. L., & Salem, P. (2004). Divorce and Family Mediation: Models, Techniques, and Applications. San Francisco: Guilford Press.
Kelly, J.B. (2004). Family mediation research: Is there empirical support for the field? Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 22, 3-35.