MANY PEOPLE TRY TO AVOID CONFLICT AT ALL COST. OTHERS TEND TO BLAME SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE FOR CAUSING IT. THESE RESPONSES DO NOT RESOLVE CONFLICT AND MAY MAKE THE SITUATIONWORSE.
CONFLICT IS A NORMAL PART OF LIFE AND THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE CONFLICTS TO ARISE WITHIN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS. CONFLICT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN EMPLOYEES, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ORDINARY MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, CLIENTS OR THE COMMUNITY.
IF NOT RESOLVED, CONFLICT CAN BE HIGHLY DESTRUCTIVE. THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS DISCUSS THREE OF THE MOST COMMON FACTORS THAT LEAD TO CONFLICT SITUATION WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS:-
1. MISUNDERSTANDINGS
CONFLICTS CAN ARISE FROM MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT :-
• THE NATURE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF A JOB.
• DIFFERING EXPECTATION ABOUT HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE.
• WORK CONDITIONS AND WAGES.
• THE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES.
• DIFFERENCES IN VALUES, BELIEVES, NEEDS, OR PRIORITIES.
2. POOR COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION RELIES ON CLEAR AND COMPLETE MESSAGES BEING SEND AS WELL AS BEING RECEIVED. PROBLEMS CAN BE REDUCED BY PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW WELL YOU SEND MESSAGES AND HOW WELL YOU RECEIVED THEM. IMPROVE INFORMATION FLOW AND COMMUNICATION. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS :-
• HOLD REGULAR STAFF/MANAGEMENT MEETINGS FOR PASSING ON INFORMATION.
• HAVE FREQUENT EMPLOYEES MEETINGS.
• ENSURE THERE IS CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE AND ABOUT WHAT DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
• ENSURED DECISIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED.
• GIVE EVERYONE TIME TO TALK AT MEETINGS.
• TRY TO SPEND TWICE AS MUCH TIME LISTENING AS YOU SPEND TALKING.
UNCLEAR COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF TO CLIENTS IS ANOTHER COMMON SOURCE OF CONFLICT. DISTRESSED CLIENTS CAN VERY QUICKLY BECOME CONFUSED AND ANGRY IF THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO – ESPECIALLY BY THOSE WHO SAY THEY CARE.
3. LACK OF PLANNING
THE TIME SPENT IN PLANNING WILL BE RECOUPED MANY TIMES OVER IN THE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WORKERS’ TIME, AND IN REAL LONG TERM BENEFITS TO CLIENTS.
CONFLICT IS A NORMAL PART OF LIFE AND THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE CONFLICTS TO ARISE WITHIN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS. CONFLICT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN EMPLOYEES, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ORDINARY MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, CLIENTS OR THE COMMUNITY.
IF NOT RESOLVED, CONFLICT CAN BE HIGHLY DESTRUCTIVE. THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS DISCUSS THREE OF THE MOST COMMON FACTORS THAT LEAD TO CONFLICT SITUATION WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS:-
1. MISUNDERSTANDINGS
CONFLICTS CAN ARISE FROM MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT :-
• THE NATURE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF A JOB.
• DIFFERING EXPECTATION ABOUT HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE.
• WORK CONDITIONS AND WAGES.
• THE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES.
• DIFFERENCES IN VALUES, BELIEVES, NEEDS, OR PRIORITIES.
2. POOR COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION RELIES ON CLEAR AND COMPLETE MESSAGES BEING SEND AS WELL AS BEING RECEIVED. PROBLEMS CAN BE REDUCED BY PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW WELL YOU SEND MESSAGES AND HOW WELL YOU RECEIVED THEM. IMPROVE INFORMATION FLOW AND COMMUNICATION. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS :-
• HOLD REGULAR STAFF/MANAGEMENT MEETINGS FOR PASSING ON INFORMATION.
• HAVE FREQUENT EMPLOYEES MEETINGS.
• ENSURE THERE IS CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE AND ABOUT WHAT DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
• ENSURED DECISIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED.
• GIVE EVERYONE TIME TO TALK AT MEETINGS.
• TRY TO SPEND TWICE AS MUCH TIME LISTENING AS YOU SPEND TALKING.
UNCLEAR COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF TO CLIENTS IS ANOTHER COMMON SOURCE OF CONFLICT. DISTRESSED CLIENTS CAN VERY QUICKLY BECOME CONFUSED AND ANGRY IF THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO – ESPECIALLY BY THOSE WHO SAY THEY CARE.
3. LACK OF PLANNING
THE TIME SPENT IN PLANNING WILL BE RECOUPED MANY TIMES OVER IN THE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WORKERS’ TIME, AND IN REAL LONG TERM BENEFITS TO CLIENTS.