Reference no: EM133088295

Leading project conflict & negotiation management

Objectives
• Learn how to recognise various emotions in project stakeholders.
• Discuss what conflicts means to you.
• Understand Condliffe's conflict outcomes and intensity model.
• Determine your conflicting handling approach using Blake and Mouton's questionnaire.
• Determine the approach conflict handling approach in a range of situations.
• Apply negotiation skills to solve a number of conflict situations

Discussion Questions
Write your response to the question(s) provided and then discuss with others.

Question 10.1 - Conflicting emotions
Refer to the illustrations provided in Figure 1 (located at the of this document). These represent emotions, and feelings which people often experience in times of conflict:

• Make a list of ten (10) emotions, then work in pairs, ensuring your partner cannot see your list.

• Take it in turns, using a charade style approach to act out each emotion on your list. Do not use your voice.
• How many of your partner's faces were you able to guess correctly?
• What does this exercise tell you about the emotions of other people?

Question 10.2 - How do you see conflict?
Imagine you can initiate any change you wish. Describe to your team (or the class) what that change would be and why? (Thibodeaux, 2014).

• How do you define conflict?
• How does your definition compare to Condliffe's (1991)? Refer to - What is Conflict? (see Week 10 Lecture).
• What is your typical response to conflict?
• What is your greatest strength when dealing with conflict?
• If you could change one thing about the way you handle conflict, what would it be? Why?
• What is the most important outcome of conflict?
Discuss your responses to the following questions with your class:
• Were your partner's perspectives different from your perspective?
• What were some things you learned by considering another's perspective?
• Does discussing conflict like this make it "less scary"? In what ways?
• Is conflict good or bad?
(Scannell, 2010)

Question 10.3 - Conflict Outcomes
Apply to Condliffe's (1991) diagram of Conflict outcomes and intensity. Refer to - What is Conflict? (see Week 10 Lecture). When can conflict be a good thing?

Question 10.4 - Blake and Mouton's Conflict Handling Model
Indicate how often you rely on each of the following situations by circling the number that you feel is most appropriate.

Questions:
Rarely Always
1. I argue my case with my co-workers to show the merits of my position. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I negotiate with my co-workers so that a compromise can be reached. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I try to satisfy the expectation of my co-workers. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I try to investigate an issue with my co-workers to find a solution acceptable to us. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I am firm in pursuing my side of the issue. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I attempt to avoid being ‘put on the spot' and try to keep my conflict with my co-workers to myself. 1 2 3 4 5
7. I hold on to my solution to a problem. 1 2 3 4 5
8. I use ‘give and take' so that a compromise can be made. 1 2 3 4 5
9. I exchange accurate information with my co-workers to solve a problem together. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I avoid open discussion of my differences with my co-workers. 1 2 3 4 5
11. I accommodate the wishes of my co-workers. 1 2 3 4 5
12. I try to bring all our concerns out in the open so that the issues can be resolved in the best possible way. 1 2 3 4 5
13. I propose a middle ground for breaking deadlocks. 1 2 3 4 5
14. I go along with the suggestions of my co-workers. 1 2 3 4 5
15. I try to keep my disagreements with my co-workers to myself in order to avoid hard feelings. 1 2 3 4 5

Your primary conflict-handling intention is the category with the highest total. Your fallback intention is the category with the second-highest total (Robbins, Millett, Cacioppe, & Waters-Marsh, 1998, p. 508).

Question 10.5 - Applying conflict handling
For each of the scenarios provided below, indicate which is the appropriate conflict handling style and why?
(a). A new contract programmer is sitting at your desk using your computer
(b). Someone is parked in your long term pre-paid car park
(c). You notice a team member using Facebook during work time
(d). You notice a team member visiting X-rated websites during work time
(e). A work deadline is moved forward by one-week
(f). Management has announced tea, coffee and milk, will no longer be provided for staff
(g). Twelve months wage freeze have been announced by management
(h). A team member has asked you to cover for him as he has a personal issue to take care of
(i). You notice a team member taking office supplies home
(j). A team member constantly uses the work phone to contact a business on the side

Question 10.6 -Negotiating skills
You and a friend are setting up a small computer hardware business. Work in pairs with another student. Discuss the following points. Make as many decisions as you can:
• The office must be open every weekday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• The office must also be open on Thursday nights from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm.
• At present you have no other staff and no company vehicle. If you are to purchase any time or employ anyone, the cost will have to be carried by you equally as partners, or taken out of your profits.

For the moment, decide which one of you will take charge:
• Saturday morning trading
• Thursday evening trading
• Handling the money, including daily banking
• Buying stock from visiting representatives (who often take clients to lunch)
• Buying stock from large firms who take orders over the phone
• Selling stock to over-the-counter customers
• Selling to large clients
• Cleaning the office
• Keeping the yard tidy
• Hiring administrative assistance
• Hiring delivery drivers
• Negotiating with your bank manager for a loan
(Nutting & White, 1993)
Answer the following questions:
• What negotiation approach was adopted by each individual in your pair (e.g. hard approach, soft approach or principled negotiation)? What evidence is there to support this?
• What negotiation strategies were evident (e.g. problem solving, contending, yielding, compromising or inaction). Provide examples.

Answer the following questions:
• Which negotiations were the most successful? Why?
• Which negotiation tactics did you observe?
• What kinds of behaviours make someone more or less successful when negotiating?

Question 10.8 -Case Study
Read the case study Bill O'Malley Says - No Way! and answer the following questions.
• What is the source of this conflict? How does this compare with those suggested in the literature by Pinto (2010)? Refer to - ‘Sources of Conflict? (see Week 10 lecture).
• Assume you were Mark. What conflict-handling orientation would you use? Why?
• How would external factors like social attitudes and human rights legislation influence your choice of conflict-handling orientations?
• Do you think your approach has permanently resolved this conflict? Explain your reasons.

Case Study - Bill O'Malley Says - No Way!

Attachment:- Leading project conflict.rar