Conflict resolution is generally required when the conflict level is very
high in the organisation and it is producing dysfunctional behaviour. Conflict between parties can be resolved by five different modes. Parties involved may adopt any of the following solutions, which are explained in Figure below
Avoidance One or both parties could avoid facing the conflict. The situation pertains to un-cooperative and unassertive behaviour on the part of parties involved. A Party may avoid facing B Party. When situation reaches a point of negligence by A Party, B Party may take advantage of the situation. By avoiding, the individual might side step, postpone or even withdraw from the conflictuating situation. This strategy is useful when issues involved in conflict are of a very minor nature or when more important issues deserve attention. This strategy suits a manager whose power base is very low and there is no chance of satisfying ones own concerns.
Competing This strategy may be adopted when other strategies of conflict resolution are not workable. Competing is also useful in emergencies where quick decisions are required. In this strategy power must be used unilaterally as a weapon when unpopular decisions like termination, pay cuts, layoffs, cost cutting and enforcing discipline are required to be taken. This strategy is based on win-lose principle of managing conflicts. The managers who are high on power base have an added advantage in using competing strategy because people from opposite side would not dare confront a person who is so powerful.
Collaborating Strategy of collaboration involves attempt of one party to work with the other party in cooperative manner and find solutions to the problem for mutual benefits. The strategy involves identification of areas of disagreement, examining the issue in greater detail and a workable solution arrived at, which is for mutual benefit. This strategy signifies when two sets of solutions are important for both parties to be compromised. Hence finding integrated solution become imperative. This strategy signifies joint efforts, gain for both parties and integrated solutions arrived at by consensual decisions.
Accommodating In accommodating mode a person scarifies his own interest for accommodating other persons interest. It is form of selfless generosity, obeying other persons point of view. This might even lower ones self esteem in addition to depriving on the influence, respect and recognition from others, since it negates the potential contribution that individuals are capable of making to the organization.
Compromising In conflict situation, compromising is a mode when both parties try to find out some expedient, mutually acceptable solution that sacrifies both the parties partially. In compromising, there is no clear winner or loser. None of the party is fully satisfied as they ration the object of conflict and accept the solution, which is not complete to either of the parties. In compromising, there is a possibility of an atmosphere of gamesmanship in the work environment. There is also a possibility of compromising on certain principles of behaviour which is not desirable
LOCUS OF CONTROL Locus of control refers to extent to which individuals believe that they can control events affecting them. Locus of control may be (i) internal or (ii) external.
(i) Internal Locus of Control. Persons having internal locus of control believe that they can manipulate events to their advantage and therefore they are capable of deciding their fate For example, a manager having dominant internal locus of control would be able to effectively control resources, decide events, which benefits him. He manipulates communications, resources, events, programmes in such away that enhances his position and he creates an aura around him that he is an indispensable person. Individual feels that he is decider of his own future and that no external events (power) can interfere with it.
(ii) External Locus of Control. Person having dominant external locus of control believe that what happen to them is controlled by outside forces such as luck or chance. These types of people lack initiative, decision-making and do not even take calculated risk. They wait and see events take place and things happen.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP This type of leaders guide their subordinates by establishing goals which can be achieved by role identity and task requirement. Transactional leader use reward system very effectively to achieve organizational goals and set new standards. Transformational leadership follows various leadership models. Transformational leadership is practiced when leader intellectually stimulates the subordinates, excites, arouses and inspires them to perform beyond their expectations. By providing a new vision, the transformational leader transforms the followers into people who want to self-actualize. Leader by inspiration have won wars by voluntarily demanding highest sacrifices of soldiers in the battlefields. Andrea Jung at Avon, Richard Branson of the Virgin Group, and Jim McNerney of Boeing are all transformational leaders. They pay attention to the concerns and needs of individual followers; they change followers awareness of issues by helping them look at old problems in new ways; and they excite and inspire followers to put out extra effort to achieve group goals.
CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP
The guidance provided to an organization by one or more individuals seen as heroic or inspiring and who have therefore been granted the organizational power to make dramatic changes and extract extraordinary performance levels from its staff. For example, a business manager imbued with charismatic leadership could be enlisted to orchestrate a turnaround or launch a new product line. John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Mary Kay Ash (founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics), and Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Computer) are frequently cited as charismatic leaders.
Charismatic leader have following characteristics that make them stand out as successful leaders
(a) Vision: Charismatic leader has vision. He sees an organization from futuristic point of view and has a great foresight to preempt problems and seek solution and therefore he is ahead of his competitors and sails in safe waters. (b) Risk takers: Charismatic leaders take great amount of risk to accomplish the vision. Indira Gandhi the erstwhile prime minister of India took a risk by launching its defense forces into East Pakistan to liberate it. She also displayed a high degree of risk while nationalizing banks and taking away privy purse privilege from Indian kings. (c) Sensitivity to environment constraints and follower need: Charismatic leaders display a high degree of knowledge and its applicability to practical problems likely to face, may be shortage of raw material, competitors strategy, trend in market and likely pattern that may emerge. They believe the subordinates contribution and hence the importance to their needs. (d) Distinct Behavioral pattern: Charismatic leaders are sympathetic towards subordinates and hence a soft corner for them. They are supportive and employee oriented. They behave differently in different situation and do not have a brand.
Thus, Charismatic leader influences subordinates by articulating an appealing vision. This vision provides a sense of continuity for followers by linking the present with better future for organization. The leader then communicates high performance expectations and expresses confidence that followers can attain them. This enhances follower self- esteem and self-confidence. Next leader conveys through words and actions, a new set of values and by his or her behaviour, sets a example for followers to imitate.
THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY MODEL
Psychologist Raymond Cattell was the pioneer in the search for a set of universal personality traits. He used direct observation of a large number of people in everyday life and variety of questionnaires to elicit 16 primary personality traits identified in pairs of polar-opposite words, such as relaxed versus tense and serious versus happy-go-lucky.
However, the most recent development in search for universal set of primary personality traits has identified five primary dimension of personality. Almost all personality measures can be categorized under these Big Five personality traits:
Extraversion. The extraversion dimension captures our comfort level with relationships. Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. Introverts tend to be reserved, timid, and quiet. Agreeableness. The agreeableness dimension refers to an individuals propensity to defer to others. Highly agreeable people are cooperative, warm, and trusting. People who score low on agreeableness are cold, disagreeable, and antagonistic. Conscientiousness. The conscientiousness dimension is a measure of reliability. A highly conscientious person is responsible, organized, dependable, and persistent. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized, and unreliable. Emotional stability. The emotional stability dimensionoften labelled by its converse, neuroticismtaps a persons ability to withstand stress. People with positive emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. Those with high negative scores tend to be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure. Openness to experience. The openness to experience dimension addresses range of interests and fascination with novelty. Extremely open people are creative, curious, and artistically sensitive. Those at the other end of the category are conventional and find comfort in the familiar.