Case On Informal Conflict Resolution: A Workplace Case Study

Submitted to XXXXXXXXXXXX Course Instructor

Course No: J 604 Course title: Conflict Management

Prepared by Mahmudul Hassan ID: 03 XXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX January 9, 2009

Informal Conflict Resolution: A Workplace Case Study

Analysis of Conflict
The case deals with a conflict arising from sexual harassment that took place in a private confinement and later on emerged as a problem of the office place. Before the cab incident everything was working nice for both Tania and Smi. But as the sexual harassment took place, the conflict began as well. The initial cause of the conflict was of such that Sami can clearly be held as responsible. Yet, after Sami apologized repetitively and Tania responded casually, the situation aggravated. Sami apologized in private and Tania also responded informally. And the private interactions had a detrimental impact upon the office environment. Tania being unhappy with her current job regretted her decision and came to the editor for peace of mind. This was an attempt to resolve conflict. The Editors role is well suited to informal conflict handling. Unlike formal complaint resolution process, the Editor will maintain confidentiality of the problem. Hence, the Editor can exercise more informal dispute resolution options, such as listening, providing and receiving information, reframing issues and developing options, role-playing and shuttle diplomacy. In most of the cases women faces sexual harassment and yet can not stand upright against it. Rather they suffer inwardly and have to live with the pain inside. This silence on the part of women is taken to be their submissiveness towards the display of power. The same thing is applicable in case of Tania until she approaches the Editor. While Tania certainly felt indignant at Samis behavior, her main concern the next day was preserving her reputation and keeping her job and not to have any negative attention. She was worried about maintaining a neutralized sexuality in the office environment, fearing a reputation of being sexually "easy". Such a label would effectively overshadow any power that she could assert through knowledge or skill. Consequently, Tania chose not to risk placing herself in a

position to be unfairly labeled by the office power structure even though Samis behavior invaded her sense of security and confidence. Following the cab incident, Tania and Sami were implicitly negotiating for maintaining their own credibility in the workplace. Both value their reputation in the office. Hence Sami apologized for his mistake repeatedly and Tania did not go for formal complain. Concern for value and reputation rested more with Sami than Tania. Samis behavior in the cab and subsequently the office certainly highlights it. Samis frequent reiteration on apology is a display of his power of keeping on pressing his demand of apology. This also raised a question in Tanias mind. Yet nothing worked accordingly. Tania continued to suffer and Sami also faced the behavioral indications from his peers. Tanias mental condition got scattered the most with the result that she got herself transferred elsewhere. Tania was trying to maintain the value of their reputations at work by withholding the information about the cab incident. She was willing to let the unfortunate incident go without retaliation until Samis persistence became annoying. Then she confided in a couple of her friends at work. Sami sensed his loss of credibility through these employees' reactions to him. In this respect, Tania claimed value by divulging Samis sexual faux pas. She claimed the power of knowledge, but at a cost of placing her co-workers in an awkward position. The question arises whether both Sami and Tania reacted rightly and positively or not. Both of them tried to keep the cab incident a secret and thus heightened the crisis situation. Tania could no longer bear with the secret because of Samis repeated apology and confined it a few of her peers. As such the secret got a new shape. Everybody around knew the truth but nobody admits it in his/her vocal expression. So the situation deteriorated yet further.

Solution of the case

The solution of the conflict can start with talking with Tania to know what her aspiration is. Since none of Tania and Sami took the initiative to talk to each other about the problem both of them should sit together and work for a solution at presence of a moderator. They should solve the problem creatively, plan strategically and negotiate collaboratively. Broadly the two options Tania may aspire are: She can demand a legal action against Sami which revolves around the question of right, or She can go for settlement through dialogue which is based on interest

An interest-based approach is better suited to the conflict between Tania and Sami because focusing on interests can help them better understand each other. We can help bring about greater understanding through listening, facilitating dialogue between Tania and Sami, problem-solving, and mediating the conflict. These interest-based techniques are considered better methods of dispute resolution because it encourage people not to suppress their differences, which results in their effective disenfranchisement, but instead to speak up and become organizational citizens. The collaborative approach to conflict acknowledges that everyone needs to discuss, probe, challenge, engage, debate, and participate in making decisions regarding issues that are important to them and to do so in ways that leave them stronger, more successful and more united. As a mediator I should separate what is important from what gets in the way. Separate people from the problem: Samis problem should be separated As a mediator I should make him realize that his repeated apologies is reminding Tania the incident even more and Tania should also realize that her noncommittal way of saying its okay does not indicate forgiveness. At the same time without thinking about the personality of Sami and Tania, thought should be given towards what are the factors creating and aggravating the problem.

Separate problems from solutions: I should see closely what kind of conflict is it? What caused to aggravate it more and what are the possible solutions available to knock the crisis down. Find the commonalities from differences: Both Sami and Tania have one thing common i.e. they care about reputation. Separate emotion from negotiation: Being emotional wont solve the problem hence it should be solved logically. The likely options can be: I, as a mediator, should sit with both of them and enable them to open up to let each one know about others feelings. Opening up will help to the resentments and will enable to solve it. Its well a known strategy to acknowledge and integrate emotions to solve problems. Opening up emotional floodgate makes us relaxing and moving to unlock our disputes and enable us to move towards a resolution. Tanias and Samis healing. The available options for Tania and Sami to move towards resolution can be: To regret about what happened completely & clearly To take full responsibility for what happened To specify the behaviors that went wrong Sami should stay on promises so that Tania will see an immediate result release from emotion will increase their clarity, creativity and opportunities for learning, problem solving, resolution, transformation and

As a mediator I should follow the five stages of problem solving To become aware of the problem and accept it as something that needs to be solved To collaboratively define and clarify the elements and nature of the problem so that I can better understand how to approach it strategically

To jointly analyze, categorize, and prioritize the elements of problem To generate options, assess alternative criteria and jointly invent solutions that satisfies everyones interest

To take specific, concrete, committed action to solve problem; evaluate results and give each other feedback

Strictly following the processes and to solve it with an interest based approach will enable to clarify the problem between Tania and Sami. After that if they want to work together that would be excellent. And if they no longer feel the interest to work along they can decide it mutually but it would at least clean the air between them. My positive and calm feedback can give Tania and Sami the ability to take a few steps back from the intense situation and think about their interests. Sami can feel the pain he caused Tania and understand that his pass in the cab was wrong. His guilt about the incident caused him to repeat his apologies. All he wanted now was for Tania to hear and accept his apology. Then he would be able to put the whole thing behind him and move on. Sami hoped that Tania would be able to do the same. Tania can reply by saying that she felt she had accepted his apology the morning after the incident occurred. But after hearing Sami , she could realized that her response to his apology was not as clear as Sami needed to clear his conscious. Tania really held no reservation in accepting his apology over the cab incident Yet after listening to each others standing and aspirations both Tania and Sami can realize what was wrong and how far they can go along forgetting all the past incidents and moving forward with a fresh and healthy relation.

Mahmudul Hassan ZR 03, MBA