Conflict and Power: Assessing Power Imbalances

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Assessing Power Imbalances

Introduction
In today’s organizations conflict and power are important elements to the success of any company but can also create negative long term impacts if not addressed. Organizations require enough power within the leaders to get through conflict and enough conflict within individuals to create new innovations. Not all conflict is bad but when there is conflict individuals with power must assist in aligning conflict resolution to assist in understanding for everyone involved in the conflict. The need for successful conflict resolution is vital for employees so that they are capable of moving on and understanding why the conflict was overcome.
Conflict
In every organization there is a potential that there will be conflict between individuals. Conflict is a disagreement between two people. Conflicting perceptions and attitudes can be generally classed into five major styles: 1) avoidance, 2) accommodation, 3) competition, 4) compromise, and 5) collaboration, each of which is discussed in length by Engleberg, Wynn, and Schuttler (2003). Conflict can have both positive and negative influences on the people within the disagreement. The conflict in an organization can be destructive if the conflict is allowed to get out of control. Conflict is also a tool for success as it gives the organization the ability to see different viewpoints or perspectives. Its “positive or negative outcomes depend on the type of the conflict, the causes and number of people involved, attitudes of people in conflict, and other similar factors” (Rudani 2011, p. 632). Having diversity in the organization is the backbone of building a stronger organization through better problem solving and ideas.
Conflict can be competiti...

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...Theory and Design. South-Western Cengage Learning, Canada.
Engleberg, I., Wynn, D., & Schuttler, R. (2003). Working in groups: Communication principles and strategies. (3rd ed.) Boston: Houghton Miffon
Goncalves & Marcus (2013) Leadership Styles: The Power to Influence Others. International Journal of Business & Social Science, vol. 4, issue 4, p. 1-3, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, Retrieved April 18, 2014 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/results?sid=709e0c03-380b-45c1-b76a-8d1f54e375a4%40sessionmgr111&vid=23&hid=123&bquery=Leadership+Styles%3a+The+Power+%22to%22+Influence+Others&bdata=JmRiPWJ0aCZ0eXBlPTAmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl>
Nahavandi, A. & Malekzadeh, A.R. (1998). Organizational Behavior: the person-organization fit. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Rudani, R.B. (2011). Management and Organizational Behavioral. Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.

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