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Managing Conflict in Organizations & Dealing with Unethical

choices

Identify the Conflict

There is a clear tendency to identify trouble makers based on individual’s

perceptions or past experience. We often relate to someone else behavior, on

single characteristics that are dominants. In other circumstances we are

comparing behaviors in the same group assuming that all individuals belonging

to that group shall behave the same way. This is forcing individuals to adapt

their behavior in that group, not necessary producing the best outcome in term

of performances or motivation.

It is then very important to identify the right cultural motivation in each individual

before hiring them. In one past experience, I went for a job interview in a

medium sized telecom company and I experienced several interviews with

several people in the same company. I would probably say around 15 different

people that has interviewed me and understand if my cultural and background

was fitting the rest of the company. The position was very technical but very little

emphasis was given to the technical knowledge.

This clearly shows the importance of conflict avoidance at the early stage of the

process. New hires can develop technical skills but they cannot change their

fundamental behavior. I have to say also, that this company was hiring foreign

workforce for the first time. The typical limits due to stereotyping and wrong

perception, clearly applied during the whole hiring process.

Unethical choices

In the example we are reading about corporate values and role of a 63 year

old –white USA president, taking seriously obligation for his stockholders. In many

papers I’ve been reading on the topic I understood the importance in the

relationship between company’s executives and their respective stockholders.

Unfortunately, his is not always what happens in real business life.

In a recent case involving a leading American supplier of networking

equipment (AAA) and network management for the Internet, and local

Norwegian manufacturer of telecommunication equipments (BBB), I’ve learnt of

unethical behavior from both side’s executives and their respective

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shareholders. AAA, in the attempt of buying BBB put forward a compensation

plan directed towards executives for BBB, aiming at acquiring the company at

agreed price, far below shareholders expectations. AAA had secured CEO and

eight other BBB leaders valuable bonus deals before the company put into the

bid. This information was disclosed when shareholder were “forced” to accept

the bid.

Introducing the Role incompatibility

I think that line-staff is clearly the most affected conflict situation within the

company. In many occasion I’ve experienced the different market speed and

customer satisfaction approach. While the R&D are typically busy with their

product line, sales and marketing people are very close to the customer’s need

and fast delivery to the market. When all individuals are sitting around the same

table to discuss product strategy, if a good project leader is not present to direct

the meeting, very often the outcome of these meeting can be very

unproductive due to tensions and conflicts.

In the last 12 months I’ve observed several environmental stress situations. Friends

working for companies in distress financial situation have been severely affected

by the recent happenings. Mostly they have been affected by the high level of

uncertainty of their working position. Despite their competence, their past

performances and consolidated experience in their fields, some of them were

unsure if they would keep their position.

I think, in these cases, a clear and open communication needs to be

established as early as possible. This managerial approach, not only will reduce

conflicts but will states a clear vision in the company’s future.

All employees will then understand what will happen and why. If the employees

will leave the company without knowing the true reason, the whole company

will be affected by these bad decisions. The morale and trust in their managers

will soon go dramatically down.

Understanding his own style in handling conflicts

I was last year at the end of the fiscal year and the pressure was high. I was

dealing with an IT project where the IT manager and an external consulting firm

were involved. As project manager I was trying to close the project according

to budget and deadline. During the whole phase I encountered several

problems presented by the IT manager. He was not happy of my authority in his

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“IT kingdom”. He tried several time to slow down the project and call off the

external consulting firm.

At the beginning of our process, I was very collaborative, trying to find

integrative solution while learning from the IT manager. While the project was

proceeding, I had to alternate compromising situations, aiming at achieve

temporary settlements, to accommodating style, to satisfy his requests and

maintain cooperation. The IT manager was instead avoiding the conflict,

thinking that others could resolve the problem more effectively and, in some

occasion, competing with me to push his own schedule and decisions.

The situation went into a clear conflict when he directly interfered with the

authority I had in the project. He was copied in a mail where I requested a

meeting update with the external consulting firm and then he decided to

answer the mail and cancel the meeting without consulting with me.

Sometime, at the best of our capabilities and intentions, is very difficult to

manage conflict situations. Experience and humility is the right pattern to follow.

The Perception process

Since I’ve started reading about Organizational Behavior I’ve been constantly

thinking “how can I be better in my human relationship?” In all materials that

have been presented to us, I’ve always tried to picture myself in each and every

situation. I’ve then though about principles that may enhance my behavior and

increase my chances to be a better manager.

As the majority of my business partners, I’ve family, upbringing, culture, religion,

life experience; all important elements that are influencing my attitudes. I’m

trying to understand how to translate my values into behaviors. I think the key for

success here is called humility and experience.

When we are young, we often are animated by strong prejudices and values.

Sometime those can be so strong that are making us completely blinded and

unable to judge the real situation. Young managers are very optimistic and

animated by strong core values. I’ve been there and I know how easy is to

throw away judgments without having the competence to make a good one.

Growing in your age and roles, make us more constructive and able to see the

real picture from a balcony view. If we are also able to add a small piece of

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humility, we should then be able to see how good contribution we can make in

our working and private life.

10 points, Manta, what can we learn?

I personally think that every time a conflict arises during discussions, it is, in some

occasions, because we have been unable to clear communicate our plan or

our decisions. Definitely we need to write down every step of the process but we

shall avoid giving the team the feeling we want to be on top of them checking

every step. When we are getting closer to some form of common

understanding, a closure process is extremely important to create the right line

of communication and agreement. Several time I had the impression that what

was agreed was common understanding to everyone. Later, I had to realize

that I was partly wrong and decisions where half way to be completed. I

realized then that is worth an extra minute to repeat and confirm what has been

agreed “repetita juvant”.

Working in a conflict situation

There are conflicts that are not easy to address and the communication is often

an issue. I personally experienced situations where the conflict was generated

because people could not understand each other. When the manager tried to

address the real issue of the problems, the people involved became even more

annoyed. More talks were made; more difficult was to get to an end. The

manager then tried to step back to re-establish some common ground of

discussion. Then the parties in conflicts were unsatisfied because they

understood that the manager was walking away from the problem.

I’m sure we all have witnessed situation similar to that. I think this is very frustrating

because people are approaching the meeting with the intention to have a

direct confrontation.

So, what shall we learn from this? All the theories we are learning to handle

conflicts are extremely good base to start dealing with conflicts. Unfortunately

they are not enough to cope with the multitude of situation and human

characteristics. Our leadership role is to make sure we are blending theory and

experience.

Cosimo Gualano