A Current Situation
A current situation in a team-related environment that I fear refers to the fact that it is challenging to avoid conflicts within the team. The scariest aspect is that these conflicts and issues adversely influence personal relationships with individuals. As a result, team-related conflicts can endanger or even destroy friendship. That is why I believe that the most significant change is to learn effective communication and conflict resolution skills.
To Blame or Not to Blame
In her book Conflict 101, Shearouse (2011) explains the phenomenon of conflict and how to respond to it. Furthermore, she admits that people often tend to blame others when something goes wrong. In reflection on my response to question one, I do not pin the blame for the conflicts on any specific person. I understand that if an issue arises, two sides are equally responsible. Thus, I believe that blaming is not a helpful strategy, which makes me avoid this strategy at any level.
Turning Angry
Irrespective of the information mentioned above, there are cases when the actions of another person only contribute to conflict and make me angry. As for a recent example, it happened in the street when a man was talking on the phone and did not notice as he spilled his coffee on me. That fact made me think that the man was ignorant and did not care that his actions could create problems for others. That is why I felt angry and disappointed because my favorite shirt got dirty. However, the situation might accidentally happen, for example, because the man heard some shocking news via his phone. If that were true, I would understand that the accident had some explanation.
Dealing with Conflict
Once a conflict arises, it is necessary to choose the right response. Now, almost every issue makes me angry, irritated, and then upset. In most cases, I decide to ignore the challenge not to escalate the problem. However, the most challenging conflicts occur when I see that another person humiliates me, and this fact makes me respond aggressively to the offender. I understand that it is not the best style for dealing with conflicts, and that is why I would like to learn more about conflict resolution strategies.
Reference
Shearouse, S. H. (2011). Conflict 101: A manager’s guide to resolving problems so everyone can get back to work. New York, NY: Amacom.