Interesting questions raised this week in class. I will answer these two questions in reverse order because of the example I will use.
How do you respond to conflict in the workplace?
How do you attempt to influence people in your organization?
The influence tactics I use depend on the employee and situation at hand. I try to lead by example and use rational persuasion, inspirational appeal and consultation whenever possible. I try to always be positive and find that providing clarity through the use of logical arguments and factual evidence, at times, helps team members understand the task at hand and what is expected of them. Sometimes I legitimize my requests to let the team know there is a consistent expectation for all employees to model. In addition, I try to empower my staff to make decisions that are within their scope of work.
However, sometimes one particular employee is not very rational (acts out) in her reactions to assignments or corrections. Here is where the conflict management comes into play. When these situations occur, I begin by not reacting to my "hot button" and take a quick time out to assess the conflict. Most times I walk away and go back at another time when others are not there and have a discussion with her about how I was not listened to while trying to give feedback and focus on a solution. One thing I have learned from working with this individual for over a year now is that she does not like change. She prefers 9-5 work hours with a one hour lunch so she is not taken advantage of. This is what I am reminded of when I ask her to think outside the box or beyond what she is willing to consider. I believe I do not meet her expectations of a leader (antiprototype) because I am not a 9-5 supervisor. I work above and beyond and expect my staff to do the same. I also take on more responsibility without hesitation when requested by my boss. However, when I ask her to do more, she says it's not in her job description. I point out that it is, which she grudgingly accepts. This is a prime example of hiring for skill and not "fit." We do not value all of the same things which makes it difficult at times to manage. She is highly skilled, knows it and expects a raise just because she is good at her job. I work for job satisfaction and self-actualization, which I am trying to encourage from her.
As a supervisor, I try to influence my staff through the use of innovation and creativity. I also try to encourage them to be innovative and creative as well. One tool I use to encourage participation is the white wall in my office, which I use for a variety of reasons, i.e., brainstorming, timelines, etc. This is a highly effective exercise that leaves the team feeling appreciated and empowered. It helps to provide clarity for not only singular roles and tasks but also shared responsibilities and goal setting (goal congruence). This exercise allows me to share responsibilities and goals of the team (goal congruence) in a group environment which allows for opinions to be shared and decisions to be made, sometimes diplomatically. We use a collaborative approach to assigning tasks everyone enjoys and sharing tasks that everyone does not enjoy, i.e., taking minutes.
Minute taking is a lengthy process that begins with attending long meetings, typing up the highlights, editing them and sending them to the teams of individuals in attendance. This also requires the tracking of priority items and ensuring they get back on the agendas, approved, and communicated. This latter part is my job. The minute-taking used to be my job and when I attempted to delegate this task to the employee mentioned above, she actually said "no, it's not in my job description." I pointed out that it was but she still resisted. Rather than reacting negatively to this political blunder, I thought to myself, maybe she has a point here. I know how much work is involved, which is why I then recommended to the team that we share this responsibility. It was accepted with open arms by most and I chip in as well by taking minutes at board meetings. However, once mastered by others, this will move to someone else, perhaps my main assistant, to give her some growth and feeling of empowerment by providing an opportunity for internal commitment and meaning of her work. I would consider her level of influence to be compliant but would welcome ideas on how I could develop her to be more committed. The more responsibility she agrees to take on could actually put her in line for a promotion. Should I mention this to her? I have hinted at it but she says she does not want more responsibility - but I know she is capable of more and she has already made strides in other areas.
DuBrin, Andrew (2016). Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills. Mason, OH. Cengage Learning.
Runde, Craig and T. Flanagan. "Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader." Via www.ccl.org/podcast. Center for Creative Leadership (2017). "Calming Conflict."
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