Resolving Conflicts at Work: A Complete Guide for Everyone on the Job

by Joan Goldsmith, Kenneth Cloke,  , et al.

Book Overview

Create a new sense of yourself in your organization, a new direction in your life, and a new understanding of your adversaries with this highly practical guide for resolving conflicts, miscommunications, and misunderstandings at work. Two veteran professionals show you how conflicts-and the process of resolving them-can offer extraordinary opportunities for personal growth, deeper and more satisfying relationships, and enhanced morale.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787950599
• ISBN13: 9780787950590
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Communication 383 requirement

Resolving conflicts has always been a difficult procedure for the human nature whether it be in our personal lives or on the job. Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith offer intuitive and practical applications in this resolution in their book "Resolving Conflicts at Work: A complete Guide For Everyone on the Job". These two were very diverse in their thinking and research when compiling different tactics to overcoming conflict. In the introduction, "Eight Paths from Impasse to Transformation", Cloke and Goldsmith overview eight paths available in making steps toward resolution. The first path is to "Understand the Culture and Context of the Conflict". Through this path, an individual needs to understand the culture of an organization. Understanding the culture allows knowledge of values, behaviors, language and much more. According to this book, participating in conflict is much more beneficial when an individual understands a culture's language of conflict. This chapter also describes conflict as war, opportunity, or journey. War is based on victory, opportunity shows our opponent could help us, and journey lets both parties win by collaborating and finding solutions within each other. Basically, this path tries to teach the reader how to learn from conflict. Some tips on how to learn from conflict are recognizing conflict/change as positive, putting yourself in the other person's place, being honest, and creating common ground. Path 2 says to "Listen with Your Heart". This chapter describes effective ways of listening and speaking. Depending on the situation, one can listen actively, passively, openly, sympathetically, or whatever seems fitting. One should also set the state for listening. This way distractions are lessened and communication will not get distorted. Speakers can take certain steps to draw out information that will resolve conflict. To be effective, a speaker can find a listener's expectations by being respectful and empathetic while putting the listener at ease. Listening with your heart emphasizes reciprocal feedback to attain higher communication. To "Embrace and Acknowledge Emotions" is the third path. Our family life develops how we react and feel about certain situations. On this path we are asked to search our emotions for pent-up feelings or unneeded anger. Releasing the negativity allows us to react more honestly and take off the masks we wear everyday. Different ways of apologizing are offered as well. Of course, every situation is different, so are the steps of saying "I'm sorry". The next path is a deeper exploration of path three. Path four is to "Search Beneath the Surface for Hidden Meaning". Every person has an Iceberg of Conflict. Emotions are left under the surface to fester instead of being brought in the open to deal with. The most important concepts in probing the iceberg is empathy and taking responsibility. By finding hidden meanings, we are able to be honest and sincere when trying to collaborate and finding c

Resolving Conflicts at Work, A Complete Guide for Everyone..

I review a great deal of material relating to organizational, management and general human resource development in my role as an O.D. and training manager. Most of what I see is pre-digested and re-packaged common sense, masquerading as the newest thing that will save, drastically improve, maximize and strengthen 'your profits and your people'. In other words, I am not easily impressed.This book is an exception. Unresolved conflict is at the bottom of many organizational and personal ills. This practical, well researched book is both honest and refreshing - in particular for its courage in naming and addressing the impact of the 'un-namable'at work, the "F" word, i.e. feelings. What I especially appreciate about the book is the emphasis placed on exploring personal responsibility, one's own context and emotional landscape. If as Eleanor Roosevelt stated, no one can make you inferior without your permission, no one can make you a victim in conflict either.Without resorting to jargon or pat solutions, this book covers the important steps needed to work through and ultimately resolve conflicts. There are comprehensive chapters that discuss: listening from the heart, being vulnerable in expressing needs, managing emotions - including anger, dealing with difficult behaviours, problem solving, and negotiating. There are great questions and exercises throughout the book to help you to uncover what lies beneath a particular conflict. The book maintains an upbeat, positive tone that conveys hope and encourages optimism. I particularly like the perspective of seeing conflict as an opportunity to grow in learning and understanding. On the other hand, nothing is ever perfect and what is missing is a bibliography. In addition, I would have appreciated a focused discussion on dealing with issues of power and authority in work conflicts. Many employees are reluctant to risk confronting their bosses for fear of losing their jobs. Power differences are a tragically mismanaged issue in many dysfunctional workplaces. Nevertheless this is an excellent resource for anyone who had ever had a conflict at work or at home - in other words, all of us!