Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Learning Guide #1
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the module the learners will be able to:
LO1 Identify conflict situations
LO2 Resolve conflict situations
LO3 Evaluate conflict situations
MODULE CONTENTS
Introduction to the module
LO1 Identify conflict situations
1. Understanding conflict
2. Sources of assistance in managing conflict
LO2 Resolve conflict situations
1. Respond to conflicts and customers complaints
2. Conflict management
LO3 Evaluate conflict situations
1. Outcomes of Conflict
2. Causes of workplace conflict
ASSESSMENT METHOD: Written test, Demonstration (Observation with oral questioning)
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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
LO1 Identify conflict situations
INSTUCTION SHEET LEARNING GUIDE #1
1. Identify potential for conflict quickly and take swift and tactful action to prevent
escalation.
2. Identify quickly situations where personal safety of customers or colleagues may
be threatened and organize appropriate assistance.
3. Identify and use resources to assist in managing conflict where appropriate and
according to organization policy and procedures
LO2 Resolve conflict situations
1. Take responsibility for finding a solution to the conflict within scope of individual
responsibility.
2. Deal with conflict sensitively, courteously and discreetly and take steps to
maximize impact on other colleagues and customers.
3. Use effective communication skills to assist in management of the conflict.
4. Encourage all points of view, acknowledge them and treat them with respect.
5. Establish and agree on the nature and details of the conflict with all parties and
assess the impact of the situation on them.
6. Determine possible options to resolve the conflict and promptly analyze and decide
on the best solution in agreement with all parties, taking into account any
organization constraints.
7. Use accepted conflict resolution techniques to manage the conflict situation and
develop solutions.
8. Complete any necessary documentation accurately and legibly within time
constraints
LO3 Evaluate conflict situations
1. Seek and provide feedback on the conflict and its resolution where possible with
the parties involved.
2. Evaluate and reflect on the situation and effectiveness of the solution.
3. Determine possible causes of workplace conflict and provide input for workplace
enhancement and improvements.
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This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information and help you
become competent with regard to the following content:
Understanding conflict
Sources of assistance in managing conflict
This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to:–
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Learning Instructions:
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SESSION PLAN
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Conflict is a process that involves people disagreeing. Researchers have noted that conflict is like
the common cold. Everyone knows what it is, but understanding its causes and how to treat it is
much more challenging.
It can manifest itself in all situations in the hospitality industry. It is an industry that deals with
people and service. It is an industry with tight deadlines and pressure. It is also an industry
involving lots of people, all with different needs and expectations. Hence, conflict is day to day
phenomena of the industry.
In the workplace, we encounter three broad areas where conflict could exist.
These include:
There has been no shortage of definitions of conflict, but common to most is the idea that
conflict is a perception. If no one is aware of a conflict, then it is generally agreed no conflict
exists. Also needed to begin the conflict process are opposition or incompatibility and some form
of interaction.
We can define conflict, then, as a process that begins when one party perceives another party has
or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about. This definition is purposely
broad. It describes that point in any ongoing activity when an interaction crosses over to become
an interparty conflict. It encompasses the wide range of conflicts people experience in
organizations: incompatibility of goals, differences over interpretations of facts, disagreements
based on behavioral expectations, and the like. Finally, our definition is flexible enough to cover
the full range of conflict levels—from overt and violent acts to subtle forms of disagreement.
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Generally, conflict is a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has
negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.
There are two viewpoints of conflict:-
Traditional view of conflict is the belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided.
Interactionist view of conflict is the belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group
but also an absolute necessity for a group to perform effectively.
1. Functional conflict is a conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its
performance.
2. Dysfunctional conflict is a conflict that hinders group performance.
3. Task conflict is a conflict over content and goals of the work.
4. Relationship conflict is a conflict based on interpersonal relationships.
5. Process conflict is a conflict over how work gets done.
Conflict process is a process that has five stages: potential opposition or incompatibility,
cognition and personalization, intentions, behavior, and outcomes.
The first step in the conflict process is the appearance of conditions that create opportunities for
conflict to arise. These conditions need not lead directly to conflict, but one of them is necessary
if conflict is to surface.
The antecedent conditions (which we can also look at as causes or sources of conflict) have three
general categories: communication, structure, and personal variables.
Structure: The term structure in this context includes variables such as size of the group, degree
of specialization in the tasks assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity, member–goal
compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems, and the degree of dependence between groups.
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Size and specialization can stimulate conflict. The larger the group and the more specialized its
activities, the greater the likelihood of conflict. Tenure and conflict have been found to be
inversely related; the potential for conflict is greatest when group members are younger and
when turnover is high.
The greater the ambiguity about where responsibility for actions lies, the greater the potential for
conflict to emerge. Such jurisdictional ambiguities increase intergroup fighting for control of
resources and territory. Diversity of goals among groups is also a major source of conflict. When
groups within an organization seek diverse ends, opportunities for conflict increase. Reward
systems, too, create conflict when one member’s gain comes at another’s expense. Finally, if a
group is dependent on another group (in contrast to the two being mutually independent), or if
interdependence allows one group to gain at another’s expense, opposing forces are stimulated.
Personal Variables: Our last category of potential sources of conflict is personal variables,
which include personality, emotions, and values.
If the conditions cited in Stage I negatively affect something one party cares about, then the
potential for opposition or incompatibility becomes actualized in the second stage.
As we noted in our definition of conflict, one or more of the parties must be aware that
antecedent conditions exist. However, because a conflict is a perceived conflict does not mean it
is personalized. In other words, “ A may be aware that B and A are in serious disagreement . .
. but it may not make A tense or anxious, and it may have no effect whatsoever on A ’s
affection toward B .”
It is at the felt conflict level, when individuals become emotionally involved, that they
experience anxiety, tension, frustration, or hostility.
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Competing
When one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other
parties to the conflict, that person is competing. You compete when you place a bet that only one
person can win, for example.
Collaborating
When parties in conflict each desire to fully satisfy the concerns of all parties, there is
cooperation and a search for a mutually beneficial outcome. In collaborating, the parties intend to
solve a problem by clarifying differences rather than by accommodating various points of view.
If you attempt to find a win–win solution that allows both parties’ goals to be completely
achieved, that’s collaborating.
Avoiding
A person may recognize a conflict exists and want to withdraw from or suppress it. Examples of
avoiding include trying to ignore a conflict and avoiding others with whom you disagree.
Accommodating
A party who seeks to appease an opponent may be willing to place the opponent’s interests
above his or her own, sacrificing to maintain the relationship. We refer to this intention as
accommodating. Supporting someone else’s opinion despite your reservations about it, for
example, is accommodating.
Compromising
In compromising, there is no clear winner or loser. Rather, there is a willingness to ration the
object of the conflict and accept a solution that provides incomplete satisfaction of both parties’
concerns. The distinguishing characteristic of compromising, therefore, is that each party intends
to give up something.
Intentions are not always fixed. During the course of a conflict, they might change if the parties
are able to see the other’s point of view or respond emotionally to the other’s behavior. However,
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research indicates people have preferences among the five conflict-handling intentions we just
described.
When most people think of conflict situations, they tend to focus on Stage IV because this is
where conflicts become visible. The behavior stage includes the statements, actions, and
reactions made by the conflicting parties, usually as overt attempts to implement their own
intentions. As a result of miscalculations or unskilled enactments, overt behaviors sometimes
deviate from these original intentions.
It helps to think of Stage IV as a dynamic process of interaction. For example, you make a
demand on me, I respond by arguing, you threaten me, I threaten you back, and so on.
Stage V: Outcomes
The action–reaction interplay between the conflicting parties results in consequences. These
outcomes may be functional, if the conflict improves the group’s performance, or dysfunctional,
if it hinders performance.
Conflict is constructive when it improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity and
innovation, encourages interest and curiosity among group members, provides the medium
through which problems can be aired and tensions released, and fosters an environment of self-
evaluation and change. The evidence suggests conflict can improve the quality of decision
making by allowing all points to be weighed, particularly those that are unusual or held by a
minority.
Coworkers
Managers/supervisors
Close friends
Family members
Professional counselors
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1. What is conflict?
2. Discuss the areas where conflict can occur
3. Describe your sources of assistance in managing conflict at work place
4. Discuss the traditional view of conflict
5. Discuss the interactionist view of conflict
6. Discuss the following concepts:
a. Functional conflict
b. Dysfunctional
c. Task conflict
d. Relationship conflict
e. Process conflict
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This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information and help you
become competent with regard to the following content:
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Learning Instructions:
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SESSION PLAN
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Sometimes our fault, sometimes it is not but as we are front line staff, the customers will come
and express their dissatisfaction. Therefore, we must manage how to respond to it.
Complaints
From frustration
To impress other people
For compensation
When dealing with a guest complaint NEVER
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Be defensive
Justify why it happened
Blame other people or departments
Blame the customer
COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURE
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You must establish the details of the customer complaint through Questioning and
active listening techniques
Summarizing and clarifying the issue
Recording details of complaint
Discussing with customer the process of resolution – giving them options and letting
them know how the complaint will be resolved
You need to know the lines of reporting complaints and when to seek assistance
Benefits of positive handling of complaints
Promoting goodwill
Improved customer relations
Positive work of mouth publicity
Promotion of enterprise service ethic
Difference between a complaining customer and a difficult customer
A complaining customer is somebody whose needs and expectations have not been
met
A difficult customer is somebody who is a challenge to serve because of their
personality, for example, they may be rude, impatient or talkative
How can a customer be difficult?
Rude
Impatient
Noisy
Talkative
Confused - unable to make decisions
Silent
Fussy
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Can be rude to everyone - they just don’t feel comfortable being nice.
Always in a hurry and it won’t matter how quickly you serve them they will still be
impatient
DO Serve them quickly and politely
DON’T Waste their time with conversation and they may not want you trying to
sell them products and services
Confused Customer
Find it difficult to make decisions and may take a long time to decide
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Advantages of Complaints
Conflict management refers to the use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve the
desired level of conflict.
Conflict-Resolution Techniques
Problem solving: Face-to-face meeting of the conflicting parties for the purpose of identifying
the problem and resolving it through open discussion.
Superordinate goals: Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of
each of the conflicting parties.
Expansion of resources: When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a resource (for example,
money, promotion, opportunities, and office space), expansion of the resource can create a win-
win solution.
Smoothing: Playing down differences while emphasizing common interests between the
conflicting parties.
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Authoritative command: Management uses its formal authority to resolve the conflict and then
communicates its desires to the parties involved.
Altering the human variable: Using behavioral change techniques such as human relations
training to alter attitudes and behaviors that cause conflict.
Altering the structural variables: Changing the formal organization structure and the
interaction patterns of conflicting parties through job redesign, transfers, creation of coordinating
positions, and the like.
Conflict-Stimulation Technique
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1. Case study
A receptionist in a “5 star” hotel received a call from an angry guest who discovered
that the TV in his room was not working and the bathroom had not been cleaned.
List the sequence of steps necessary for the receptionist in this scenario to deal with
customer complaints.
Explain 2 long-term consequences to the establishment if customer complaints are
continuously incorrectly handled.
2. Discuss the different conflict-Resolution Techniques
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This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information and help you
become competent with regard to the following content:
Outcomes of Conflict
Causes of workplace conflict
This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to:–
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Learning Instructions:
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SESSION PLAN
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One of the most common outcomes of conflict is that it upsets parties in the short run. However,
conflict can have both positive and negative outcomes. On the positive side, conflict can result in
greater creativity or better decisions. For example, as a result of a disagreement over a policy, a
manager may learn from an employee that newer technologies help solve problems in an
unanticipated new way.
On the other hand, conflict can be dysfunctional if it is excessive or involves personal attacks or
underhanded tactics.
Increased stress and anxiety among individuals, which decreases productivity and
satisfaction
Feelings of being defeated and demeaned, which lowers individuals’ morale and may
increase turnover
A climate of mistrust, which hinders the teamwork and cooperation necessary to get work
done.
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There are many potential root causes of conflict at work. We’ll go over six of them here.
Remember, anything that leads to a disagreement can be a cause of conflict. Although conflict is
common to organizations, some organizations have more than others.
Organizational Structure
Conflict tends to take different forms, depending upon the organizational structure. For example,
if a company uses a matrix structure as its organizational form, it will have decisional conflict
built in, because the structure specifies that each manager report to two bosses.
Limited Resources
Resources such as money, time, and equipment are often scarce. Competition among people or
departments for limited resources is a frequent cause for conflict. For example, cutting-edge
laptops and gadgets such as a BlackBerry or iPhone are expensive resources that may be
allocated to employees on a need-to-have basis in some companies. When a group of employees
have access to such resources while others do not, conflict may arise among employees or
between employees and management. While technical employees may feel that these devices are
crucial to their productivity, employees with customer contact such as sales representatives may
make the point that these devices are important for them to make a good impression to clients.
Because important resources are often limited, this is one source of conflict many companies
have to live with.
Task Interdependence
Another cause of conflict is task interdependence; that is, when accomplishment of your goal
requires reliance on others to perform their tasks. For example, if you’re tasked with creating
advertising for your product, you’re dependent on the creative team to design the words and
layout, the photographer or videographer to create the visuals, the media buyer to purchase the
advertising space, and so on. The completion of your goal (airing or publishing your ad) is
dependent on others.
Incompatible Goals
Sometimes conflict arises when two parties think that their goals are mutually exclusive. Within
an organization, incompatible goals often arise because of the different ways department
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managers are compensated. For example, a sales manager’s bonus may be tied to how many
sales are made for the company. As a result, the individual might be tempted to offer customers
“freebies” such as expedited delivery in order to make the sale. In contrast, a transportation
manager’s compensation may be based on how much money the company saves on transit. In
this case, the goal might be to eliminate expedited delivery because it adds expense.
Personality Differences
Communication Problems
Sometimes conflict arises simply out of a small, unintentional communication problem, such as
lost e-mails or dealing with people who don’t return phone calls. Giving feedback is also a case
in which the best intentions can quickly escalate into a conflict situation. When communicating,
be sure to focus on behavior and its effects, not on the person. For example, say that Peter always
arrives late to all your meetings. You think he has a bad attitude, but you don’t really know what
Peter’s attitude is. You do know, however, the effect that Peter’s behavior has on you. You could
say, “Peter, when you come late to the meeting, I feel like my time is wasted.” Peter can’t argue
with that statement, because it is a fact of the impact of his behavior on you. It’s indisputable,
because it is your reality. What Peter can say is that he did not intend such an effect, and then
you can have a discussion regarding the behavior.
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