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3. Laissez-faire
This leadership style allows staff to work with little or no guidance. Staff work on
their own and contribute to decision making. The leader is absent from the day-to-
day operations of the organization. Well suited for tertiary education.

Advantages –

• Allows staff to be innovative

• Encourages horizontal communication

Disadvantages –

• Decision making becomes tardy, through the numerous discussions led by staff
• Delay in decision making adds to unnecessary cost

Objective 7 – Identify potential sources of conflict within an organization

What is conflict?
Conflict can be defined as a disagreement between two or more organizational
members or teams.

Internal sources of conflict are as follows:

i. Poor working conditions
ii. Competition among employees regarding performance and promotion
iii. Breakdown in communications leading to false information
iv. Industrial relation issues such as Breach of labour or Industry law
v. Unfair treatment of an employee
vi. Unfair dismissal
vii. Management or leadership issues
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Objective 8 – Outline strategies used by employers and employees to gain an upper

hand during a period of conflict
How do organizations settle disputes?
Smaller organizations settle disputes with the managers, owners or supervisors.

Larger organizations settle different using industrial relations officers or human

resource officers

Employer Strategies:
a) Lock Out – employees are told to stay home, organization closes its doors

b) Scab Labour – employees replacing those on strike

c) Negotiation – the organization and union discuss and bargains to arrive at an

agreement

Employee Strategies:
a) Strike Action – union permits employees to stop working

b) Work to Rule – doing only what is officially required in the job description or
employment contract; This slows down production

c) Go-Slow – workers work at a slow pace, taking them longer to complete a task
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Objective 9 – Describe strategies for the resolution of conflict within an organization

Strategies for resolving conflict in an organization:
a) Trade Unions – This is a collection of workers who agree to negotiate with
employers for better wages, working conditions and settle disputes. This process
is called Collective Bargaining.

The Trade Union represents the employee’s interest. The Union representative at
the workplace is called the Shop Steward and represents his or her co-workers at
union meetings. Members of the Union pay a membership fee.

It should be noted, that the Trade Union gets involved when it becomes difficult to
settle disputes between workers and management in an organization.

b) Grievance Procedures – A grievance exists when a labour law or work code has
been violated, or a worker is treated unfairly or if health and safety are threatened.

The grievance procedure is the process used to resolve the conflict, involving the
Union representative. If there is no agreement between management and the
Union, the following steps will take place:

a) Conciliation – A third party such as a representative from the Ministry of

Labour will be resent during discussions to reach an agreement.

b) Mediation – The third-party purposes solutions to the problems which are

considered.

c) Arbitration – Both groups agree to ask the third party to give a solution,
which they would accept.

There are other strategies not involving the Union or a third party such as compromise
or avoidance.
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Objective 10 – Establish guidelines for the conduct of good management and staff
relations in the workplace
Guidelines for establishing good relations between managers and employees:
1. Good communication with workers
2. Improve working conditions
3. Motivating workers
4. Practicing good leadership

Objective 11 – Identify strategies for motivating employees in a business

a) Financial Methods – Increase in salary or bonuses.

b) Non-Financial Methods – Good working conditions, challenging tasks,

recognitions and awards.

Objective 12 – Evaluate the role of teamwork in the success of an organization

What is teamwork?
Teamwork is a group of two or more people interacting and coordinating their
work and ideas to accomplish a common goal or objective.

Advantages –

• The quality of decision making is improved by sharing ideas

• Quantity and quality of output would be abundant and improved
• Ensures continuity
• They can motivate each other
• Builds good human relationships

Disadvantages –

• Decision making is time consuming

• Conflict may arise during decision making
• The cost of trading might be high