Conceptualizing the Construct of Interpersonal Conflict - Essay Example

This paper will demonstrate that conflict within social work is inevitable and that social workers must cultivate interpersonal skills to positively negotiate conflict in their day-to-day practices. Firstly, how conflict can arise within the social work practice will be described. Secondly, the link between social work theory and conflict in social work practice will be outlined. Finally, a conclusion shall synthesize the main points of this paper to show how conflict is to be expected in social work, and social workers are able to respond positively to conflict in their daily practices.

A key feature of social work practices is to work within a team environment. The social worker may find themselves working in a team environment comprised of other workers as well as lawyers, police enforcement, doctors, nurses, volunteers, chaplains, carers, and other health and human service workers (Martin, 2000). Team-work has been a traditional practice that is supported by social work philosophy and is demonstrated in a variety of its practices. Team-work begins at university with exposure to social work theories and opposing opinions and life experiences of lecturers, fellow students, and other schools of social science discipline.

Barsky's (2003) study of social work students concluded that: Participants were more interested in discussing conflicts related to practice and ethical issues, for example than matters related to problems in the school or classroom. The implications could be either positive or negative for social work education. A positive interpretation infers that students and professors wanted to focus on practice issues and not get sidetracked with personality differences (p. 12). It is well recognized within the social work literature of the interdependence of the physical, functional, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions of the workplace account for team members well being, as well as facilitating a multidisciplinary and so comprehensive approach to client care (Cronenwett & Redman, 2003).

Disagreement is likely to occur with the different disciplines involved in the team having different ideas about how to approach a situation, or how to problem-solve a dilemma. As such there are differences in opinion and to how to achieve goals, or to undertake certain activities, and in determining what the relevant priorities are and what they are not (Barki & Hartwick, 2002). Differences of opinion that are not easily resolved or that do not hold the potential for a win-win solution can create conflict within the team, and across departments involved with a client or social work practice.

The situation is a conflict when interferences or negative emotion arises from the difference of opinions. For example, social workers may not be able to understand the mindset of prioritizing a law enforcement approach, or a litigation approach, to handling a dilemma of a child in care. Simply disagreeing with each other does not in itself mean conflict. Rather conflict is inevitable when the actions of one department in the team unintentionally impact another department and so prevents the latter from achieving their goals.