Conflict Management Styles - Term Paper Example

Conflict management Conflict management Conflicts are inevitable in the work place as organizations are always engaged in processes of change geared towards improvement of services. As elucidated by Johansen (2012), "To handle situations of conflict, the nurse manager must have the skills to help effectively resolve them" (p. 50). This paper offers a description of how I have handled or avoided a conflict, as well as the results of my approach. This paper also elucidates how I would respond to this conflict today and/or what steps I would take to improve my comfort level and skill for managing in the future including specific conflict management strategies I would use.

Additionally, this paper explains how conflict management relates to my effectiveness as a leader. An example of a conflict I have handled effectively involved a disagreement between two nurses. The two nurse had different views on how a certain case involving a patient could be handled. As each one of the nurse considered their contribution as superior, a verbal exchange arose. In handling this conflict, I encouraged the two nurses to collaborate in this case. In other words, I advised the two nurses to set their original suggestion regarding how the case would be handled aside and subsequently directed them to work together to decide on a common objective.

The results to this approach were positive and in fact led to the overall improvement and advancement of the process of care within the health care institution. This collaboration ensured teamwork, encouraged communication, and hence nurses were overly motivated in their work. If such a conflict would arise for a second time, I would opt for the same approach to conflict management. However, there are ways or steps I would take in a bid to improve my comfort level and skill for managing in the future.

One of the steps in engaging in dialogue or discussions with employees. Johansen (2012) brings forward the fact that "Nursing leaders and direct care nurses need to engage in dialogues that address conflict management behavior as a first step in creating a healthy work environment" (p. 52). Effective dialogues ensures conflicts are handled effectively as avoiding them would elevate stress levels among nurses as well as among other stakeholders. Secondly, I would ensure regular trainings and seminars where all employees would be trained on how to effectively manage conflicts within the workplace.

Subsequently, it would also be important to identify potential conflict areas and implement strategies that would avert any conflicts from occurring (Johansen, 2012). To pinpoint how conflict management relate to my effectiveness as a leader, it would be imperative to posit that leadership engrosses delineation and stating the lasting or continuing vision and mission of a particular institution. It is therefore the obligation of a leader to manage conflicts effectively in order to surmount impediments and complications associated with managing organizations.

Effective leaders ensures teamwork, effective communication, and involvement or collaboration of all employees and stakeholders and this can be achieved through effective conflict management (Eager et-al, 2010). In conclusion, managers are always involved in managing conflicts within their organizations. One of the strategies used to manage conflicts in health care include collaboration. Ensuring employees collaborate or work together translates to team work, improved communication, and improved motivation.

This strategy can be improved through dialogue or discussions and regular trainings geared towards equipping employees with skills and knowledge on how to manage conflicts. ReferencesEagar, S. C., Cowin, L. S., Gregory, L., &Firtko, A. (2010). Scope of practice conflict in nursing: A new war or just the same battle? Contemporary Nurse, 36(1/2), 86–95. Johansen, M. L. (2012). Performance potential. Keeping the peace: Conflict management strategies for nurse managers. Nursing Management, 43(2), 50–54.