Nursing Leadership 11: Conflict Management Style
In the contemporary world, conflicts are common given that individuals have different opinions about issues, which catapult the initiation of conflicts (Kelly, & Tazbir, 2014). Leaders in health care setting must thus be ready to face them in their areas of influence. In essence, in this discussion, I seek to identify a conflict, strategies used to resolve it and resolutions when facing such issues in the future.
A case in point of a conflict that I have witnessed and experienced is the one that took place in the hospital where I work. The matter that led to the conflict was the hiring of a new manager in charge of nursing services in the hospital. In the early days of his reign, he introduced major organizational restructuring that subordinates received with much resentment causing a low performance. The reason for the resistance was mainly the failure of the nurse manager to engage the subordinates in the decision making process. Consistent with this reasoning is the observation by Neptune, (2013) who noted that lack of involvement in decision-making was likely to result in conflicts between management and its employees.
Central to the resolution of this dispute was the competition between two conflicting sides. Competition refers to a technique of conflict resolution in which the two parties in conflict are involved in some entanglement not necessarily physical fighting to determine the winner (Murray, 2017). In this case, the two sides competed for support from the top most management of the organization. Ultimately, the subordinates won the support of the board members, who decided to look into the management style of the new manager given before his arrival peaceful coexistence was the order of the day.
Lastly, looking back at this experience, I have gained much insight on how I ought to resolve conflicts that are worth mention. For instance, I have learnt that other than competition, negotiation is an equally effective technique that I can use in settlement of conflicts of this kind. In negotiation, the two sides engage in meaningful talks that enable them to give and take demands of either side (Marquis, & Huston, 2015). Another way of preventing such a situation in the future is the consultation with subordinates before implementing radical changes, which affect them most. Such a discussion will enhance employees trust in the adopted management style and avoid resistance to proposed changes, which is manifest in conflicts (Weiss, & Tappen, 2015). Clearly, with such strategies in place, I am on course managing conflicts with great ease.
References
Kelly, P., & Tazbir, J. (2014). Essentials of nursing leadership & management. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning.
Murray, E. J. (2017). Nursing leadership and management for patient safety and quality care.
Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2015). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Neptune, N. (2013). The only constant is change. Nursing Management (Springhouse), 44(5), 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.numa.0000429006.47269.22
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Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2015). Essentials of nursing leadership and management.
