Nursing Leadership in a Diverse Society

CONFLICT HANDLING 1

Conflict Handling 2

Conflict Handling

Viviana Torres

NSG 4029 Leadership in a Diverse Society

South University

November 16, 2020

Conflict Handling Style

In any organization, conflict regularly occurs between people or groups in diverse scenarios. Conflict arises from the various differences among individuals or groups. The lack of conflict may imply that there is limited interaction among people. Conflict is vital because it aids in the creation of meaningful relationships between groups and people. In the healthcare environment, the ability of a leader to handle conflict can either enhance or hinder him/her from carrying out effective leadership. A leader who can handle conflict well is better placed to lead an organization towards achieving its goals (Grubaugh & Flynn, 2018). Failure to handle conflict effectively not only limits the chances of an organization to achieve its goal but also destroys relationships among individuals. To gain insight into conflict handling and leadership, this paper reviews change theories, conflict theories, and the role of a leader as a change agent.

Change Theories

Organizational change tends to be quite complex. Without the presence of diverse explanatory variables, even small changes in an organization may be challenging to decipher (Nielsen, 2004). In the healthcare environment, it is vital to comprehensively understand change in order to react to it effectively and maintain the productivity of workers and the organization. In this regard, there are four major change theories that can aid a leader in understanding change in his/her organization and react accordingly: teleological, life cycle, dialectical, and environmental change theories.

Life cycle theories are depicted by a single-entity perception of change. They view the change process as something that is determined by immanent factors. Life cycle theories are instrumental in explaining system development and technological innovation in organizations. Teleological theories are crucial in explaining purposeful activities, which are grounded on common objectives. The process of change is driven by learning and development towards a final state. In this context, the top management of an organization plays a vital role in facilitating the learning process and enacting environmental demands. Dialectical theories “stress that at least two entities are involved in any change process” (Nielsen, 2004). Consequently, these theories explain the contradictory values in a conflict. Finally, the environmental change theories explain the external factors, which impact change in an organization along the main pathways. An effective leader will leverage these four types of theories to help him/her manage change and conflict in his/her organization.

Conflict Theories

Organizational Conflict Theory

This theory defines conflict on various levels. For instance, there is interpersonal conflict, which occurs between peers in an institution. Also, there is conflict, which is experienced between departments or groups in the same institution. The final level is the conflict that happens between one institution and another. According to Deutsch (2000), although most conflicts tend to be negative, there are those, which are positive because they promote productivity and creativity. Consequently, such conflict tends to be healthy for an institution. A good leader must know how to handle communication among the conflicting parties in order to come up with a lasting solution to the problem.

Social Conflict Theory

This theory asserts that the roots of a conflict between individuals originate from the notion that people tend to act on their desire rather than those of others. For instance, a poor person will act in a way that increases his/her wealth while a rich individual will behave in a way that maintains his/her wealth. A good leader will have to understand the motivations of each individual in a conflict to know how best to reconcile the conflicting needs.

Social Cognitive Theory

This theory asserts that learning tends to be based on observations and happens in a social context. Additionally, this theory has a relationship with achievement and motivation. Thus, the theory asserts that individuals tend to behave in a way that is aligned with their objectives. They will attempt to influence their environment and individual behavior to meet this goal. When these goals do not align with those of others, conflicts arise. A good leader will know how to resolve the conflict by ensuring the conflicting parties reach a compromise.

Social Exchange Theory

Cropanzano and Mitchell (2005) note that the relationship between individuals or groups is based on giving and taking. Conflicts arise because the exchanges are rarely equal, hence this theory asserts that people value a relationship based on what they invest in it and what they get out of it. If they feel the returns to their investment is not worth it, conflicts arise. A good leader will know how to ensure that the conflicting parties reach a compromise if they are to work together towards achieving organizational goals.

Leader as a Change Agent

Canterucci (2003) asserts that leaders facilitate change on five levels. At the first level, leaders acknowledge that change is necessary. They go ahead to establish an environment that can facilitate this change well. This first level focuses on minor changes in an organization with a clear direction. At the second level, leaders describe the change needed, initiate the change, and point out the key issues that influence the success of the change.

At the third level, the leaders work to translate the vision of the institution to match it with the change at hand. This level defines change that occurs within the whole institution. At the fourth level, leaders facilitate a high-transformation change within an institution. They are tasked with the management of complicated cultural dynamics to establish a strategic plan for change. At the fifth level, leaders facilitate revolutionary change. They are tasked with promoting the final change process and ensuring the institutional change is successful.

In any healthcare institution, a leader must utilize all his/her resources to act as an agent of change. He/she must utilize diverse resources to ensure that he/she gains the support of his/her workers during the implementation of change. Additionally, a leader will utilize his/her communication skills to engage other stakeholders and get constructive feedback on any issue that relates to the change being implemented. The leader must approach the change process positively in order to gain the confidence and support of other stakeholders. More so, he has to have the respect of other people in order to motivate and persuade them to buy into his/her vision of change.

Overall, conflict and change are two issues that healthcare institutions regularly face. They are driven by the diversity of individuals in the institutions and the dynamic forces in the healthcare industry. To effectively navigate conflict and change, an institution must have a capable leader with the right qualities. This leader must act as an agent of change to lead the changes in the institution and be the driving force and motivation for all stakeholders involved. A good leader will leverage the theories described above to necessitate positive change.

References

Canterucci, J. (2003, September 29). Leaders are made, not born. Columbus Business First https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2003/09/29/smallb2.html

Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874-900. DOI: 10.1177/0149206305279602

Deutsch, M. (2000). The handbook of conflict resolution theory and practice. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.

Grubaugh, M. L., & Flynn, L. (2018). Relationships among nurse manager leadership skills, conflict management, and unit teamwork. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(7/8), 383-388. DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000633

Nielsen, Jørn. (2004). Models of organizational change and the adoption of web technologies: encapsulating participation. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239551679_Models_of_Organizational_Change_and_the_Adoption_of_Web_Technologies_Encapsulating_Participation