W5D1 Wald

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Discussion: Picking a Fight

What is the source of the conflict? A conflict in any organization to which you belong may have a root cause in the issues identified in the Boundary Model. And, the sources of work conflict identified in the text exist in most organizations, be they volunteer, home associations, schools, or places of worship, to name a few.

Take a moment to reflect on the personal approach to conflict you have been developing in your coursework. While this course has attempted to give you the tools necessary to detect confrontations before they arise, not all disagreements are avoidable. Sometimes an argument becomes inevitable, and when this occurs, it is important to remember the old admonition to pick your battles carefully. As a leader, it would be foolish to pursue an all-or-nothing strategy, taking on anyone who thinks differently than you do just to win the point. So, where do you draw the line? What is important about the change you are trying to make, and how much are you willing to invest in it?

For this Discussion, using a new conflict that may have recently surfaced, you will assess whether it is worthy of a fight.

To prepare for this Discussion, pay particular attention to the following Learning Resources:

· Review this week’s Learning Resources, especially:

· Cahn, D. D., & Abigail, R. A. (2014). Managing conflict through communication (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

· Joni, S.-N., & Beyer, D. (2009). How to pick a good fight. See attachment

· Segal, J., Robinson, L., & Smith, M. A. (2020). Conflict resolution skills. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/conflict-resolution-skills.htm

· The Boundary Model – See Attachment

Cahn, D. D., & Abigail, R. A. (2014). Managing conflict through communication (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

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Assignment:

Post a cohesive response based on your analysis of the Learning Resources and your professional experience. Be sure to discuss the following:

· Identify an element you would like to change at work or on a social change project. This change should affect other people’s work, not just your own, and improve everyone’s ability to get work done. Using the sources cited in Chapter 12 of the Managing Conflict Through Communication textbook, identify the source of this conflict.

· Analyze the differences between functional and dysfunctional conflict and explain which type your conflict falls under.

· Using the assessment tool in the article by Joni and Beyer (2009), work through the set of questions. How well would your planned change measure up in the three areas described?

· Whether or not you deem this conflict worthy of a fight, assume that you will engage in it. Segal and Smith (2018) list skills that might turn conflict into opportunities. Analyze which of these skills might you use to transform this conflict into an opportunity? Explain your rationale for your selections.

· 3 -4 paragraphs

· No plagiarism

· APA citing