Nursing Leadership &
Management
Patricia Kelly-Heidenthal
0-7668-2508-6
Delmar Learning
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
Chapter 16
Change and Conflict
Resolution
Delmar Learning
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter, the reader should be
able to:
• Define change from personal, professional, and
organizational perspectives.
• Identify the change theorists.
• Discuss the concept of the learning organization.
• Discuss the commonalties and differences between selected
theorists.
• Identify driving and restraining forces of change within a
structured setting context.
• Discuss change strategies.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
3
Objectives
• Discuss the role and characteristics of a change agent in the
change process.
• Discuss the steps in the change process.
• Utilize the change process to plan, implement, and evaluate
a change project.
• Identify conflict situations.
• Identify steps in the conflict resolution process.
• Utilize conflict resolution techniques.
• Apply conflict resolution techniques to the change process.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
4
Definition of Change



Change is making something different than it was.
In many instances, the outcome remains the same, but
the process is changed.
Change is inevitable in nursing.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
5
Types of Change



Personal change: voluntary change with the goal of
self-improvement
Professional change: deliberate change with the goal
of improving professional ability/status
Organizational change: mandated change with the
goal of improving the organization’s efficiency
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
6
Traditional Change Theories




Lewin’s force-field model
Lippitt’s phases of change
Havelock’s six-step change model
Rogers’s diffusion of innovations theory
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
7
Commonalities and Differences Among
the Change Models

Commonalities
• All the theories relate to the process of “unfreezing,
moving, freezing.”
• Many of the theories describe linear processes that move in
a step-by-step manner.

Differences
• Some theories do not work well in complex or nonlinear
situations.
• Some theories work better for one type of change than
another.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
8
Emerging Theories of Change


Emerging theories are more complex and respond to
more complex situations than some traditional
theories.
Chaos theory
•
•
•
•
Order emerges through fluctuation and chaos
Process is cyclical
Little time for orderly, linear change
Organization must be able to act with speed, adaptability,
and intensity
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
9
Emerging Theories of Change

Learning organization theory
• Emphasis on interrelationships of all parts of the
organization
• Organizations respond to changes by using a learning
approach
• Focus on communication, education, and cooperation
among all parts of organization
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
10
The Change Process

Planned change involves a natural process that should
be used as a guide for implementing change:
• Assessment: identifying the problem or opportunity that
necessitates change
• Data collection and analysis: gathering structural,
technological, and people information and effects of these
elements on the process
• Strategic determination: identifying possible solutions,
barriers, strategies
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
11
The Change Process
• Planning: establishing the who, how, what, and when of
change
• Implementation: communicating and conducting change
• Evaluation: determining effectiveness of change and change
implementation
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
12
Types of Change Strategies



Power-coercive: uses authority and threat of job loss to gain
compliance with change
Normative-reeducative: uses social orientation and the need to
have satisfactory relationships in the workplace as a method of
inducing support for change; focuses on the relationship needs
of workers
Rational-empirical: uses knowledge as power base; assumes
that once workers understand the organizational need for
change or the meaning of the change for them as individuals
and the organization as a whole, they will change
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
13
Response to Change

Factors affecting individual ability to cope with
change:
•
•
•
•
Adaptability
Satisfaction with status quo
Anticipated effects of change
Perception of benefits/losses created by change
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
14
Responses to Planned Change






Innovators: embrace change
Early adopters: open and receptive to change
Early majority: enjoy status quo, but readily adopt
change
Late majority: skeptical of change, but will accept it
Laggards: prefer status quo and accept change with
reluctance and suspicion
Rejectors: openly hostile to change
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
15
Change Agent


The change agent is the one responsible for
implementation of a change project.
The role of the change agent is to manage the
dynamics of the change process.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
16
Characteristics of Change Agent







Ability to elicit trust and respect from executors and
recipients of change
Credibility
Flexibility
Ability to maintain and articulate change vision
Ability to communicate well
Good manager of interpersonal relationships
Ability to involve and empower people in change
process
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
17
Conflict



Conflict is a disagreement about something of
importance to each person involved.
Ability to resolve conflict is an important part of
change management.
Conflict is not necessarily bad.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
18
Sources of Conflict








Allocation/availability of resources
Personality differences
Differences in values
Internal/external pressures
Cultural differences
Competition
Differences in goals
Issues of personal/professional control
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
19
Types of Conflict



Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Organizational
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
20
The Conflict Process





Antecedent conditions
Perceived and/or felt conflict
Manifest behavior
Conflict resolution or suppression
Resolution aftermath
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
21
Approaches to Conflict Resolution







Avoiding
Accommodating
Competing
Compromising
Collaborating
Negotiating
Confronting
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
22
Strategies to Facilitate Conflict
Resolution



Open, honest communication
Private, relaxed, comfortable setting for discussion
Expectation of compliance to results by both sides
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
23
Roles of Leaders and Managers in
Conflict Resolution





Model conflict resolution behaviors.
Lessen perceptual differences of parties.
Assist parties to identify resolution techniques.
Create environment conducive to conflict resolution.
If conflict cannot be resolved, minimize or lessen
perceptions of conflicting parties.
Chapter 16
Copyright © 2003 Delmar Learning, a Thomson Learning company
24