COMM 4170-01:
Applied Organizational Communication
Instructor: Dan Lair
Day Twenty Two: Conflict
November 9, 2005
Today’s Agenda






Reading/Topic Change for Next Monday
Sign up for Group Meeting Time
Organizational Conflict Elements
Tips for Assessing Conflict
Group Consultation
Discussion of Case Studies.
Scheduling Group Consultation
Meetings
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Tuesday, Nov. 22
2:00
2:00
3:30
3:30
5:00
5:00
6:30
6:30
Diagnosing Organizational Conflict:
Organizational Element






Organizational Culture: What are the norms for
dealing with conflict?
Third-Party Representation: Are other parties
involved?
Leadership: Are there good/bad examples of conflict
management?
Reward Structures: Do rewards match behaviors?
Conflict Management Procedures: How are
individuals required to handle conflict?
External Environment: What economic and/or
cultural context is the organization located in?
Diagnosing Organizational Conflict:
Tips for Assessment





Doing Interviews
Don’t assign fault
Explore perceptions
Criticism-Opposite Rule
Look for Interests
Subtle Intervention:
Reframe!






Doing Observation
Focus on observable
behavior
Look for patterns
Look for “blips”
Trust your feelings
Follow up hunches
Secondary sources
Group Consultation/Case Studies




I will circle around between groups to discuss the
status of your group project.
In the meantime, work together with your group to
diagnose the conflict in each case study, using the
worksheets provided.
At the end of the class, turn the worksheets in as an
in-class activity.
We will regroup as a class to discuss the case
studies.