Leadership and Integrity: Addressing Conflict in Online Gaming Teams

This paper addresses the issue of team play during online video games and how to solve conflicts within the team. The author uses a collaborative approach and symbolic framework of leadership to address miscommunication and ego problems. The leadership style adopted is democratic leadership and the influence strategy used is developing and growing relationships within the team to improve group cohesiveness and trust.

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NAME OF STUDENT
NAME OF UNIVERSITY
AUTHOR NOTE:

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Part 1:
The problem that this paper would be aiming at solving is that of team play during online
video games. This is a real life issue in which me, and three of my other friends meet up
regularly to play an online survival game, that is widely popular amongst the youth in today's
world. We believe it destresses us from our daily activities. However, there have been certain
issues that have arisen as a result of conflicting opinions and traits of several team members.
Berk is a good player and always listens to his team members. However, he has a tendency to
lose his temper. Erdal is not a bad player and always tends to listen to his team members.
However, his pessimistic nature demoralizes the team on numerous occasions. Cem is the best
player in the team and hence, goes around according to his own wishes as he believes that his
moves are wiser than those of his team mates. Moreover, when someone does not listen to him,
he loses his temper. On the other hand, I happen to be the leader of the team and always tend to
listen to my team members and rarely do I ever lose my temper, and I inspire the team instead.
Two of the main problems that exist in the team include gaps in communication and ego.
For instance, although Berk and Erdal are both humble listeners of the team, Berk generally loses
his temper at Erdal due to his pessimistic comments during a gameplay, which often arise due to
his own mistakes. On the other hand, Berk and Erdal both often do not tend to listen to Cem, as
he does not listen to any of them, and this makes Cem lash out at them and initiate a conflict.
This often leads to losing rounds over and over, and is the main problem that exists. The reason
why this has never been solved before is because there has not been a proper and effective

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intervention from my end regarding the issue, which is the exact reason why a leadership
strategy has to be adopted to address this issue now.
Integrating a collaborative approach along with the symbolic framework of leadership,
the problems of miscommunication and ego problems can be effectively addressed.
Collaborative approach takes the interests of all of the team members into consideration and tries
to cater to all of them. It is in this context that it has to be noted that the main thing that is
required for the team is to understand the fact that we all want to win and that is the common
interest why we come together and play this game every time. The symbolic framework of
leadership takes the leader as a player and the set or situation as the theatre, in which the leader
leads and inspires by example by demonstrating how a particular problem could be solved.
Symbolic leaders communicate a vision, which is the reason why it is perfectly aligned with the
collaborative approach of addressing a common interest and catering to it.
Also considering the fact that I am the most composed in the team and the fact that no
conflict has ever taken place because of me, I can perfectly inspire my team with my own
psychology. the first thing that has to be communicated to them is the fact that we are all here to
win. The fact that this is the reason why we are a team has to be conveyed to all of the team
members. This has to be established as a common interest of the team, and hence the vision of
the team itself will be established, which is to prioritize victory over any existing personal issues.
The team members have to be told that Cem is indeed the best player and is responsible for his
own actions. Having him in the team is an asset and therefore we should trust him with his own
moves. Berk has to be told that simple comments about losing are not enough to make a team
lose as long as there is a belief that victory is a possibility. He has to be told that someone cannot

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change a pessimistic nature, but we all can come together to make sure that they do not affect us
and we stay focused.
The leadership style that will be adopted for this issue is that of democratic leadership.
This is because it perfect airlines with the idea of taking all the interests of the team members
into consideration while addressing a specific issue. The influence strategy that would be used
for the purpose of addressing this issue, is that of developing and growing relationships within
the team to improve group cohesiveness and trust. This would be immensely helpful in making
sure the team members are focused towards one goal, and are able to play collectively together
for better results.
The first thing that has to be done is to make sure that some time is taken out from a daily
routine of playing this online game and all of the team members go out for some other leisure
activity that brings us closer, like a dine out. The next thing that has to be done is for me to take
some time out individually with the team members, to convey the required messages to them.
There are a few things that may derail me from leading and influencing with integrity. The first
thing involves repeated clashes between the team members despite the efforts because this may
lead to my own frustration. Another threat is when Cem's moves do not pay off and it starts to
harm the team. This will lead to deliver because neither will I be able to intervene and confirm
due to integrity, and nor would I be able to sit back and watch it repeat itself. It is in these
moments that certain revisions of certain plans would be required.

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Part 2:
There are certain strengths that I possess that help me in being a good leader and solving
conflict issues within the team. The first strength of mine is the fact that I listen to people. I
never make to feel like I am an authoritative leader, and always make a desirable move when
instructed to do so. The second factor is the respect that I have for my team members. Reason
why my team members respect me is because I respect them. This is also the reason why they
always tend to abide by my instructions and recommendations whenever I put one forth. Thirdly
I always tend to boost the morale of the team. This is the way in which I inspire them during the
bad times and this is what has helped me in leading the team effectively in tough situations. I
often do this by making them believe that everyone has a special talent and this is what makes
them gain their trust in themselves and bounce back from tough situations. Lastly, I never tend to
lose my temper. This helps me in combating conflict situations without being swayed away,
which is a necessity for any leader to have in terms of conflict management in a team.
However I do have some specific weaknesses that pose a threat to my leadership. Firstly,
whenever someone has a different opinion than mine, I always try to manipulate their decisions
slowly and in a subtle manner to match with mine. Sometimes, my own decisions are wrong and

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this is how other people following me as a result of the manipulation results negatively for the
team. Having said that I do not lose temper, it is also true that when I do, my straight forward
attitude hurts my team members and brings their morale down. I also have a revengeful mind set
that does not let me forget things and I always pay back. I have to get rid of this to make sure
that no issue becomes personal, and one small issue does not give way to a bigger one in the
future within the team.