SOC201A Mediation: Reflective Case Study on Conflict Resolution

This case study reflects on a personal experience of leadership conflict between the author, a marketing department manager using an autocratic style, and the finance department manager employing a democratic style. The conflict arose due to differing leadership approaches impacting decision-making and productivity. The author evaluates the use of a collaborating conflict resolution strategy and discusses the importance of communication, tact, and avoiding confrontation in mediation. Alternative approaches like compromising are considered, and the author outlines steps to mediate similar disputes, emphasizing direct communication, avoiding blame, active listening, confidentiality, and maintaining a neutral stance. The goal is to provide solutions that both parties can agree on, fostering a positive working environment. Desklib offers a platform for students to access similar solved assignments and study resources.

REFLECT ON A
PERSONAL CONFLICT
EXPERIENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Identifying a past conflict which have experienced in the past and describing the cause of the
conflict and how it was manifested..............................................................................................4
Evaluating the conflict resolution strategy..................................................................................5
Mediation and conflict management approach............................................................................6
Identification of three approaches to mediate the conflict for accomplishing desired outcomes7
Discussing the ways to mediate the similar dispute....................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Conflict management is the process of controlling the negative aspects from which
positive area can be increased at the workplace in definite manner. The main purpose of
understanding the conflict management is to improve the learning and group working from
which an individual company can be able to grow and develop in effective manner (Belias,
Rossidis, Sotiriou & et.al., (2022). There are many and different strategies which company's uses
to reduce and overcome the conflicts and disputes at the organization level and can drive the
performance of the business in successful way. It is important to be manifested or reduced
because with the daily conflicts within the workplace will lead the entire working organizational
performance to acquire the negative outcome and also increases the employee turnover rates
which overall impacts the productivity of the business in wider manner. The present report will
illustrate the reflective area which will cover the past-experience in regard to conflict at the
workplace and what strategies implemented for obtaining the appropriate outcome and result.
MAIN BODY
Identifying a past conflict which have experienced in the past and describing the cause of the
conflict and how it was manifested
Being a professional mediator at the organization, I understood the concept of the conflict
in my past period where I suffered or experienced a leadership conflict at my workplace. Conflict
management is very important at the organization because it can only help and support the
overall company to improve their working culture and enhances the productivity level. In my
past-experience, working as a position of leader or manager in marketing department I analysed
and faced the situation of the conflict between me and finance department manager due to out
different leadership quality and style. It is not always necessary that each individual person
chooses the similar form of leadership style and quality at their department and perform the
working accordingly (Saridi, Panagiotidou & et.al., (2021). In my experience also, I utilized the
autocratic leadership style at my department which I liked and prefer the most for obtaining the
profitable outcome and success whereas the finance department manager uses the democratic
form of leadership style in their department where a conflict and dispute occurred in relation to
make a particular decision. Marketing and finance department are interconnected with other
where a dispute has been performed within the workplace due to implementation of different
leadership approaches and style.

For promoting and advertising any product and service into the market, a marketing
management team is essentially required to apply some relevant strategies and methods to
approach wide range of consumers at their workplace where to promote any product an
appropriate amount of finance is required and needed for the resources of advertisement and
marketing (Pitafi, Khan & et.al., (2020). According to my past-experience, I determined that the
conflict at the workplace occurred due to different leadership styles where it is not always
necessary that each individual will adopt the similar type of leadership style in accurate manner.
Thus, the conflict has become a huge issue at the organization which also puts the great impact
on the decision-making process and overall productivity level. Due to this leadership conflict,
collaborating strategy has been utilized at past-time to overcome and manifest the conflict at the
workplace and can maintain the accurate working environment.
Evaluating the conflict resolution strategy
Conflict management is the most important factor an individual organization should
consider and keeps their focus on. Due to higher occurrence of the conflict at the workplace
leads the employees of the company to suffer from mental health issues and also provides the
lower productivity and ineffectiveness to perform any task (Obi, (2021). For managing the
conflicts at the workplace in past-time, collaborating style is used to control and reduce the
leadership conflict at the organization from which effective results can be obtained in definite
manner. In the collaborating style, being a marketing department manager I and financial
department manager has lead to stay at argument because of the leadership style which we used
where collaborating style is effective for reduce and manifest the issue occur at the workplace
from which the productivity cannot hamper in wider manner and can balance the organizational
performance.
In the collaborating style, me and finance department manager has identified a solution
which can fully satisfy both of us where we listened to each other concern (Parvaresh-Masoud,
Cheraghi & et.al., (2021). Rather than avoiding each other and treating in negative way we
decided to share the effectiveness and benefits of the leadership style which we both are using,
and then we will create and make any kind of decision which can be relevant and appropriate for
the further organizational growth. Collaborating with each other was an effective strategy which
helps and support us to work as a team for longer duration and can acquire the profitable
outcome and result as well. Furthermore, we had created a list of advantages and effectiveness of

using the particular leadership style where we can understand each other views and suggestions
in definite manner and can reduce the conflict at the workplace. Thus, therefore collaborating
style has been used by us for conflict resolution which perform very well at the organization and
delivers the successful outcome and result and could minimize the negative feelings among each
other.
Mediation and conflict management approach
Mediation simply concern with the process of resolving any conflict where to hire the
expert mediator in order to resolve the dispute. Where intention of the mediator is to ease out the
workplace before it turns into the serious problem (Brandon,2021). for that case it is essential for
the mediator to listen to both parties and provide the better solution in order to make calm and
work friendly environment. Mediator usually works to bring both parties together and discuss the
conflict where fair chances have been given to both parties after analysing the conflict issue
mediator works on finding the solution. Mediator identifies the common ground and assist both
parties to decide to settle down dispute together. Therefore, suitable solutions will be made and
at the end it is important that both conflict parties should agree on the particular solution. for the
leadership conflict at workplace there should be a mediator who are not bias towards any party, it
helps in finding the solution for the conflict.
Compromising conflict management style can also be used as earlier in report It
discussed the collaborating style. Thus other style can also be deployed which is compromising
style, where it plays a significant role when there is limited time concept then in such it is
important that both parties need to be assertive in order to deliver the possible outcome of the
task. This style basically aims to examining the mutual solution that will satisfies both parties,
where major role player is mediator who provides the better solution and make the team to
consider the time factor for delivering the outcomes of particular task (Delatorre & Wagner
2018). Therefore, in such cases both parties compromise and put their conflict aside and work on
the common goals to meet the deadlines. Therefore, for resolving the leadership conflict between
marketing and finance team compromising strategy can be used as it is appropriate because
marketing campaign is organised in suitable time period therefore to not miss the deadline this
strategy can be used to avoid the interdepartmental leadership dispute.

Identification of three approaches to mediate the conflict for accomplishing desired outcomes
For resolving the conflicts three ways can be as follows:
Communication: Communication is the main solution for any conflict resolving strategy, it is
important for the mediator to have proper arrangement of communication among the team
members. For the conflict resolution of finance and marketing team it is essential that mediator
should bring both parties together and to listen them both actively (Turner & Wright, 2022). It is
one of the solution to reach to root cause of the conflict, listening is major role player where
mediator needs to be unbiased as well as provides the equal chance to both parties to speak up
and present their reason. Therefore, active communication will help in solving the conflict in an
appropriate manner. It is also important to make sure that there should be no offensive comment
passes on conflict parties by their members that creates the negative environment.
Be tactful: It is about to assist the people in understanding the perspective in an respectful
manner, then it will be helpful to elicit an better receptive response from others. If one is
mediating in such case it is important to make sure that opposite parties understand and shows
their interest in discussion, and it is important for mediator to have opinion which are not only
stated as facts. In marketing and finance dispute mediator’s tone should be same for both parties
so that it does not look bias towards one party.
Avoid confrontation: It is the situation of urgency, it is advisable to the mediator to avoid
confrontation among the parties and also to not meet them separately with the parties who are
having a dispute (Courtney & et.al 2022). Everyone who are involved in the dispute must need to
meet so that they will discuss all the issues and develop the insight understanding about how
other party feels.
Therefore, from above the three solutions dispute between marketing and finance team
can be solved. In such it is important for the mediator to follows all the approach that has been
suggested above in order to resolve the conflict.
Discussing the ways to mediate the similar dispute
If I have given the situation where I have to play as a role of mediator, I will always aim to
provide better solution so that both the parties will be agreed on the solution. for me I will

proceed with the approaches that could be beneficial and transparent for both the parties that are
as follows:
Talk directly: Assuming that there will be no threat of physical harming so it’s better to talk
directly rather to send messages and letters, I will also proceed to talk directly with the dispute
parties in order to provide them better solution.
Do not blame: Antagonising the other people will make it harder situation for them so that it’s
better to begin with the point of opinions that should be free from any biasness (Mahvar,
Farahani & Aryankhesal, 2018). Thus it will be helpful to not blame others due to this dispute
parties might get offended and they refuse to listen the solution that is provided by mediator.
Listening: It is one of the important approach as to listen both parties calmly and try to not share
opinions in between let them talk. It will help in making better decision and also able to
influence the dispute parties to agree on solution.
Confidentiality: Ethics are also important and it must need to be followed, ensuring the
confidentiality is the solemn responsibility of the mediator. Thus I will also begin with all ethics
as to communicate the obligations to parties and restrain from developing any public statements.
It is essential that parties must be known to confidentiality of the statements and information
within the mediation process.
Neutral intermediary: It is important that mediator to know that they are not an arbitrator to
decide who is right and wrong, their role is just to help the parties to solve their conflicts and
provide the solution that could be effective and acceptable to all the stakeholders. Thus I will
also focus on my words, attitude, manners and body language that will reflect the impartial
approach and any suggestion regarding the settlement will be neutral.
CONCLUSION
The above mentioned report has concluded the concept of conflict management which
plays a crucial role at the workplace. It is important to be understood and adopted by each
organization so that they can increase their company's performance. It has included the past-
experience of an individual in regard with conflict at the workplace and how they reduced it in
effective manner. Also, the report has included the conflict management approaches which has

been appropriate and described three ways in which conflict can be mediated to achieve more
positive outcome. Along with this, the report has highlighted the steps which need to remain
neutral and follows ethical guidelines.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Belias, D., Rossidis, I., Sotiriou, A., & et.al., (2022). Workplace Conflict, Turnover, and Quality
of Services. Case Study in Greek Seasonal Hotels. Journal of Quality Assurance in
Hospitality & Tourism. 1-24.
Brandon, M. (2021). Introducing relationship mediation for FDR practitioners and other
experienced mediators in 2021. AUSTRALASIAN DISPUTE RESOLUTION
JOURNAL. 31(1). 63-74.
Courtney, D. B. & et.al (2022). Predictors, moderators, and mediators associated with treatment
outcome in randomized clinical trials among adolescents with depression: A scoping
review. JAMA network open. 5(2). e2146331-e2146331.
Delatorre, M. Z., & Wagner, A. (2018). Marital conflict management of married men and
women. Psico-usf. 23. 229-240.
Mahvar, T., Farahani, M. A., & Aryankhesal, A. (2018). Conflict management strategies in
coping with students’ disruptive behaviors in the classroom: Systematized
review. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism. 6(3). 102.
Obi, N. N. (2021). Managing Workplace Conflicts Through Self-Mediation. In Encyclopedia of
Organizational Knowledge, Administration, and Technology. (pp. 1953-1969). IGI
Global.
Parvaresh-Masoud, M., Cheraghi, M. A., & et.al., (2021). Workplace interpersonal conflict in
prehospital emergency: Concept analysis. Journal of Education and Health
Promotion, 10.
Pitafi, A. H., Khan, & et.al., (2020). Using enterprise social media to investigate the effect of
workplace conflict on employee creativity. Telematics and Informatics, 55, 101451.
Saridi, M., Panagiotidou, A., & et.al., (2021). Workplace interpersonal conflicts among healthcare
professionals: A survey on conflict solution approach at a General Hospital. International
Journal of Healthcare Management. 14(2), 468-477.
Turner, S., & Wright, J. S. (2022). The corporatization of healthcare organizations
internationally: A scoping review of processes, impacts, and mediators. Public
Administration. 100(2). 308-323.