Term Paper on "Leaders Handling Anger and Conflict"

Term Paper 75 pages (23221 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Leaders Handling Anger and Conflict

Anger Management and Conflict in the Workplace

Anger and conflict in the workplace have always been problematic, as even the best of companies sometimes find that they have strong disagreements between employees, or between employees and management. These anger management issues can lead to incivility and personal insults, which are a losing situation for all parties involved. Because of this, managers must find a way to recognize these problems before they cause too much difficulty, find ways of correcting them if they have already begun, and look for ways that they can use to prevent them from recurring. This is much easier said than done, however, because of the different and complex personalities that are brought to many workplaces.

The issue at hand involves a lot of discussion and concern, because workplaces must be able to operate with open communication and a good spirit if they are to succeed and make work as enjoyable as possible for the management and employees alike. It is for this reason that the idea of anger and conflict in the workplace must be addressed. Since this anger can come from so many different things, management must look at the idea of anger itself, instead of the issue of where it comes from. There is no reliable way to determine exactly where the anger is going to come from for each person, and sometimes it might not even have anything to do with the work environment or a particular person in that environment.

Since the anger that comes into the workplace may sometimes be misguided, management must avoid looking for specific issues that may cause anger in each person, and instead take a broader approach to the issue. Discovering what causes the anger of employees is still important to an extent, but it is far less important than discovering how to deal with anger and conflict when they do arise and learning new ways to help employees that have anger toward others find ways to redirect their anger into something productive or lessen it through various anger management techniques.

When employees can lessen and redirect their anger, it has less of a chance of turning into conflict. This is important because conflict in the workplace can lead to a loss of productivity and morale, which are bad not only for the people involved but for the entire company. Companies that have too much conflict in their workers find that they make less money and are driven to work harder, because of the bickering and fighting that goes on. Employees that have issues with anger and conflict often do not want to work with one another and this makes them vulnerable to all types of problems that could be avoided if management were to take the proper steps.

It is for this reason, as well as others, that managers find themselves having some difficulties with how to deal with anger and stop employees from fighting with one another. They often do not know what the proper steps are, and because they do not know this, they can end up making the problem worse by their misguided but well-intentioned plans to stop their employees from having problems with anger and conflict. There are courses that can be utilized that teach managers a great many things, but how to deal with anger management and conflict in the workplace is something that many managers do not learn and do not work at, so therefore they are unprepared to handle problems when they do arise.

This particular study is something that all managers should be interested in, as it will help to benefit them very strongly when it comes to finding ways to adjust conflict and avoid anger in the workplace. There is no realistic way, of course, to avoid all problems that arise and therefore anger and conflict are not things that can always be lessened or removed. However, when even most of the anger and conflict is avoided in a workplace by the careful concerns of management, the office or other workspace can be made much more pleasant to work in, and all employees will feel more comfortable.

In short the statement of the problem can be summarized thusly: Anger and conflict in the workplace is a serious issue that must be more carefully addressed by management if it is to be lessened or avoided.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to show that there are many things that can be done when considering how managers can avoid or lessen anger and conflict in the workplace. Even though these issues cannot always be entirely avoided, there are enough things that can be done so that the subject is worthy of discussion. The issue has been examined in the past, but it is important that it is looked at again, because it is clear that there are still unresolved conflicts in many businesses and that there are managers that do not know how to handle them so that they are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Studies such as this one allow managers and others that are in positions of power in various organizations to see that the issue of anger and conflict in business is one that is still very real and significant. It also reminds these individuals that they have a duty to their employees to ensure that the working environment is safe and that employees do not feel threatened. When many managers think of employees feeling threatened, they think of issues such as sexual harassment, that are very serious and can have important legal consequences. Naturally, issues of these type are important and must be dealt with appropriately, but there are also many other issues, such as anger and conflict, that occur more often and do not get the recognition that they deserve.

Anger and conflict in the workplace often go unnoticed by many because they do not lead to legal problems, except in very extreme cases where there is actually criminal behavior committed by one employee against another. These things do happen, but they are usually isolated incidents and therefore not something that the average manager would turn his or her attention to. This is unfortunate, because it represents the extreme side of workplace anger and conflict, which is what any manager should be trying to avoid. However, it is difficult to avoid these types of behaviors, even on a smaller scale, if the manager in question is not taking the idea of workplace anger and conflict seriously enough and attempting to find ways of ensuring that it does not arise or is quickly dealt with and dissipated.

That is not to imply that there is a rash of violence taking place in America's workplaces, but only that there are many smaller skirmishes, fought only with words and poor treatment, that go on in offices and other workplaces all across the country every day. These seem small and petty, but they are very important because they can lead to larger problems if they are not corrected. Sometimes managers do not know that these things are going on, but they should make it there business to find out and stop problems before they get started or in their early stages. One of the best ways to do this is to have an 'open-door' policy, and make sure that it is not just something that is said, but something that the management actually believes in and welcomes.

Importance of the Study

Some studies are more important than others, but all have some value. This particular study, however, is extremely important because it can affect so many different people and will continue to do so, well into the future. Studies such as this one provide a great deal of insight from analyzing the works of others and looking at what anger and conflict can do to workplaces if they are left unchecked. The hostility that can be caused from simple things can manifest itself in many different ways, and once these things have begun, they often grow and continue to get worse.

Studies that can look at this issue objectively and find ways to make managers aware of the problems that they may be facing when it comes to anger and conflict in the workplace will help all of those that manage employees. This carries a great deal of importance for those managers and also for the employees that want to feel safe where they work and not have to worry about being harassed, intimidated, or treated rudely. Respecting fellow employees is something that does not always come as easily as it should, especially if one or more employees are clearly not pulling their weight.

However, this does not mean that these employees should be treated rudely. Instead, other employees should look for ways to help these employees do better and fulfill the duties of their jobs. Sometimes, these employees are actually trying but simply do not have the resources… READ MORE

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