February/March 2000 Issue

“Conflict can destroy a good working relationship, as issues give way to personalities, parties become polarized and problems get fuzzy,” explains consultant Thomas L. Quick, author of The Persuasive Manager. Marilyn Machlowitz elaborates on this quote in her article, “Managing Conflict,” in Unit Nine of the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies textbook.

Long after chapter members have forgotten what the initial dispute was about, some may still persist in opposing their former adversary as a means of justifying their original stance. Failure to deal with conflict before it gets out of hand can destroy fellowship between chapter officers and members.

Machlowitz points out that there are two basic approaches to dealing with conflict. The first is to stick to procedures by defining responsibilities, clarifying job descriptions and following regulations. The second is to negotiate the dispute yourself or call in a third party to mediate.

Just the Facts
“With either approach, the first step is to gather all the facts,” states Machlowitz. By defining the problem, underlying issues can be clarified. Otherwise, even illusory conflicts can become reality. Sometimes a chapter officer or member feels that he or she has been wronged or left out of the information loop. Whether an action was intentional or not, the problem is very real to the person who is upset. Some of the parties involved may not have even realized there is a problem.

Scan the Options
After the facts have been gathered, the second step should be to scan your options. Before someone reaches an explosion point, draw up a list of options for dealing with the problem. Chapter officers will want to meet with their advisor to discuss the best approach. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away.

Choose and Use a Strategy
According to Machlowitz, once options have been decided upon, you must choose and use a strategy. A plan of action may be obvious, or choices may be complex. Chapter officers should weigh each course of action's possible outcomes and costs. For example, if a chapter officer is not doing his or her job, other officers may begin to feel resentful. Sometimes they rush into believing removal of that officer from the executive board is the best solution. A better option might be to talk with the officer and give that person a chance to understand how the other officers feel about the situation. Maybe the person is experiencing a personal challenge of which the chapter may not be aware.

Mediate
If a dispute threatens to disrupt the operation of the organization, a mediator may be necessary, states Machlowitz. A neutral party, such as the college's dean of students, might be more successful at recommending concessions to keep opposing parties from feeling like they are losing face. Rather than dictating solutions, the mediator might encourage the parties to reach a solution themselves. Each side typically possesses different perspectives of the facts. A neutral party may be able to provide clarification.

If you are serving as a mediator, keep discussions on track. The mediator should ensure that the parties involved are as specific as possible about the grievance. Sometimes people get so caught up in the argument that they stop listening and start blaming.

Stay Focused
Help the parties involved stay focused on performance, not personalities. Sometimes the real issues become clouded by resentments directed toward certain individuals rather than the actual problem. Personalities can clash, but that is just part of daily life. You have to work through the rough spots. No two people are exactly alike – that's what keeps life exciting!

“Realize that conflict can be beneficial,” states Machlowitz. The process may be evolutionary rather than disruptive. New ideas may emerge. Everyone will not always agree on which activities the chapter should organize or what programs the chapter should sponsor. The chapter team must learn to work together to organize programs that meet the objectives of the chapter, while not forgetting the individuals that make up the team.