This Article (see below), while not apart of my practicum as a writing mentor, is an important document to consider in the context of Conflict, Communication & Negotiation.
Conflict, according to Hocker and Wilmot, is “an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals”.
These goals can be Tangible like money, or Intangible like getting good grades or respect. You may be wondering; how is this pertinent as a writing mentor? Its pertinent once we remind ourselves that writing is a social act, in addition to being a medium through which we evolve our understanding of ourselves and others. During this process we may express preference or disdain for certain markers of identity.
That is where this document comes into play, it may be common sense to simply say “Do not discuss politics or personal beliefs in the workplace or at school” but in my opinion, this cognitive shortcut simply won’t do. By understanding the nature of identity based conflict, the differences in conflict management styles as well as the effect that entrenchment has on conflict itself, I am better equipped to deconstruct potential conflicts and operate within the sensitive contexts that being a Writing mentor requires.
In a nutshell, we all possess an innate preference for how we manage and resolve conflict in our lives, these are our conflict management styles, and each style has its own time and place for when they are considered practical.
This article contains a study that details how a given conflict management style can influence outcomes in a given conflict management scenario as well as the effect that entrenchment will have in the context of conflict management and resolution.
This one is a microsoft word file with a few highlights that I thought were important.
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