On reflection, I found working through the blogs on a weekly basis quite interesting, because most of the subject areas we had focused on, I never really considered being part of collaboration. Before doing these blogs, I thought collaboration was just a group of people working in a team on a particular subject or area of interests.
While this is true, I discovered that it is a lot more, areas that I wouldn’t have even considered like deplane, record, knowledge, remuneration, intent, planning and context to be part of the collaboration process. However, during my weekly research, I found out that these are as just as important to the collaboration process as conflict, hierarchy, planning and discipline.
While my research only touched the surface in this process, I did learn the fundamental basics of collaboration, and with this I now have a fundamental understanding of what goes on in business. I hope by learning these basics, I can have a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes during collaboration.
When I have completed our course and go into the real world, I will be collaborating with various people, companies and groups on a daily basis. I feel after researching the areas of collaboration during this course it would at least have helped me to understand how collaboration works within the business world.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Conclusion
Collaboration is seen by most, as working together as a team, and while this is true, there is a lot more. Throughout these series of blogs, nine areas of collaboration within the architectural industry were looked at and how it affected and influenced the collaboration. While all nine areas are vastly different from each other, each are affected by one another.
As discussed throughout the blogs, collaboration is seen as the most vital component to the success of a business. If the collaboration process fails such as planning, conflict, record etc, the success of a business will collapse as collaboration is always happening within a business, and if people can’t get along, then failure will almost be certain. However, if collaboration works, then success is almost assured.
Collaboration occurs daily and by reading each component through these blogs, a basic understanding will be achieved. Knowing what happens behind the scenes helps everyone involved to understand what goes on, why teamwork is necessary and how collaboration helps to build a better team.
Overall collaboration is a tool that everyone should use throughout their working lives and by just working together in a team is only a small part of the collaboration process. To understand the other components helps to understand what occurs in collaboration.
As discussed throughout the blogs, collaboration is seen as the most vital component to the success of a business. If the collaboration process fails such as planning, conflict, record etc, the success of a business will collapse as collaboration is always happening within a business, and if people can’t get along, then failure will almost be certain. However, if collaboration works, then success is almost assured.
Collaboration occurs daily and by reading each component through these blogs, a basic understanding will be achieved. Knowing what happens behind the scenes helps everyone involved to understand what goes on, why teamwork is necessary and how collaboration helps to build a better team.
Overall collaboration is a tool that everyone should use throughout their working lives and by just working together in a team is only a small part of the collaboration process. To understand the other components helps to understand what occurs in collaboration.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Week 12 – Conflict
As collaboration is all about working together as a team all working for a common goal and/or purpose, conflict between team members is bond to happen. Conflicts can range from war between countries to a small argument between siblings. However the dictionary explanation stats that conflict are 1a. State of opposition b. fight, struggle, 2. Clashing of opposed interests, principles etc. [1]
Conflict can be external (between one or more people) or internal (within oneself) and occur in many stages, be that on the political stage and within the workplace (this can lead to stress and unsetting within a company) [2].
Conflict in the workplace can lead to serious problems for a business and some of the consequence for a business could include:
· miscommunication resulting from confusion or refusal to cooperate,
· quality problems,
· missed deadlines or delays,
· increased stress among employees,
· reduced creative collaboration and team problem solving,
· disruption to work flow,
· decreased customer satisfaction,
· distrust,
· split camps, and
· office gossip.
So what leads to conflict within a workplace? This is quite a hard question to answer as each conflict is very different all with very different circumstances. However, some circumstances are all very similar and this could be the workplace environment, personality clashes be that management and/or fellow employees, different options and/or poor communication and even office romances. According to the Australian government, conflict occurs within the workplace, when people’s ideas and decisions are different to other people own ideas [3].
Within a work environment, conflicts can occur in small groups such as committees, task force or workgroups. Conflicts within groups can occur because of position, freedom and resources. People who want a lot of power will try and dominate other people with a group, and therefore try and make life hell.
While conflict can be all negative and lead to a war between varies parties, in some respect, conflict can be very positive in a collaborative environment. This is because conflict can lead to members of a team to think and work harder to make sure it can lead to an agreement amongst team members [4]. However, if conflict continues, negotiation will need to happen amongst team members so a resolution can be resolved.
The principle of negotiation and resolution should be left only to a small collaborative group but can be conducted throughout the whole organization and in 1976; Thomas and Kilman address some of these.
Avoidance – trying to a postpone or ignoring a possible dangerous situation can be very useful, by just leaving, changing a subject or buying time.
Collaboration – this works in a small group and should also work in a large group as well, however it can be very time consuming Collaboration will never work if conflicts have gone on for too long whereby their isn’t any trust, respect or no communication. If this is the case, then trying to resolve the conflict will never happen.
Compromise or negation – having a negotiator or an independent person to sit in the middle and work out a compromise is in my opinion the best way to go. This is because all involved have a say. Comprise can take a long time and can last anywhere form hours too many months, but the conclusion is the same, where all parties agree and are happy with the result.
Giving up – If are conflict continues for too long with a person either higher above you or has a more dominant personality, then giving in to them and agreeing may be the only way to go. I personality don’t agree with this because these people think that they can not only dominant other people, but make there life hell. Everyone knows someone like this and having a conflict with them may not be an opinion as you are likely to lose, and trying to compromise with them doesn’t work and they refuse to listen. [5]
Managers can also do a lot when conflicts occur, by trying not to blame one person (if there is a personality clash between the two) and avoid any excuses. Managers need to recognize any early warning signs though various interactive behaviors amongst varies employees and if there is any disharmony between people a manager should come in and prevent any potential conflicts [6]. If they do not, a small conflict will grow into a massive one and then all hell could break lose and then everyone will suffer. Managers should view this as an opportunity as if future conflicts are avoided, it should lead to greater harmony and this leads to a improved and happier working environment.
Conflict is a situation that everyone has faced, is facing or will face in a workplace and how to handle it, will be different each and every time it occurs. But how it has/was handle is the key to success be that through collaboration, conflict resolution or negotiation.
References
1. Edited by Bruce Moore, The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary – Fourth Edition, 1996, Oxford University Press.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_conflict
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_conflict
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_conflict
Image 1 - http://www.irishentrepreneur.com/latest_articles/07_04/workplace_conflict.asp
Image 2 - http://www.life2point0.com/2007/05/never_be_afraid.html
Conflict can be external (between one or more people) or internal (within oneself) and occur in many stages, be that on the political stage and within the workplace (this can lead to stress and unsetting within a company) [2].
Conflict in the workplace can lead to serious problems for a business and some of the consequence for a business could include:
· miscommunication resulting from confusion or refusal to cooperate,
· quality problems,
· missed deadlines or delays,
· increased stress among employees,
· reduced creative collaboration and team problem solving,
· disruption to work flow,
· decreased customer satisfaction,
· distrust,
· split camps, and
· office gossip.
So what leads to conflict within a workplace? This is quite a hard question to answer as each conflict is very different all with very different circumstances. However, some circumstances are all very similar and this could be the workplace environment, personality clashes be that management and/or fellow employees, different options and/or poor communication and even office romances. According to the Australian government, conflict occurs within the workplace, when people’s ideas and decisions are different to other people own ideas [3].Within a work environment, conflicts can occur in small groups such as committees, task force or workgroups. Conflicts within groups can occur because of position, freedom and resources. People who want a lot of power will try and dominate other people with a group, and therefore try and make life hell.
While conflict can be all negative and lead to a war between varies parties, in some respect, conflict can be very positive in a collaborative environment. This is because conflict can lead to members of a team to think and work harder to make sure it can lead to an agreement amongst team members [4]. However, if conflict continues, negotiation will need to happen amongst team members so a resolution can be resolved.
The principle of negotiation and resolution should be left only to a small collaborative group but can be conducted throughout the whole organization and in 1976; Thomas and Kilman address some of these.
Avoidance – trying to a postpone or ignoring a possible dangerous situation can be very useful, by just leaving, changing a subject or buying time.
Collaboration – this works in a small group and should also work in a large group as well, however it can be very time consuming Collaboration will never work if conflicts have gone on for too long whereby their isn’t any trust, respect or no communication. If this is the case, then trying to resolve the conflict will never happen.
Compromise or negation – having a negotiator or an independent person to sit in the middle and work out a compromise is in my opinion the best way to go. This is because all involved have a say. Comprise can take a long time and can last anywhere form hours too many months, but the conclusion is the same, where all parties agree and are happy with the result.
Giving up – If are conflict continues for too long with a person either higher above you or has a more dominant personality, then giving in to them and agreeing may be the only way to go. I personality don’t agree with this because these people think that they can not only dominant other people, but make there life hell. Everyone knows someone like this and having a conflict with them may not be an opinion as you are likely to lose, and trying to compromise with them doesn’t work and they refuse to listen. [5]Managers can also do a lot when conflicts occur, by trying not to blame one person (if there is a personality clash between the two) and avoid any excuses. Managers need to recognize any early warning signs though various interactive behaviors amongst varies employees and if there is any disharmony between people a manager should come in and prevent any potential conflicts [6]. If they do not, a small conflict will grow into a massive one and then all hell could break lose and then everyone will suffer. Managers should view this as an opportunity as if future conflicts are avoided, it should lead to greater harmony and this leads to a improved and happier working environment.
Conflict is a situation that everyone has faced, is facing or will face in a workplace and how to handle it, will be different each and every time it occurs. But how it has/was handle is the key to success be that through collaboration, conflict resolution or negotiation.
References
1. Edited by Bruce Moore, The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary – Fourth Edition, 1996, Oxford University Press.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_conflict
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_conflict
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_conflict
Image 1 - http://www.irishentrepreneur.com/latest_articles/07_04/workplace_conflict.asp
Image 2 - http://www.life2point0.com/2007/05/never_be_afraid.html
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