Effective leaders must learn to embrace conflict because it is an inexorable part of human interactions, but without intervention conflict will seldom find its own productive solutions (Myatt, 2012). The failure to address conflict early on will likely lead to workplace acrimony, disengagement and poor communication and cooperation (Myatt, 2012). The story of the conflict between Cindy and Dr. Jones is an excellent case to analyze the elements of conflict and conflict management with the goal of understanding the elements and impact of conflict in the workplace.
The case study begins with Dr. Jones requesting Cindy to reschedule his afternoon clinic. Cindy is frustrated because the request was the third time during the month, she assumes
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Interpersonal work conflict is defined as a lack of agreement (Lawless and Trif, 2016). There are three sources of interpersonal conflict: personal, interactional difficulties, and perception (Borkowski, 2016, p. 308). The inherent differences in people, in perceptions, and experiences lead to countless number of personal conflicts in the workplace which impact performance and outcomes (Lipsett, 2012, p. 1). Interactional difficulties are ultimately the result of mismatched communication and relational skills (Borkowski, 2016, p. 309). Perspective differences are created by the combination of conflicting personal characteristics and interactional difficulties subjected the individual's interpretation (Borkowski, 2016, p. 309). Stressful work events exacerbate interpersonal conflict and could result in harmed relationships, poor morale and an increased risk of lawsuits (Mckenzie, 2015, p.1). Cindy and Dr. Jones are impacted by all elements of interpersonal conflict. Cindy's reaction to rescheduling patients suggests she feels dedicated to her role but perceives that Dr. Jones lacks a similar work ethic. Dr. Jones interpersonal conflict expresses itself in his unsatisfied perception of how, and when, Cindy's concerns were presented to him.
Intragroup. The intragroup conflict is primarily due to the impact of the relationship between Dr. Jones and Cindy and the negative impact of their reputations due to their interpersonal conflict. Cindy was not able to be reassigned within the organization because other providers were aware of her complaints and feared she would complain about them. Dr. Jones was labeled a disruptive