Conflict Resolution

Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution skills are invaluable source of establishing peace. However, conflict has for a long time been misconstrued to mean only the physical disagreements between two parties. This paper looks at conflict particularly in regards to personal mental conflict on a particular dilemma whereby an individual may be faced with difficult decision making options.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict Resolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This kind of would require balancing between more important issues and those that are not of high priority. Such decisions include balancing relationships, loss of employment and the quest to settle for another job opportunity, what subjects to study at a college, careers to pursue, places to inhabit, business ventures options, health matters among others. I chose to read this chapter of the book because it has immense information on what I actually needed to understand o n improving my overall motivation towards my vision. Plans are important in the pursuit of our set goals in life. The book also provided me with the information I was looking for especially on the area of conflict resolution as an individual. These are discussed in details in the remaining section of the essay. Research has shown that mental conflict and dilemma experienced by an individual may lead to stress. Additionally, distress may also manifest itself as an advance level of stress and depression. Finally, frustrations which may lead to an individual to be fixated, brain being rewired and even death in some cases through suicide Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006). For one to effectively manage mental conflict, the individual victim must be prepared with the necessary tactics and skills of conflict resolution and the right knowledge on how to become proactive by self evaluation and regulation. This kind of approach enables an individual to understand self image, strengths, weakness , aspirations and threats from the world around and the needs of those with whom we interact with. One of the most important approaches to the resolution of the interpersonal conflict is the inculcation of willpower which is the aspirations of the individual in dilemma driven by the strength and the opportunities (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006). A person would have to forgo immediate self gratification which is of great pleasure for the sake of waiting for something far much more important but coming at a later date. I remember at my childhood, one day a young man collected about five of us and gave each of us a piece of banana. The rule of eating the piece of banana was that the first person to finish would be added but only on condition that the person takes very small bites of the banana.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was the dilemma of the game since mo st of us believed that the only quickest way to finish first was to take big bites. All of us failed the test save for one girl who did take small bites but was never the first to finish. This kind of conflict is referred to us Marshmallow Dilemma which is a prototype self conflict according to psychological research. Understanding individual differences and the social and cognitive adaptive skill is key to conflict resolution in an individual. Consciousness and ego can be controlled through restrain by avoiding impulsive reactions. Research shows that effective self regulation beginning at an early age predicts that such individuals can manage their future lives in a better way and become more responsible citizens as opposed to those who cannot regulate themselves effectively at an early age (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006). Therefore, they are more likely to exhibit poor academic performance, disorders in offsprings and even become social deviants in society. Reference Deutsch, M. , Coleman, T. P. Marcus, C. E. (eds). (2006). The hand book of conflict resolution: theory and practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Conflict Resolution Human beings experience internal and external conflicts on daily basis as they struggle with temptations and dilemmas they encounter and create (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006, p.294). For example, a cigarette addict (suffocating with emphysema) determined to quit smoking may find himself/herself fighting the urge on whether to light the next cigarette or not.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict Resolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such internal conflicts are all-pervading as humans attempt to pursue a complex achievement or adhere to a health routine such as medications, prescribed diets or exercise schedules. This paper will discuss some salient features of internal and external conflicts and suggest how people can mitigate them. Conflict and stress are closely connected and work hand in hand in a manner that they weaken rational problem solving at the same time escalating self-defeating and irrational hot behavior (Rahim, 2011, p. 67). In this context, stress amplifies the likelihood for conflict which in turn increases stress level thereby generating a destructive gush of impulsive hot-system reactions. As a result, the likelihood of rational and effective conflict resolution if further undermined. Nonetheless, a number of studies have been done on this impasse and numerous solutions have been suggested on how handle conflicts in a constructive way (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006, p.302). The marshmallow test is one such example. For this case, delay of satisfaction and frustration tolerance is augmented if an individual can convert his/her average waiting time into an enjoyable, non-waiting state. There are two basic ways to accomplish this. One is by rerouting concentration and thoughts away from the exasperating elements of the delay of satisfaction and concentrating instead on pleasurable things. This type of distraction can be realized by taking part in mentally or overtly activities in the course of the delay period so as to repress the stress associated with waiting for the desired outcome. Distraction strategies such as time-outs are usually employed on a daily basis in conflict situations to allow people suppress the escalating conflict and concentrate on something else in order to calm down and take a fresh look (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006, p.302).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Second, the conflict arising from the delay period can also be alleviated by altering the manner in which people mentally embody the outcomes they are working or waiting for. Given the adverse effects of stress, the ability to manage stress is a critical aspect in conflict resolution. The ability to manage and alleviate stress enhances not only self-control and self-cooling but also the ability to produce and evaluate potential solutions to the conf lict. The ability to control stress can thus imply the difference between repressing hot desires and pouring out hysterically. It is against this background that Gottman and others (working with married couples with severe conflicts in their relationships) discovered that stress management tactics such as mediation, exercise and self-soothing habits for relaxing play important roles in terms of marital contentment and conflict resolution (Deutsch, Coleman Marcus, 2006, p.304). Severe conflicts, whether internal or external normally produce strong emotional excitement that can easily set off automatic reflective responses including hostility and fight or evasion and flight. These spontaneous responses often contribute to adverse long-term outcomes for the concerned parties. As the discussion above has elucidated, there are a variety of conflict management strategies (such as time-outs, reflection and mediation) that can be employed to facilitate the shift from hot impulsive response s to a cooler and efficient modes of cognitive problem solving. References Deutsch, M., Coleman, P.T., Marcus, E.C. (Eds.). (2006). The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Rahim, M.A. (Eds.). (2011). Managing Conflict in Organizations. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict Resolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More