This is article 10 of the series on Conflict Resolution
Every aspect of life is teeming with conflict. They’re virtually inevitable, especially in the workplace. However, if we leave conflicts unchecked, they may end up becoming destructive. Using Friedrich Glasl’s nine-stage conflict escalation model is a great place to start in working towards conflict resolution. In this segment, we’re going to explore the eighth level, where the goal is to destroy.
What Occurs During the Eighth Stage of Conflict Escalation?
When attacks are targeted directly at the other party’s essence, aiming to break or destroy their key systems, the conflict has reached Stage 8.
At this point, the strikes become more intense and aim to destroy the enemy’s most critical systems and the foundations of their strength. The opposite party’s ability to make judgments may be targeted by one side in an effort to shatter them into useless splinters. Members of the opposing camp’s leadership, as well as representatives and negotiators, may be attacked in order to weaken their legitimacy and authority. Attacks are made on the system that holds the opposing party together, hoping that their entire identity would collapse due to underlying internal conflicts.
Whenever one party is under attack, it is compelled to exert great effort to keep its members from waging war within the group itself. As a result, the parties’ internal tension and anxiety increase, resulting in an even greater pressure to attack the other side. Eventually, the groups split up into competing factions, and things spiral out of hand.
All vital signs are targeted in the onslaught against the opposition. Now, the most important goal is to eliminate the adversary’s very existence. The only stumbling block is the fear of one’s own demise.
Common Signs of Conflict at Stage 8
During the eighth stage, keep an eye out for the following tell-tale signs:
Outright Rudeness and Disrespect
This encompasses harsh, contemptuous language or behaviour, as well as physical aggression, such as:
● Making derogatory and offensive remarks
● Using a hostile and enraged tone
● Publicly humiliating and berating fellow employees
● Yelling
● Throwing objects
● Banging doors in frustration
These actions are frequently directed at those who irritate or disagree with the employee.
Bullying
While rude behaviour is clearly a part of bullying, bullies also use much less obvious tactics of affecting other co-workers, including social exclusion, sarcastic or dismissive language, and manipulation. A bully usually targets a single individual with a pattern of abusive or threatening conduct or unjust actions, leaving the victim feeling frightened, mistreated, humiliated, or weak. Bullying can take many forms, such as giving them too much work, altering deadlines frequently, and giving them low performance ratings. The goal of bullying is to gain control over another person.
Insubordination to Authority
Workers who deliberately disobey their employers or managers are considered insubordinate. This can take the form of a single incident that warrants disciplinary action, termination, or a series of smaller incidents that gradually weaken the authority of a superior. Those in the second category ignore repeated requests to tone down their harsh language in meetings or refrain from spreading damaging rumours about their colleagues.
High Turn-over
There’s a compelling reason why employees aren’t staying long-term. The fact that individuals are departing in droves is an indication that there is a problem within the company. When employees leave their jobs, it’s usually because of some sort of conflict. Conflicts cause social disorder and poor communication, which are detrimental to the health of both the individual and the business.
De-escalation Techniques
There are several businesses where conflicts between employees are resolved quickly and amicably, often among the employees themselves. However, in organisations afflicted by destructive conflict, resolving differences is challenging and appears to require the participation of a neutral third party. This is referred to as an arbitration process.
Arbitration occurs when two or more parties in a workplace dispute seek the advice of a neutral third party to reach a mutually acceptable resolution. The ruling is either binding or non-binding. Arbitration is usually the final phase of a grievance process in an organisational conflict resolution framework. In most cases, an arbitrator is chosen from a pool of impartial third parties.
Before the arbitration begins, both sides involved in the conflict choose an arbitrator who will preside over the process. The parties and the arbitrator will work together to schedule a “hearing” date once an arbitrator has been selected.
The arbitrator’s job is to listen to the parties as they present their arguments and evidence during an arbitration “hearing.” If they believe that additional evidence is required to prove or refute a claim, the arbitrator may provide extra time for the submission of evidence by a party.
The arbitrator will decide at some point following the hearing, which must be documented in writing. Parties must abide by the arbitrator’s ruling because it is final and binding. Otherwise, a suit may be filed against them. There are very few instances where an arbitrator’s judgement can be appealed to a court. However, an arbitrator’s ruling is extremely difficult to reverse.
Arbitration, which is fundamentally a kind of superior authority adjudication, gives certainty and finality in the resolution of conflicts. When non-binding arbitration is employed, there is often a new opportunity to negotiate.
In comparison to the courts, arbitration is more informal, speedier, and less costly. It is up to the parties involved in the dispute to choose an arbitrator and set the degree of formality and legality for the arbitration.
The Bottomline
When people disagree at work, it can lead to destructive conflict. As a result, interactions among people are slowed down, which harms both processes and relationships. As we’ve revealed in this article, there are several ways to deal with disputes where the goal is to destroy. However, disagreements might turn into something far more serious. Our next instalment of this series will take us to the ninth and final stage of escalation, together in the abyss.
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