Workplace Conflict: The Perils of Group think Resources
- Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.
- G.R.E.A.T. Discussion Feedback Guidelines.
On page 381 of your Essentials of Business Communication text, review Activity 11.11, Workplace Conflict: The Perils of Groupthink.
"Conflict can be good because you get the devil's advocate position," says Mary Osswald, senior manager at Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Conflict usually comes because someone doesn't want change or doesn't agree with how you're making change. It certainly inspires better conversation and more thought about what's being done and why it's being done. It forces the project to evolve."
You learned about groupthink in Chapter 1. It describes a behavior characterized by a lack of critical thinking and extreme conformity to the values of a group. Do you agree with Mary Osswald's views on workplace conflict and groupthink? Look back on any past teamwork experience and consider tensions that arose. How were they addressed and settled? Have you worked on teams that were conflict-free? Were you ever afraid to speak up? Could negative situations have been salvaged by using the tips suggested in this chapter?