Resolving Conflict In The Workplace.

Recognizing the markers for workplace conflict.

Some of the questions that need to be addressed are:
What is workplace conflict?
What are the signs of conflict?
How does conflict affect the Agency, as a whole?

Workplace conflict comes in many forms and many varying degrees of severity, ranging from bullying to downright brawling. Workplace conflict usually stems from power struggle and ego. Identifying workplace conflict is not always as easy as one might think. Conflict is regularly associated with acute and isolated incidents such as outbursts, arguments, or verbal/physical altercations. Debate incurred by disagreement may be misconstrued as conflict. It is important to understand healthy debate as opposed to the debilitating nature of conflict. Two workers in disagreement will debate their views of the situation and this can be a learning process, where as in a conflict there is no debate on the part of the aggressor and the victim has to endure the abuse.

A scenario might be like this:
Aggressor: "Go out to that grate and dump that coolant."
Victim: "No way! That goes straight to the river."
Aggressor: Grabs Victim. "Do it now!"

Now turn this conflict into a debate and healthy learning process.
Senior Debater: "Pour that old coolant down that grate over there."
Junior Debater: "I can't do that. It would go straight to the river."
Senior Debater: "Really? That doesn't lead to a containment tank?"
Junior Debater: "No."
Senior Debater: "Find a proper place to dispose of that coolant."

Debate and clear thinking will always lead to a more productive Agency, whereas Conflict will always have adverse affects on productivity.

The "Because-I-said-so" attitude is a sure sign that conflict is present. Oppressive behavior and bullying are also signs of conflict. In some documented cases of workplace conflict a victim has been singled out as a person that receives harassment from co-workers as a semi-acceptable practice, creating a corrosive and oppressive atmosphere within that workplace. Most cases of violent conflict stem from this sort of practice, harassment.

Harassment, bullying and I-said-so attitudes lead to improper work ethics and zero productive communication, leading to conflict.

Identifying Characteristics Of Potential Aggressors.

Keep in mind some of these questions:
What are the warning signs?
How to identify problems?
Can these attributes be found in all of us?

Although negative labels are not a solution to potential problems, it does make it easier to identify problem behavior.
Traits to look for, in others as well as yourself:
1) Dominators: Intimidation of others in order to feel superior.
2) Attention-grabbers: Tend to fabricate stories about themselves in order to "one-up" others.
3) Nay-sayers: Tend to be negative and avoid decision-making.
4) Two-timers: Often referred to as the "suck-up". Pretending to be everyone's friend, all the while building up their selves.
5) Yes-people: Want to please everyone, and tend to bite off more than they can chew.
6) Whiners: Just as the label suggests, they complain constantly and their attitude demands an excessive amount of time and attention creating an atmosphere of defensiveness.

These labels can help identify potential problems that need attention. Some of these can be found in many people, including ourselves. A simple solution is to just make a change from these attitudes, but some attitudes have been so ingrained that making the change can be difficult and even create conflict in doing so. Thus, it is imperative that we follow some simple rules when dealing with these characteristics.

Making the Change.

What can we do to improve the attitudes of others?
Why is it imperative that we take control of the situation when it involves the attitudes of the "problem" people?
What is Strategic Thinking?

Modifying your attitude towards the conflictive attitudes of others helps put things into perspective. Always find a positive quality about other people to ease the way that you can deal with the other person more rationally.

Finding solutions to the problems may take trial and error. Keep in mind that confronting the problems may create conflict....the very thing that we are trying to avoid. Make notes of the problems and create another avenue to approach the problem.

Find a way to instill self-interest within the other person, it could be a great motivater. Help them to realize that cooperation is always better than conflict.

Always keep a good attitude. Remain optimistic and realistic. Although you may believe in your ability to deal with the situation, keep in mind that there are limits to what you can do. Know your limits and take small steps when progressing with the problem attitude. Even if your limits become frustrating, don't let it create a problem attitude within you, find humor in the absurdity of the situation, a good laugh can restore a healthy sense of perspective. Above all, remain rational, dealing with difficult situations can generate negative feelings and would be counter productive in trying to eliminate conflict.

Strategic Thinking.

Step 1: Acknowledge the problem. Identify the problem attitude.

Step 2: Once you've acknowledge the problem, analyze and define it.

Step 3: Know which direction you should proceed. State a goal to resolve the Conflict.

Step 4: Consider all of the ways to approach the particular problem.

Step 5: Once you've planned out the approach to the problem, act upon it.

Step 6: Finally, evaluate the results. Take note of improvements and remaining problems and ajust accordingly.

The reasons for egotistic abuse and conflict.

It is important to address these question in understanding the psyche of the aggressors in conflicts:
What are some of the reasons a co-worker is abusive?
Why are abusive situations often accepted as commonplace?
Who is at risk of becoming abusive?
There are a number of core reasons behind workplace conflict. Ego, insecurity, lack of knowledge and even alcohol abuse. The core traits may be subtle within the aggressor of the workplace conflicts, however, they are there. When conflict erupts those traits become obvious. Another reason for corrosive attitudes can stem from the inability to differentiate personal conflict from professional conflict. Dealing with depression or problems at home, should be addressed separately from professional interactions.
Abuse and conflict in low doses is also unacceptable, yet hazing and gerrymandering within the workplace seems to be a cause for troublesome conflict. What some would call comradery, others call harassment and can become volatile. Though constant hazing of an individual can be perceived as acceptable, because there never seems to be any observable consequences until it is too late.
Keeping your personal problems seperate from your professional problems will reduce conflict in the workplace as well has not singling out individuals for harrassment.

Preventing Workplace Conflict.

The vital question that need to be answered while preventing Conflict in the Workplace:
When should action be taken when the signs of Conflict arise?
Who can take action?
How should preventive action be taken?

Training is the number one way to prevent workplace conflict. Knowing what signs look for and what is considered conflict, will lead to prevention. Zero tolerance policies should be established by the Agency, i.e. Sexually and Racial Harassment policies. These policies should be written in a way to amplify the idea that anyone can mediate any potentially violent conflict regardless of the subordinate/supervisor relationship.
As soon as the signs of conflict are witnessed, action should be taken immediately. The offending party should be taken aside from the situation and resolve should be sought away from uninvolved workers.

In Summary.

Resolving conflict in the workplace relies deeply on the ability to recognize it and to implement a plan to deal with it. The situations that arise are as diverse as the people that create them and can even come from within ourselves. Recognizing the problems can be difficult and frustrating, but we must maintain a good attitude and even find some humor in it to maintain a healthy perspective. Train and plan for the different situations that may arise to keep abreast of the potential problems in everyday life and to raise awareness of resolving conflict in the workplace.

Space Junk and Global Warming.

"In a paper published February 5 in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, John Emmert, Michael Picone, Judith Lean, and Stephen Knowles report that the average density of the thermosphere has decreased by about 10 percent during the past 35 years."

In their report they cite the effects of Global Warming for the decrease in the density of the Thermosphere. CO2 has a cooling effect on the upper atmosphere and pulls the Thermosphere in towards the planet. NASA depends upon the properties of the upper atmosphere when they want to rid the obrits of space junk. Rockets shed their boosters in the upper atmosphere at an altitude that assures they return to earth and don't fall into an uncontrolled orbit...wreaking havoc on satelites. The news that the Thermosphere is being pulled in towards the planet has mix implications, for one the 24 Global Positioning System satelites lay in a low orbit and their life cycle will be prolonged by a less dense Thermosphere, however, there may be more space junk to contend with as fewer items fall victim to Earth's gravity.



Another interesting component of this report is that the CO2 that traps infrared radiation in the Troposphere also reflects it away from the Earth in the Thermosphere. So, while the Troposphere increases in temperature, the Thermosphere decreases in temperature.

Below are a couple of graphs that show how infrared radiation is reflected back into space, but they don't take into account the radiation that is reflected in the upper atmosphere by CO2...these graphs were created to demonstrate the effects of CO2 on Global Warming. (Click on graphs to enlarge)

Wouldn't it be interesting to assume that with more radiation being reflected away in the upper atmosphere that there would be less to trap in the lower atmosphere? Negating the effects that has everyone worried that Global Warming is going to destroy our planet.

Feliz Navidad.

My skills with Christmas lights are horrendous, but here's downtown Lemoore.


Without the flash, the light is a little more prevailant, yet blurry.



This Guy was just putting up his lights when I took this picture.

World of Progressives.

There is a saying out there, "If you ain't Progressive, you're just spinning your wheels." Liberal Democratic Thought. I've been called a Reactionist by some people for my nostalgic look at Western Montana of the '80s. My look back was aimed, mostly, at the cost of living. I made a statement about the price of land. In 1987, an acre of prime ground in the Bitterroot Valley cost about $1000.00, that same piece of land now costs $35,000.00. Adjusted for inflation, $1000 in 1987 is now about $1667 in 2005 (the inflation calculator only goes up to 2005). So why is there a 2100% increase in that piece of land? Demand? Real Estate fraud? I contend that it may be both. Land in the Bitterroot is a highly attractive investment. Unfortunately, wages in the area cannot compensate for the increased cost of land. This is the reason that so many of the "new" land owners are from out of state and are quite wealthy, they can afford it. Now, this is where I believe that fraud comes into play. A cycle of high-priced buying started with a single transaction that rapidly increased the value of land in the Bitterroot. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to narrow that purchase down. Some would say that it was Charles Schwab's acquirement of the eastern portion of the Bitterroot Stock Farm. This land has become a high-priced Country Club for the elite in today's society. The starting price for a home on that land is $1,000,000. There are some homes on that land that far exceed that price. Here is a story that tells about the Stock Farm. The vicious cycle of high-priced homes and property offer a well thought-out and planned effect. The effect is driving out the lower class residents that can't afford to live there anymore. They sell their homes at these inflated prices and, essentially, taking the money and running. I joined the Navy in 1992 and never did buy a home or property before I left. Now, I would like to return to my home town. I simply cannot see the feasibility in returning to Hamilton. I would never find a job that can support me, as a new home owner. Most of the younger people, graduating from Hamilton High, or any high school for that matter, cannot subsist on local wages and afford a new home for their new life in the Bitterroot. They end up moving away, while the wealthy continue to move in. This is the cycle that realtors love.

Progressives call this, progress. I don't see how this can be concidered progress. The youth of the Bitterroot are moving away. The future of the Bitterroot is moving away. Industry has no incentive to boom in the Bitterroot. Developers run rampant with high-end developments in the Bitterroot. In the end, the only people left to be "run out" of the Bitterroot, will be the millionaires, because the cycle will increase and the billionaires will be taking over....in the Bitterroot.

I'm back!

I have neglected this blog for so long, I don't even know if I should continue it.

I've got so much that I want to add to this that I don't know where to begin.

Haditha, Mid-term elections, Oil, Global Warming....there is just so much.

TESRA 2005

This is a quick post to get this info out there. I will research this some more and add to it.
Very interesting.

I fear things are going to get even worse than the New London vs. Kelo eminant domain issue thanks to "Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005"Pay particular attention to the third paragraph in that article.Go here to see the TESRA 2005 bill. Read the whole bill, but be sitting down when you read Section Nine.

Support for Floyd Wood and Alta Pine.

Alan Thompson: "We have a tree that has historical value and interest and we don't want anyone to see it? Things aren't meshing here,"

There are a lot of things that make Montanans proud of their home. One of those things is a love for history, another one is their love for the outdoors. So when Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor, Dave Bull, started suggesting that the access to the Alta Pine be limited and unmarked, Floyd Wood of Corvallis went out of his way to make a sign and placed it near the area of the historical pine, marking its existance. That sign has since been removed by the Forest Service as well as any other markers.

The Alta Pine is one of the oldest Ponderosas in the State. Unfortunately it is a lightening rod, literally and figuratively. The huge tree was struck and killed by lightening in 1993. However, people still make the journey to see the huge tree, which is now, essentually a giant snag. Most Bitterrooters are aware of the dangers of snags and venture around them with caution. The arguement by the Forest Service is that the tree has become a liability.

Venturing out into the forests of Western Montana carry with it a certain liability. There are cliffs, old mine shafts, dangerous animals, and...of coarse...snags. Yellowstone National Park is full of dangers, yet they haven't taken down the signs pointing towards that area. Instead, Yellowstone has come up with an awareness program to inform visitors of the various dangers within the park.

Another side issue here is the access to the National Forests around Montana. "There's quite a lot of people who think a lot of that tree," Wood said. "They cut off access to anyone who's not agile. It's not right." Mr. Wood is refering to the Forest Service's actions regarding the removal of the paved and maintained path leading to the Alta Pine. This removal essentually renders those in wheelchairs unable to access the area. This is a small area effort on the part of the Forest Service, due to lack of power to impose heavier restrictions. However there is a group, Heritage Forests Campaign, trying to force a bill through legislation that will empower the Forest Service to eliminate even more access to the forests. This bill will turn our National Forests into a "members-only" club, where only the able-bodied can access the furthest reaches of the forests. None of us are getting younger and one day we may have to rely on alternate forms of transportation to reach our own little favorite parts of the Bitterroot. The question is will our alternate forms of transportation be allowed in the forests?