Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Conflict Resolution and Controlling Anger

Conflict resolution is such an important issue that organizations exist, whose sole function is to provide training in conflict resolution. Conflict resolution is about teaching people new ways to work through and resolve disputes that don't involve violence, and is an immediate priority for many organizations today.

Conflict resolution is being used with increasing frequency to supplement, and in some cases, supplant traditional decision-making processes at all levels of government. Conflict resolution is tricky because from the very beginning it takes setting aside the ego and listening to the other party, which does not usually come naturally to most of us.

Conflict resolution is a very important topic under the key knowledge area of Human Resource Management in Project Management. Conflict resolution is a skill based in good communication practices and an understanding of interpersonal dynamics, therefore, successful implementation of conflict resolution policies and procedures is often contingent on providing supervisors with appropriate training and coaching on the policy, procedures and interpersonal skills.

Stress

Stress happens to all of us -- deadlines, conflicting demands, constant interruptions, financial pressures, our kids, other people's kids, and often the unpredictable actions of the people who work with us who are also suffering from stress. Stress is merely a load on the system -- anything that gets our hearts going and our breathing rate up.

Stress, like exercise, can make us stronger if we take it in regular, increasing doses, but if stress is allowed to take over our lives, then it can affect our personal physical health and could even lead to a fatal heart attack.

Many men who batter their wives use anger as an excuse for their abuse, much as they blame alcohol, stress, or other individuals.

Communication in Management

Communication in management is a vital part of running a successful company. Communication involves more than the words that come out of your mouth; good communication in management involves managers talking to their workers on an equal basis and finding out what problems the worker might be experiencing (either personal or to do with them doing their job efficiently), and trying to find a good compromising solution.

Heavy-handed management that doesn't consider the workers' problems will inevitably result in a badly run company, low morale, and bad customer relations. Communication enhancement and anger or stress management techniques are often used especially in Japanese firms in order to control anger.

Relationships

The key to a successful relationship lies in communication. Anger destroys relationships, leads to violence against others and ourselves, makes us depressed, and generates chemicals that eat away at us at the cellular level.

For a good relationship, we need to control the effects of anger on our finances, our health, our relationships, our work, the way we drive, the way we react to our children and pets, and the way that we react to authorities, people in customer support areas, Doctors, teachers, etc.

If you need medical attention, GET IT, otherwise you jeopardize your mental health, your physical health, your relationships and your life by your anger. We may not be able to change our mental capacity and personality but everyone can learn good communication skills to improve the way they get along in all relationships, not just marital type ones. Often relationships fall apart due to things people say to each other in anger.

Anger Control

The behavioral skills promoted by anger control include:
Arousal reduction,
Communication enhancement, and
Problem-solving.

Anger control is designed to make the individual more aware of this process and enable him or her to intervene in it. Anger control no doubt contributes to the redirection or reduction of anger and of aggression in many individuals. However, anger control fails to account for the premeditated controlling behaviors associated with abuse.

Anger control is often misrepresented as a quick-fix solution that may endanger battered women. However it tends to consider the abuse from the psychological point of view rather than accept the more uncomfortable task of confronting the economic, social and political injustices that perpetuate the problem. Anger control is possible once you decide you want to control the anger and not let it control you.

Anger Treatment

Cognitive behavioral treatment is sometimes used to try and overcome severe anger in posttraumatic stress disorder cases. The cognitive aspect is therefore emphasized in treatment, as is improved assertiveness and communication skills.

Arousal reduction uses stress management techniques such as progressive relaxation exercises and calming visualizations.

Conclusion

95% of the time, anger makes things worse instead of better. Thus some of the benefits of anger control are:
- You will be able to calmly handle stressful situations that otherwise would put you "over the edge".
- You'll be happier and more relaxed at home, at work and whilst driving.
- Your health will improve, as well as your relationships.
- A person you love could have been badly hurt if your anger had got out of control.

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