Week 3 Discussion Board

Conflict is defined as a struggle that is expressed and occurs between at least two
individuals or groups who hold the perception that limited resources, incompatibility of goals,
and interference from others hinders them from achieving their goals (Hocker & Wilmot,
2014). Perception is thus central to the occurrence of a conflict. Conflicts arise when people
react as though the other party is getting in the way of achieving something of value.
However, for a conflict to be resolved, one must differentiate perception from what is
interpersonally correct or accurate. Since conflict occurs when one person communicates
their perception of their struggle, the resolution also follows the route of perception where the
accurate facts are identified and addressed. A conflict is resolved when people are able to
manage their perceptions or are helped to do so. It is not possible to resolve a conflict without
communicating with each other. When there is clear communication, the perception of how
incompatible goals tend to change. Goals are usually perceived to be incompatible because
parties involved either want the same thing or different things (Hocker & Wilmot, 2014).
When metamessages are clear, then trust is restored, and this helps in conflict resolution.
Overall, interests and goals affect the process of conflict resolution. When one party is
not upfront with their interests at the beginning of a conflict, then trust issues may occur or
fail depending on the nature of the conflict. Honest dialogue makes it possible for each party
to understand the goals and interests of one another. Without dialogue and honest
communication, trust issues are bound to occur because no one will know the intentions of
the other (Hocker & Wilmot, 2014). The best approach to conflict resolution is having a
conversation. Since no one is a mind reader, a dialogue helps the parties to learn to trust one
another as they are able to understand the goals and interests that each party holds.

Reference

Hocker, J. L., & Wilmot, W. W. (2014). Interpersonal conflict. New York: McGraw-Hill.