How stress and anger affect communication in conflict resolution

To Student 1, 

Both anger and anxiety can be equated to loss of control. When a person is faced with a stressor, they can manage it or sink into anxiety and/or anger. In the first part of your discussion, you stated that stress and anger hinder communication during conflict resolution. I find this assertion true. However, the manifestation of anger and stress is quite different. Although both are caused by stressors, it is important exploring how the stressor can be removed to enhance communication and consequently, conflict resolution. Conflicts arise due to stress and anger. This means that the affected person did not control their emotions well when faced by a stressor. Therefore, just as you argued, the two are important since they form the foundation in conflict resolution. The negative mind state has to be addressed to achieve the expected results. Lastly, you stated that stress and anger helps understanding when a person is under pressure. To add on your argument, pressure is caused by different stressors. Therefore, anger management at a personal level can start by understanding the stressors that affect one’s mind state and avoiding them.

To Student 2, 

I support your position in the first question that stress and anger affect communication in conflict resolution because people tend to react first before dealing with the problem. When communication is hindered during conflict resolution, it becomes hard reconciling the conflicting parties. To add to your views, anger and stress are subject to specific stressors. The two occur when a person loses control of their mind and emotional state. In such a state, communication is hindered and so is conflict resolution. I do not support your argument in the second question. You stated that anger and stress are mere excuses that people use to block things that happen because people do not communicate and instead keep things bottled up inside them. I established that anger and stress happen when a person loses control of their emotions. The level of handling stressors is different and so it is not solely a failure on the side of the angered or stressed person. However, anger and stress management can serve an important role to remove the barriers during conflict resolution. You gave an excellent response in the final question. Understanding anger and stress helps in any organizational setting to ensure that conflicts are resolved before they escalate to unmanageable levels. As you stated, communication is the best way to avoid stress and anger conflicts.

To Student 3, 

Your definition of conflict climate is correct. To add on your argument, there are several ideas I established that the conflict climate is simply the psychological atmosphere that impacts a given conflict. The variables affecting it as stated in your discussion include personal behavior or personality, conflict resolution strategy, power and trust. Therefore, when handling a conflict it is important establishing how the variables affected the final conflict. Your discussion about the factors contributing to a conflict is perfectly done as well. The case presented in the second part of your discussion clearly captures the concept of distrust and power struggles that lead to conflicts in different organizational settings. Competition in a workplace should only be guided to achieve the set goals and objectives. Unnecessary competition yields power wrangles and reduced teamwork. Consequently, productivity diminishes with time. Your conflict resolution approach stating that th e lead could have showed more gratitude towards the lead and vice versa is right. The two should have worked as a team instead of introducing unnecessary distrust and competition. 

To Student 4,

I empathize with you about your experience with a leader who was abusing his power. People who have power want to create high self esteem. In the process, they end up abusing power and/or trouncing those below them in power hierarchy. Your definition of power abuse is correct as provided by Cahn (2014). To add to your argument, power abuse occurs due to free will. Persons in power have free will to exercise power with moderation or to exercise it carelessly. Unlike transformational leaders who try to bridge the gap between the leader and the subjects, other leaders create a huge gap between the two making it impossible engaging on common grounds. You described a case where the leader tried to use his position to influence your work. That happens when the leader lacks morals and ethical principles needed by any leader. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Therefore, when a person is trapped in the trappings of power, they rarely hinder advice from other people. As a leader, it is always important adhering to the set ethical guidelines and values to avoid using the position to advance selfish interests.