Organizational systems misalignment often raises the likelihood of an organization to experience conflicts. For instance, the existence of system misalignment between culture and strategies in an organization results in conflicts based on the loss of a sense of mission. Whenever there a strong alignment between organizational culture and the strategy adopted, the employees will always show commitment to the mission and embrace a sense of clarity in guiding their decisions and actions. However, the presence of systems misalignment will most likely bring about conflicts owing to disoriented employees operating based on mixed signals from the leadership (Djerejian, 2016). A strong culture that lacks an appropriate alignment to the organizational strategies causes the daily operations in an organization to fall out of sync thereby creating conflicts among the employees.
The model used in Predicting an Organization’s Likelihood of Experiencing Conflict
In creating a model for the prediction of the likelihood of an organization of experiencing conflicts due to system misalignment, there is the consideration of an evaluation process that focuses on three critical organizational systems namely leadership, communication, and performance (Overton &, Lowry, 2013). To that extent, this particular prediction model involves the following process of evaluation:
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Process to Evaluate Critical Organizational Systems
Leadership
For an organization to have effective mechanisms of conflict management, there is a need to incorporate an internal structure that evaluates leaders in various departments. In this respect, the evaluation process is usually keen on identifying the extent of knowledge, potential, and skills to assist in sustaining the effective role of leadership within an organization. Standards of assessing and evaluating leadership may vary from one organization to another. However, it is crucial to ensure that the adopted evaluation standard fits and addresses specific requirements of the culture of the organization (Doucet, Poitras & Chênevert, 2009).
The first step in this process involves clarifying the expected standards of leadership in addressing or organizational conflicts. In this regard, an organization is expected to be involved in the definition of the anticipated achievements from leaders in resolving conflicts that may result from system misalignment (Nordin et al. , 2014).
The second step involves assessment of leaders against the set standards. Primarily, this step involves obtaining feedback regarding the present performance levels of a given leader with keen observation and assessment of the existing potential in addressing cases and situations of conflicts (Doucet, Poitras & Chênevert, 2009).
The third step involves the development of a meaningful review mechanism. The value of review activities within an organization is largely influenced by the ability of leaders to take implementable and insightful actions in preventing or resolving conflicts.
Communication
As part of the critical systems in an organization, communication plays a vital role in contributing to the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization in addressing conflicts that may arise in the course of performing daily operations (Lynn, 2017). Besides, the likelihood of an organization in experiencing conflicts is often significantly determined through an evaluation of its communication environment.
The communication environment of a given organization has higher changes of influencing the atmosphere that exists in the organization. This atmosphere may encourage or discourage downward, upward, or horizontal form of communication among leaders and employees in an organization.
Whenever a system of communication in an organization is evaluated and found to be defensive, employees tend to shy away from sharing their concerns and needs since they are more interested in being cautious while making statements. Besides, employees in such an organization are more likely to be involved in conflicts that are based on a remarkably lower level of self-motivation (Overton & Lowry, 2013).
In this process of evaluating communication in an organization, it is possible to establish that there exists a supportive environment for communication among employees and leaders. When it comes to predicting the likelihood of such organizations in experiencing conflicts, such communication environment is linked to lower probability. Supportive communication environments are usually associated with the active participation of employees in advancing healthy exchange of ideas and information as well as effective collaboration thus discouraging conflicts.
Performance
The process of evaluating performance in an organization plays a vital role in providing an adequate basis for the establishment of strategic considerations and engagements. Besides, a comprehensive process in the evaluation of employee performance ensures that their ability to handle conflicts is assessed.
Identification of performance measures is one of the steps involved in the process of organizational performance evaluation for the employees. Standards performance measures are usually considered in the objective review of the level of job performance for various employees.
This step could be followed by setting appropriate guidelines for the management of feedback obtained. The implementation of the evaluation system for performance in an organization is often dependent on feedback (Lynn, 2017). Besides the establishment of the likelihood of an organization in experiencing conflicts could be adequately addressed based on the input obtained from performance evaluation. For instance, feedback may require an organization to ensure that an employee addresses his or her weak areas that could lower its chances of experiencing conflicts.
In this respect, the step that would follow entails setting of a schedule for the implementation of some of the issues addressed through feedback (Overton & Lowry, 2013). This step is more appropriate when dealing with a significant number of employees as well as in situations where several issues have been raised. Scheduling of the implementation is a crucial step in ensuring that the various appraisers involved succeeding in meeting their respective deadlines.
Assessment of the Degree to which the identified Organizational Systems align
According to Djerejian (2016), communication is among the critical systems in an organization whose alignment with that of leadership plays a crucial role in influencing the achievement of organizational objectives thus considerably lowering the likelihood of conflicts. In the absence of alignment between communication and leadership in an organization, there is often a higher likelihood of having conflicts among employees owing to the lack of appropriate understanding regarding their roles. The existence of an excellent communication system in an organization is usually characterized by its active alignment with the goals and objectives driven by the leadership. The finding by Nordin et al . (2014) revealed that linking the communication strategy in an organization with the overall organizational goals is often accompanied by various challenges.
Despite the role played by the frequently addressed necessity of fully aligned communication system as a precondition for the involvement of organizational leadership in boosting alignment, some common pitfalls may be experienced. Lynn (2017) established that there always exists a significant extent to which various critical systems in an organization may be aligned. For instance, the strategic alignment of the system of organizational communication plays a vital role in acting as a significant prerequisite for the creation of value more effectively and efficiently. The attainment between leadership and the environment of communication in an organization is essential in lowering the chances of the occurrence of organizational conflicts. Besides, this alignment largely contributes to the realization of organizational success through the enhancement of strategic positioning.
Lynn (2017) observes that an organization could also secure a more advanced level of conflict elimination or prevention owing to the existence of a closer alignment between the organizational systems of leadership and performance. Besides, the probability of an organization to experience conflicts could be lowered to a more considerable extent by ensuring the existence of a more effective alignment between leadership and performance of individual employees. The achievement or sustenance of higher performance requires the input of leaders in defining the processes needed for the employees to perform the daily organizational operations. Other than influencing the likelihood of organizational conflicts, the alignment between the leadership and performance systems play a critical role in facilitating the translation and broadening the understanding of values and vision among employees.
The degree to which Critical Systems support or discourage Change and Conflict Resolution
Change and conflict resolution in an organizational set up requires effective management of various essential systems of an organization. Besides, change and conflicts resolution are aspects that are inevitably experienced in an organizational environment. The analysis by Djerejian (2016) revealed that the kind of a leadership system adopted by an organization often has a considerable role to play in determining the extent to which change and conflict resolution mechanisms can succeed or fail. According to the observation by Doucet, Poitras, and Chênevert (2009), effective leadership can be used to a considerable degree in supporting change and conflict resolution initiative in any organization. Leaders frequently find themselves in a better position to see various opportunities that can facilitate the implementation of the process of conflict resolution and change among other members of an organization.
Nordin et al . (2014) indicate that two different theories of conflict management are necessary for describing and understanding the degree to which critical organizational systems such as leadership, communication, and performance influences change and conflict resolution. In this respect, the traditional theory of conflict management finds its basis on the consideration that trouble makers who fail to achieve the required level of performance or embrace effective means of communication are the primary cause of organizational conflicts. The successful performance of a change process in an organization is often dependent on the existence of a productive collaboration between the leaders and their followers though effective mechanisms of communication (Overton & Lowry, 2013). Besides, changes the organizational leadership may evaluate the performance levels for individual employees in an organization and use it as the basis for deciding whether a change is necessary.
The contemporary theory of conflict resolution holds that conflicts between employees in an organization are inevitable and are often experienced as natural outcomes of processes of change that may be advantageous if they are managed in an efficient manner (Doucet, Poitras & Chênevert, 2009). This particular theory of conflict management involves the consideration of innovation as a means of collaborating viewpoints and ideas to achieve a new and broader fusion. Leaders may discourage the process of change in an organization to a greater extent if they fail to discharge their responsibilities effectively through a collaborative and inclusive approach that seeks to have the views and perspectives of their followers.
Conclusion
In summing up, it is noteworthy that that likelihood of an organization to experience conflict may be significantly influenced through the misalignment of some of its critical systems such as leadership, communication, and performance. The process of evaluating critical organizational systems is a vital component in the formulation of a model used in predicting its likelihood of experiencing conflict. Techniques for assessing and evaluating leadership may vary from one organization to another. To that extent, it is crucial to ensure that the adopted evaluation standard fits and addresses specific requirements of the culture of the organization. The likelihood of an organization when it comes to experiencing conflicts could be reduced considerably by ensuring the existence of a more effective alignment between leadership and performance of individual employees. It is clear that different theories of conflict management are useful in understanding the level to which critical organizational systems can influence change and conflict resolution.
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