Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts

Hypothetical Scenario:

Management of Conflicting Personalities

Background

There are two people in this imaginary scenario.

One is Mr. Laidback Whitepepple and the other is Mr. Hyperactive Chris. The latter is a hyperactive exercise junky and has participated in numerous marathons while the former prefers a more sedentary lifestyle and is rather chubby. Despite their differences, both Mr. Whitepepple and Mr. Chris are very good friends who have known each other since they were children.

Now, both men are in their mid-40s and lead very separate lives. Nonetheless, they wish to spend some time together. Mr. Chris, feeling that his friend could certainly use the exercise, suggests having a weekly tennis match and his friend agrees.

Problem

They continue with this arrangement until Mr. Chris realises that his friend is gradually losing interest in the activity. Mr. Whitepepple is lethargic and often arrives late to the tennis court. He plays only a few games and declares that he can no longer continue due to fatigue.

Feelings of the Parties Involved

Mr. Chris feels that his friend is being disrespectful by constantly being late for the matches. He is also frustrated by the lack of interest shown by his friend and begins questioning Mr. Whitepepple’s valuation of their friendship. Mr. Chris feels that he is trying to help his friend to adopt a healthier lifestyle but his friend does not seem to be trying hard enough.

Mr. Whitepepple feels like he is being forced into doing something he does not really want to do. Although he was open to trying new things, he feels that the physical exertion is too much for him. He has no interest in sports whatsoever. He feels that both of them should be doing something more meaningful like talking about childhood experiences or a game of chess in the park.

Conflict Resolution

Both parties value their friendship and want to resolve any lingering problems before it deteriorates into a festering wound. However, none of them have taken the ES2007S module so they have no idea where to start.

If you were Mr. Chris or Mr. Whitepepple, how would you put across your feelings without offending your friend?

If they decided not to play tennis anymore, what else do you think these two characters could be doing together during the weekends?


Notice: This scenario is entirely fictitious. Any resemblance of the aforementioned characters or scenario to persons and situations in reality is purely coincidental.

The Importance of Communication to Me

Communication is an important aspect in personal and professional development. Certain occupations may require a higher degree of communicative competency than others. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt as to the significance of effective communication. Aptitude in communication may be prudent in getting that coveted promotion and it could prevent unnecessary misunderstandings. Professional communication entails proficiency in both the written and oral forms of communication, both of which I expect to enhance during the span of this module.

Personally, I feel that writing is much easier than oral presentations. Like many of my peers, I have been practicing writing for many years. There are many templates and guidelines (eg; formal / informal letters, memorandums etc) that can be followed when constructing a piece of writing. The fact that there are such templates allows the construction of a piece of writing to be relative easy when compared to oral presentations.

Oral presentations are a different proposition altogether. Even though there are templates or guidelines that can be followed, there is an element of personal, usually face-to-face, interaction when speaking to an audience. Together with a concrete competence in the content of the presentation, the speaker needs confidence and if possible, some charisma. Most of us would have followed the US presidential elections between Barrack Obama and John McCain. It is quite evident, from interviews and the various debates, that Obama was the better communicator. I feel that two essential aspects to his success were his confidence and charisma. Unfortunately, confidence, especially in public speaking, is not my strong suit and I hope to improve upon that in this course.