CONFLICT is unfortunately everywhere. It seems like the world around us is busier, more stressed and more reactive as times are TOUGH...so they say.

That can be an understatement at the least.

We have so many personal things going on in our lives, but we still are REQUIRED to carry on in life, at school, at work, at paying bills, at maintaining relationships, being parents or children or family members...everything we do impacts our emotional experiences and our ability to keep our cool and collectiveness...

So,...at work where it is a place we HAVE to coexist and perform to maintain our income, when there is conflict on top of everything else that life throws our way...

It can be hard!!!!! SO hard!!!

So, as a college student, when you graduate and get a new job; this may be a job that you will be in for a long time, or base your future career and employment on. This is potentially when you really need to think about your presence and relationships as they may be around for a long time. The relationships may also influence you or your future employer so it is important to think about how to get along and deal with conflict with others. This will also be influenced by the type of leadership you are under (or giving).

There will unfortunately always be workplace conflict.

Even if it is not harassment or bullying, dealing with personalities on an ongoing basis can be stressful. Our moods and attitudes will be strongly influence by those who we spend most of our worktime around. Imagine feeling like you can't STAND your boss, and that he/she gives you way too much work that is unrecognized but you still have to 'suck it up and to it'? That is so hard on a person to deal with.

On the other hand, imagine having a job that you LOVE and you also truly enjoy those that you work with. This would be great if everyone could have this type of job!

Based on the ideas in the slides, and your own thoughts/experiences on the topic:

Discuss how dealing with people at work can affect not only your job, but your relationships with others in the workplace. Does this affect your attitudes towards clients or patients depending on what you do? How can it impact your life outside of work for example money or relationships with family/friends? What do you feel like you can or have done in situations where you have experienced or witnessed conflict? Is there anything you will do in the future at work to prevent, avoid or deal with conflict of any kind? How does leadership play a role in all of this?

This is a LOOSE suggestion for a topic post.... we have all had experiences I am sure. Please feel free to post whatever you feel would be relevant in a discussion around conflict and conflict resolution in the workplace!

Or tell the group your experiences with dealing with conflict. The topic of sexual harassment is so much deeper than the text book slides....it is usually NEVER in the control of the victim, so the advice on the slides from the text are a bit....unrealistic in my opinion! Same thing with bullying, exclusion, or stereotyping/prejudice!

But what do you do ?