conflicts in companies are the norm In order not to escalate, it needs an institutional culture of debate, says economist and executive coach Walter Ötsch
"Whether there is a conflict or not, sometimes a perception problem," says Walter Ötsch, an economist and cultural studies, "it is always about interpretations. Ötsch warns executives about to do objectify conflict and argues for an institutionalized conflict management. How it might look like a model, he explains in an interview with derStandard.at.
derStandard.at: What can you do as a manager to establish a healthy culture of conflict in their own company?
Ötsch: I have to do a lot. The question is how to define itself as a leader. One can be successful with very different kinds of personality. An example of the concept of "manager as coach," Even more to the "Management by mediation" is. This blend the traditional image of the manager with the mediator - in and of itself, two separate images. But it always depends on the type of industry and staff.
derStandard.at: Why is conflict management industry-specific?
Ötsch: An important aspect is: where in the company's market orientation is the focus and where not? The business organization is always in tension with markets. The company can not be internally as a market, but must orient outwardly to markets. There are two opposing trends. First, an increasing market orientation. Keywords are: greater flexibility, globalization, and a change in export orientation. If someone as a manager really thinks globally, the questions were very different.
derStandard.at: In what way?
Ötsch: Basically made here the ability to resolve conflicts is into delegates in certain parts in the staff. If this fails, the redundant quickly. The reaction to conflict is very direct: rapid termination of relationships, looking for something new flexible. That is one direction.
derStandard.at: And the other?
Ötsch: The other way you can see it well, as the companies have responded to the crisis in 2008. It was remarkable indeed that employment has not declined very much. First, it has to do with a wise policy, that is, the promotion of short work by the state. Second, it has focused heavily on internal service providers. Here there is a community and relationship orientation. If this is important, then it means that the market partially overrides.
derStandard.at: What is critical?
Ötsch: How do we keep the key employees? In the personnel area, the readiness is much larger, resolve conflicts, to work more on consensus to pay attention to weak signals, proactively reach out to conflict, to train intercultural skills, etc. Here the concept "management by mediation" are used.
derStandard.at: What is "Management by mediation?
Ötsch: We offer a Masters program "Mediation and Conflict Management" at. Here you learn how to proactively respond to conflicts, to the institutional establishment of conflict management systems in companies. It is assumed that conflicts are the norm in business, they need cause no great surprise. For this normal case, there are trained staff with well-defined roles. when they are asked - - An example of peer mediators in response to an end in conflicts are institutionalized to respond. This systematic mediation tools are used. Another kind of typology is to look at specific companies, whether more a supervisory or more dominated by a culture of dialogue.
derStandard.at: For example?
Ötsch: An Example from Germany in the same industry Schlecker and DM are at Schlecker find more of a control culture with DM more of a culture of dialogue. Some claim that these are also important image components if they can convey to the outside. The executives of DM are so for example, socially and politically active. The sales figures could also be based on such parameters.
derStandard.at: How does a control culture?
Ötsch: Of course, one could argue with Schlecker control culture that this is an attempt to minimize conflicts. Conflicts can be minimized by control. The longer-term (third) aspect is also the image to the outside. The first aspect are the internal effects and losses, the second aims to contracts on building relationships with suppliers and business partners. These three aspects are closely linked. A Kulturumorientierung but must come from the leadership.
derStandard.at: A question of self-reflection?
Ötsch: Yes. The guide is based on self-management. As leaders go even deal with conflicts which are indeed but a normal case?
derStandard.at: When you talk about conflict resolution to install in-house. Whose responsibility is it? The works council?
Ötsch: No, this is a management function, the works will but be involved. People who are trained for handling conflict should have a basic knowledge of mediating processes: Clear rules and responsibilities, Feedback and Nachfragtechniken. You should also possess a typology of possible conflicts. If a conflict can not be solved at the site appears, you can take a peer mediators from other locations - so you can also avoid hierarchical problems. A conflict is a kind of pilot service center, which shall not interfere with the hierarchy. Sometimes it's also good to use outside mediators. The basic concept is an institutionalized process of conflict resolution. Everyone in the workforce must know this, that in case of conflict is a point at which he / she can turn to.
derStandard.at: how to reduce the natural tensions?
Ötsch: Here, a systemic approach can be helpful. Conflicts usually run from very personal: I am annoyed by someone. In the systemic approach can reduce the personal involvement. In every company there are systemic differences, such as between departments or functions. That a conflict occurs, the normal case.
derStandard.at: On what executives need to make?
Ötsch: A danger is to think of conflicts purely objective. Whether there is a conflict or not, so sometimes a perception problem. It is always about interpretation. Managers should have the ability to listen to weak signals. A pulsating conflict can not go in the direction of withdrawal or refusal of work. The task of a manager should be to recognize that. The question that but many employees: Can I say that my boss at all?
derStandard.at: What is a healthy culture of communication is important?
Ötsch: One aspect is the creativity in an organization: what makes creative team, which is not creative team? Creativity, which refers to factual issues such as new products, technologies or forms of distribution demands a good internal communication within the team. That is, a creative result has to do with a good deal with differences and conflicts. One aspect to which I have written a book with a colleague: what role for dominance and subordination in everyday life of a company? It's about verbal and nonverbal forms of communication, how to over-or under orders.
derStandard.at: What issues must be considered in the management of creative teams?
Ötsch: In the creative phase of a particular kind of leadership required. The manager should have the ability to send signals here is not very strong dominance. On the one hand, lead them to other, should not be too dominant. For example, if presented to someone an idea and the response is: "You and your strange proposals", the person in the future, do not express any creative thoughts more This is a question of dealing, of course, is also industry-specific case of routine processes do I need a little room.. . for creativity, in other cases may be the key competitive advantage derStandard.at
. What is critical to good self-management
Ötsch: An important point is a knowledge of the variability of social perception, how different can be perceived social facts. Interesting here are the pictures and mental models that people draw on social events. A good leader knows that mental models are different and the same time (for themselves and others) are changeable. Everyone lives in a way, (even) in his subjective reality. This is of course the appearance of conflict is a decisive point.
is in this context, the vision, goal and value orientation of employees. The untapped potential of many employees is extremely high. What future images may provide the leadership and how to inspire employees to the objectives? This is not to fade business models, but the outline of visions that are lived. Of course, the only relevant to certain parts of the staff, for others it may be dysfunctional.
derStandard.at: Which part of this is relevant?
Ötsch: For the part of the workforce, which is defined as internal service providers, as key workers. The focus is on the qualified personnel. Those involving the actual value for the company. (Mark Oliver, derStandard.at, 21/02/2011)
ÖTSCHER WALTER (born 1950) works as a university professor at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. He is director of the Center for Social and intercultural competence, director of the Institute for the overall analysis of the economy at the Institute of Economics, trainer and coach in the Linz Academy of NLP.
He is the author of numerous publications, recently published the book "The Myth of Market - Market radical propaganda and economic theory."
Source: Interview with Walter
Ötsch
by Mark Oliver Jürgen Schiefer: "A graduate of packaged". derStandard.at In an interview with the FH-graduate explains what he wants to achieve with it.
***
derStandard.at: How many operators in Austria-service training?
slate: There are over 300,000 people each year to train part-time in some form. Whether through courses, seminars or university.
slate: It was intended as a guide, because the issue affects many people. Many lack the experience, which comes to you and how to organize to the time to get a grip. During my studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Wiener Neustadt I've noticed that many have dropped in the first two or three months. And because of the same causes. derStandard.at: What are your opinion are the barriers to entry?
slate: The first is the lack of preparation. Instead of simply naive to jump into cold water, it is important to take the job Vorkehrmaßnahmen. For example, proactive work by not one has at the beginning of a continuing backlog of work in the office. This allows the new experiences of her professional side tackle relaxed.
derStandard.at: What should Note in regard to interaction with the employer?
slate: I strongly believe in open cards. You should first look for the conversation with the boss and ask how he / she is generally on the subject of in-service training of staff. As you can see quickly whether there is a positive or negative access. Should be the setting contra, one must look holding that the employer which is affected as little as possible. Of course, it is difficult if the employer does not cooperate.
derStandard.at: A question of leave and compensatory time?
slate: Through a part-time study is one very snowed under with work. As expected employer is natural that the performance of the employee does not suffer. In January and June, then stop extreme test phases when compensatory time or vacation must be consumed. This may even collide with the interests of the employer, there is some understanding very valuable.
derStandard.at: How were you supported?
Slate: The company has launched an advocacy letter, that I may be ever made to the university. That was a prerequisite. But basically you have to be equally good if not better, so you do not come into disrepute, that decreases due to the continuing work performance.
derStandard.at: cite in your book is a study that found 45 percent of employers reward the completion of a job training with a salary increase, 40 percent of companies offer the graduates a better position. How many are involved in the cost?
slate: About 50 percent of the companies also participate in the cost, because that means an incredible enrichment of knowledge.
derStandard.at: What criteria must be met in order for companies to participate in the cost of training?
slate: you like to participate, if they look out for savings and inflow of know-how. Just in the industry is one the whole very positive about living of innovations. And ideas for you can get good at the university. Such employees are incredibly valuable.
derStandard.at: What guarantees can require companies that employees do not support them financially after the training an exit?
Slate: When companies engage their employees financially, in their arms, then there are usually commitments. Often, for a period of three years. Announces in front of it, aliquot must repay a portion of the money. This is a fair model for all involved. derStandard.at
: you only have certain resources available. As you share the one to get everything under one roof?
Slate: It is important that, despite those two things take a very long time, at least one day a week, free picks, in order to deal with things one likes and be able to just get energy. Thus, a training often takes up to four years and not one that holds out, if you do not even deals with other matters. An important factor is energy, for example, sleep. Elementary points are for me and sports nutrition.
derStandard.at: Is there an ideal model in terms of learning stages?
slate: This is individual. The important thing is to look at the power curve. Basically, it starts at 7 or 8 clock to rise in the morning, by noon the high point and then begins to decline and has about 15.00 or 16.00 clock their lowest point. In the evening, it begins to rise again achieved, but not the level it had in the morning. The clock increases from 17.00 to about 21.00 clock and then goes downhill again. If it can be divided, it would be ideal to learn in this high phase of the power curve.
derStandard.at: What are the promotion possibilities?
slate: Because there are so many possibilities. Ranging from education through scholarships to leave. In a fall FH course as far as the tuition fees of any other costs.
derStandard.at: your recommendation in terms of thesis?
slate: Ideally, one linking the letter to a concrete benefit. This is not necessarily the financial aspect to the fore, but to seek the cooperation with your own or another company to explore a bit. As a result, there are often useful contacts or great job opportunities. Ideally, we obtain for the work also a payment. (Om, derStandard.at, 02/24/2011)
*** 
derStandard.at: Your book is a very personal guide, a quasi Review. What is the intention to pursue it? 
seemingly reputable companies turn out to be duds, Geldvernichter, Chaos troops. "Ashamed" According to a survey, 50 percent of German workers for their company. 