Power Struggles In The Workplace

USING PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TO RESOLVE POWER STRUGGLES WITHIN HEALTH CARE SETTINGS.

Abstract.

Human beings are competitive and aggressive by nature. Competitiveness and aggressiveness can assume various forms including bullying, sabotage, and passive aggressiveness to downright fighting if not addressed in time. In a health care setting, the consequences could be dire. Most of the power struggles that occur in the health care setting can be traced to poor communication, lack of understanding, poor job descriptions and poor leadership. In the modern work environment where everyone is empowered, effective management of conflict is necessary to resolve inherent power struggles. Training to avoid power struggles

Neath and Shriner (1998) identified two types of power that are central to power struggles: power-over and personal power. Participants in power over struggles try to dominate each other. In the medical drama comedy scrubs, Dr. Kelso and Dr. Perry Cox were locked in a perpetual power over struggle with either trying to up the other in the power pyramid in the hospital.

In one instance where a patient comes into the hospital with a bulb lodged in the rectum, the participants engage in a personal power struggle to determine who will be able to help the patient and win the accolades for a job well done. As they try to figure out how to go about it, the janitor points out the physics behind the structure of the bulb and Dr. Kelso, Dr. Cox and Dr. Turk all try to recruit him into their team. At the end the resolve to work together and get the bulb out and when the patient comes out surgery, they all go to the patient to get their thank you only to find that Dr. Kelso one-upped them and he got the thank you instead. The consensus they had built goes back to a power over struggle with Dr. Kelso. The distinction between personal power and power over struggles can easily change when if the conflict escalates and intimidation is

It is the responsibility of everyone working in a health care environment to make it a batter place for others to work in. This can be attained through:

• Communication

• Conflict management

• Consensus building

• Negotiation

Conflict management can be addressed by collaboration on projects as the fictional team from Scrubs did in the episode described above. Proper and effective communication is also key in diffusing a we-they situation that is likely to develop among the various cadres of employees working hospitals.

Ultimately, leadership is essential in resolving power struggles. Effective leaders understand that their jobs are not merely to “fix things” but rather to equip others to creatively manage their own conflicts and thus develop their skills (Porter O’Grady; 2004).

References

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2. Morasky, Robert L. "NADD Bulletin Volume IX Number 5 Article 2." NADD. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

3. French J and Raven B: The Bases of Social Power. In D Cartwright Ed Studies In Social Power. Ann Arbor University of Michigan,