Human Story...conflict!!

The anthropological history is marked by the story of the wars, struggle........ which are the manifestations of the CONFLICT. Conflict is defined as the “expressed struggle”

between the independent parties who perceive incompatibility goals, scarce resources &

interference as impediment to achievement of their goals. Conflict always involves perceptions. The two sides may perceive their goals, resources & interference incompatible to the other. Its just not that Conflict exists only at the individual level but it is also present at the level of the nations-states.

The important part emphasized in the definition of CONFLICT is “expressed struggle”, i.e. where the parties come out in open regarding their differences of opinion & perceptions. Thus, the disturbing element in any conflict is the way the three options of way out are exercised i.e. Flight, Fight & Unite. Sometimes the conflicting sides may simply avoid the conflict i.e. may skirt the very issue of the conflict & go on denying the fact that they have difference in the perceptions. Sometimes the two sides enter into the blaming game where instead of working out the conflicting strands they start blaming each other……thus, curtailing the road ahead. From the fourth quadrant existence, the win-win position, people digress to the lower quadrants through adoption of the win-lose mindset.  

Conflict is inducted in the defensive laboratory which is characterized by the presence of 

the environment constituted by evaluative mode i.e. where people are constantly judging

& criticizing other group members. It is when people start imposing their will over the others, when they start using hidden agendas, demonstrate indifference & lack of commitment or express dominance that the CONFLICT starts brewing up……

The omnipresence of CONFLICT over time & ages has given us the legacy of the bloodiest chapters…..described by the lives lost. The story doesn’t change much when the battleground becomes the boardrooms of the organizations. The conflict within the organization can really hit it hard on the very foundations on which it is founded. The great management guru, Peter F Drucker, defined “organization” as the instrument of human ingenuity which is marked by the presence of people working together for a commonly defined vision & mission. In the conflicting environment this becomes impossible to foster…… this can very easily nail down the organization in this ever changing & competitive business environs.     

So, as Arjuna says to lord Krishna in GITA…..

“Mind is very restless, forceful & strong, o Krishna, it is more difficult to control mind then to control to control the wind”,

Organizations  too need to evolve from their present cocoon stage and spread their wings in the supportive horizons. Only when they evolve into a culture of spontaneity, empathy, equality & provisionalism, that they can survive & continue to spread the prosperity around…….