Prompt 1:

With respect to conflict styles, what were your scores for each of the five conflict styles dimensions -
(Accommodating, Compromising, Integrating, Avoiding, and Dominating)? Do you agree with this
assessment? Why or why not?

My highest score was avoiding at 6 points and the second highest was my accommodating score with
5.83 points. Integrating was the next closest with a score of 5.6 and the compromising score was second
to last with 4.43. Lastly, I scored 3 points in the dominating category. I think this scoring is accurate in
the current conditions with my job. It is not uncommon in the food or service industry to be both
underpaid and over worked. I find myself in a similar situation and as such actively avoid conflict in my
current role. Additionally, as a more people-oriented employee I do not find it surprising that
accommodating was my second highest conflict style. The domination score being the lowest was
accurate as I recall that dominating was the lowest for my DISC scale in the module for last week. While
these two assessments are measuring different answers I do think that I am not a dominating type of
person.

Prompt 2:

Provide an example from your own life of your experience with each of these styles of conflict (either
using the style yourself or as employed by someone else in a conflict situation).

Avoiding conflict can be an easier option for reducing conflict in your life, although I do not know if it
should be recommended. Usually, I avoid conflict by physically moving away from a scenario that seems
intense or where two people are discussing their conflicting opinions. If conflict is unavoidable, then I
tend to be accommodating to reform the conflict into a positive experience. If a coworker has expressed
interest in working the position I am working then I will allow them to switch positions with me. I do this
to improve relationships with my coworkers and to ensure that the next time I express my needs my
coworkers will be more likely to accommodate them. I believe I am integrating when I bargain to
combine my two ten-minute breaks into one twenty-minute break. When a shift supervisor needs to
send someone on a ten-minute break, it can be an extensive process because the position of the person
who is taking the break needs to be covered. Thus, allowing me to combine my breaks means that the
floor does not have to be redelegated multiple times nor do I run the risk of my shift supervisor
forgetting my last ten-minute break. I use compromising most with my spouse and we both often make
sacrifices for the other. For example, if my husband would like to go out shopping at multiple stores but
I feel that I do not have the energy then we will compromise with going to a smaller number of stores
today and some stores tomorrow. Dominating is not an often-used skill in my repertoire and as such I
believe one of my supervisors is better at this skill. If he does not agree with what you are saying he will
shut the conversation down. He uses a strict tone and short sentences to emphasis how “done” he is
with the conversation or conflict.
Prompt 3:

Discuss one thing that works well about your preferred conflict style; in other words, what is one
advantage for you about it? Discuss one disadvantage you’ve found in using your preferred conflict
style. Finally, what is one specific way you could improve your general approach to conflict?

One major advantage of avoiding conflict is that you are involved in less drama from the workplace
which allows you to have less stress. The primary reason I avoid conflict is to assure that I have a good
relationship with my coworkers and peers. Avoiding conflict can have negative consequences like having
a lesser developed skill of handling conflict and you can still agitate your peers or coworkers by avoiding
choosing sides. I think one way I could develop my approach to conflict better would be to become more
involved with conflict and begin developing better skills to handle various situations. I know that the
dominating style of conflict is my weakest conflict skill and I need to focus on becoming bolder with my
approaches to my goals.

Prompt 4:

According to the leadership style self-assessment, what was your Hersey-Blanchard leadership style
(Telling, Selling, Participating, Delegating)? Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?

I had both high relationship and task behaviors which made my leadership style the selling style. This
style is primarily for followers who may be unable to perform tasks but are willing and confident in their
abilities to learn to do so. I think it makes sense that I use the selling style because I primarily lead as a
trainer rather than a supervisor. As such, the people I am leading will be inexperienced but willing to
learn their new job as a barista. Once I receive more leading experience I would like to develop a more
delegative style of leadership to allow my followers room to grow as opposed to over explaining
everything to them.

Prompt 5: Provide examples from your own life where you experienced each of the leadership style--
related behaviors (telling, selling, participating, and delegating).

One of my supervisors primarily operates in the telling leadership style-related behavior. For example,
he will instruct you to do something and then follow behind you closely to ensure that you are doing
what he wants exactly as he commands. This method does not go over well with most of the employees
and as such most employees do not enjoy working with him. I primarily use the selling style behaviors
where I deliberately explain why I am requesting something of you as to give you more input and
reasoning behind my decisions. I think this is a more respectful form of leadership that shows that it is
imperative for you to be involved with the decisions that affect you. The participating leadership style
related behavior reminds me of the yearly meeting we have prior to winter launch. In this larger style of
meeting there is plenty of opportunity for the floor to be opened up so anyone can ask questions. This
sharing of ideas and inclusion of information is a rare occurrence at my current occupation. One of my
more senior coworkers uses a delegating style. She has been working at this location for over 7 years
and as such has a great routine going. As someone who works with her I am allowed more freedom on
her shifts as I know what is expected of me. If there is ever a problem she is there to solve the issue as
soon as she can.

Prompt 6:

Review the information regarding Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development model. Contrast Hersey-
Blanchard leadership style with the various stages of team development. Do you see a connection?
Discuss team leadership behaviors that you think would be applicable to each of Tuckman’s stages of
team development.

In the forming part of Tuckman’s stages of team development, the team’s initial insecurities exhibit that
they are unwilling, unable, and not confident to perform the task of becoming a team. Thus, the leader
will need to utilize the telling style of leadership behavior to set the members in a forward direction. The
next phase is the storming phase in which members are gaining more confidence with how the group
works but there are still many issues. I think the best leadership style for the storming phase would be
the participating style where ideas are shared freely amongst the group. The norming phase is where
work begins to flow well and mistakes are happening less frequently. This could be a time to use the
selling style of leadership but one would have to be careful that the explanations they are giving aren’t
overbearing nor annoying to the rest of the group. Lastly, I believe the delegating style of leadership is
the most useful for the performing stage as the group is now functioning at their best stage. If the leader
is too obtrusive during the performing stage then the group may revert to the storming phase. While
there isn’t a fifth style to accompany the adjourning phase, I think this would be a good place for the
leader to reevaluate how they used their skills in each part of the groups formation and if there is
something different they should do next time.

Prompt 7:

With respect to the LMX instrument, what were your scores on each of the dimensions (Linking, Loyalty,
Contribution, Professional Respect)? Based on these results, what transformational leadership
behaviors do you exhibit (or have you experienced in a leader/follower relationship) that you believe are
most relevant with respect to someone who seeks to be an effective transformational leader?

My liking and loyalty factors were both high scores at 8 points. My professional respect factor was at an
average of 5 while my lowest was the contribution factor with a score of 4 points. I believe that the
transformational skills that I am utilizing in this instance would be my charisma and my consideration for
individuals. I believe this is accurate as empathy and people-oriented tasks are both skills I am proficient
in. I think that both skills help foster trust between leader and followers which is an instrumental
portion of using transformational leadership. I do not have a lot of experience using inspirational
motivation nor storytelling as a method to inspire and I believe both to be instrumental to
transformational leaders.