One the thomas kilmann theory conflict workbook

SWlNBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE

When using the ALP it is essential to choose an appropriate experience on which to reflect. The experience should be one that you would like to understand better, for example, there was something about it that you do not totally understand, that intrigues you, that made you realise that you lacked certain managerial skills, or that was problematical or significant for you. When students are excited about learning more about the incident, their papers are lively and interesting. The topic must be meating enough to take it through the entire learning cycle.

Elements of the Action Learning Project (ALP)

An example:

We all sat at the table together. Not a sound came from any of us. Finally, after what felt like an hour to me, I simply had to say something. "Why are all of you taking this course?" I asked. One person, a small foreign looking man said," I need this course to complete my M BA. " Others laughed. Another person, a nicely dressed woman, said, "I'd like to get an easy 'A"". I thought to myself: What a bum mer! I didn't want to be in a group with people who didn't take the subject seriously. When the meeting ended, my perceptions of the group had somehow changed. Maybe this was a good group to be in after all. Some of the members had similar interests to mine, and most of them were nice people that I could see getting along with. I felt

1. In thinking back on the meeting, I began to see how the group might have taken my comments. They were after all, somewhat aggressive. Some may even call them belligerent. Had I said these things before this class, or at work, I must confess I would have surprised even myself.

2. But it seemed that there was more going on here than met my eye at the time. Sarah and Bob at first didn't seem to be the kind of people to combine forces on this job, so why was I arguing against them this time? Then it dawned on me: Their departments were about to be combined into the same division! Why hadn't I remembered that during the meeting?.

Helpful hints: It is sometimes useful to identify theoretical concepts first and then search out and elaborate on an experience that relates to these concepts. A slightly more difficult approach is to reverse the above procedure and search out those concepts that apply to your ‘raw’ experience.

Example

Helpful hints: Project a future experience in which you envision the implementation of your ideas and then elaborate on that experience as a way of demonstrating how your actions will be carried out. Where does this model exist in your life (work, home, school)? Do you need a support system to make it happen? Someone to ‘contract’ with? Try to imagine the final results of your experimentation. What will it be like if you accomplish what you want to do?

Example;

Helpful hints: Decide what one or two main points you wish to convey and make sure that you do. Label each section: Concrete Experience. Reflective Observation. etc. Transitions are important (between sentences. paragraphs. and sections) and make the paper flow. The four sections should be equally well-developed and fairly similar in length.