Conflicts are creative decision-making

Many different types of conflict can exist, and although it’s not always a bad thing (e.g., conflict can spur social change and innovation!), people tend to have a negative view of conflict that happens in groups. Koestler’s argument that “all creativity involves bringing disparate trains of thought together” supports the idea that even a constructive process like “decision-making” involves some conflict (i.e., choosing between options, weighing them, making an assessment of what’s best – all when people are bound to disagree; and being forced to be creative to come to a solution).

Using examples (either from personal group experience or public viewing) to illustrate your arguments, align the 5 “categories” of group decision-making options (pp. 401-403 its from the readings attached down below) to the conflict styles/approaches they best match. As you do this comparison, make note of the perks/drawbacks of the categories when they do involve conflict and when they don’t.

Make sure to account for how conflicts can be affected by different leadership styles/approaches, different approaches to handling it, and people’s different styles of managing it. Remember to incorporate the role creativity plays in these processes (i.e., conflict and decision-making).

5 categories of group decision-making are

1:“A plop.”

2: Delegation to an expert.4:

3: Averaging.

4: Voting.

5: Consensus.