Tool Box
Issue No. 39 - February/March 2008
How to resolve disputes rationally
by Darryl Gobbett
I love meeting business leaders who have a well-thought-out perspective for their daily operations.
These are people who are really passionate about the ideas and beliefs that form their attitudes.
They inspire this attitude in their employees, the people who underpin an organisation’s overall success - or lack of it.
I have recently been supporting a series of cases involving company restructures and occupational health and safety reviews.
Some of these cases have required alternative dispute resolution assistance in the Workers’ Compensation Tribunal and the Industrial Relations Commission.
This has created an opportunity for me to hear many waiting room ‘venting’ sessions amongst confused and often disgruntled employers.
I have been surprised by the strong ability of some individuals to be irrational, perpetuate negativity and cling to the belief that their problems should not have occurred - that every attempt to change the status quo is worthless and challenging legislation is the only available option - time and again.
When they vent emotions such people reveal frustration, anxiety and tension.
If their attitudes are accepted as valid and justified, the emotional disturbance will continue to perpetuate feelings of negativity by actively supporting their irrational attitude.
An irrational attitude promotes self defeating behaviour and feelings arising from these mistaken ideas and beliefs. Blaming and punishing others for holding contrary views rarely improves a situation. In fact, it often leads to de-motivation, loss of productivity and greater emotional disturbance.
Unpleasant situations can be upsetting, but they don’t become terrible or catastrophic unless we define them that way.
Accepting and supporting an irrational attitude does not prove a problem cannot be solved. Rather, it proves the individual has a negative tendency to magnify the dif...
