| Course | LDR-3050 Foundations of Leadership |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 9 |
| Paper type | Module 9 reflection assignment: managing conflict |
| Length | About 475 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for LDR 3050 Module 9
Avoiding Until It Explodes: My Conflict Style and an Aisle Dispute
Student Name
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, Thomas Edison State University
LDR-3050: Foundations of Leadership
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Avoiding Until It Explodes: My Conflict Style and an Aisle Dispute
My Style
The conflict style questionnaire put me firmly in the avoiding style. I was not surprised. When two people on my shift argue, I tell myself it will blow over, and I stay in the office. Northouse (2020) describes avoiding as a style that is low in concern for oneself and low in concern for others: it can be useful for trivial issues or when emotions need to cool, but used habitually it lets conflicts grow.
The Aisle Dispute
Since I started rotating aisle assignments in Module 8, two selectors, Kevin and Andre, have argued about who gets aisle 14, the frozen section that pays a cold-room differential. For two weeks it was a disagreement about the rotation. Then Kevin said something about Andre's pick rate in front of the crew, Andre answered with something worse, and suddenly they were not speaking. I had avoided it until it exploded.
Two Kinds of Conflict
The chapter distinguishes conflicts over content, such as goals, procedures or resources, from relational conflicts about how people treat each other. De Dreu and Weingart (2003) pooled many studies and found that conflict, whether about the work or about people, came with weaker team results and lower morale, the personal kind most of all for satisfaction. My avoidance let a resolvable task conflict about the rotation become a relationship conflict that is much harder to fix.
Interests, Not Positions
Fisher et al. (2011) recommend separating the people from the problem and focusing on interests rather than positions. I met with Kevin and Andre separately first. Kevin's position was that he should get aisle 14 more often because he is faster in the cold. His interest turned out to be the differential pay, because his rent went up. Andre's position was that the rotation should be strictly equal. His interest was fairness; he felt the veterans always got the good assignments. Once the interests were clear, an option appeared: keep the equal rotation for aisle 14, but give Kevin first choice of overtime in the cold room, which pays the same differential. Andre agreed, because the rotation stayed fair.
Repairing the Relationship
The task conflict was solved; the relationship was not. I met with both of them together, set ground rules and asked each to say what had bothered them about the other's comment. It was awkward, but they agreed not to comment on each other's rates in front of the crew, and I agreed to address any disagreement about assignments within a week.
Conclusion
Avoiding conflict felt like keeping the peace, but it turned a disagreement about a rotation into a rift between two people. I will set a rule for myself: any conflict about work that lasts more than a week gets a conversation, starting with each person's interests.
References
De Dreu, C. K. W., & Weingart, L. R. (2003). Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), 741-749. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.4.741
Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in (3rd ed.). Penguin.
Northouse, P. G. (2020). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). Sage.
Reading the LDR 3050 Module 9 assignment instructions
The Module 9 reflection asks how leaders understand and manage conflict. Expect to complete the conflict style questionnaire, describe a real conflict you faced or observed, identify whether it was about content or relationships and explain how you handled it or would handle it differently. Bring in research on how conflict affects teams and on negotiation methods such as focusing on interests rather than positions. A reflection that shows a conflict changing over time, and the leader's part in that change, will be stronger than one that describes a single argument. Change names and details as needed to protect the people involved, and keep the focus on your role in how the conflict developed.
How the LDR 3050 Module 9 example is put together
The reflection opens with the writer's avoiding style and its typical use. It describes a dispute that grew while the writer stayed away. A section separates task conflict from relationship conflict and draws on a meta-analysis to explain why the change mattered. A section applies principled negotiation, identifying each selector's position and interest and finding an option that met both. A section addresses repairing the relationship, and the conclusion sets a personal rule for future conflicts. The writer's account of meeting the two selectors separately, then together, shows the practical steps of principled negotiation. The reflection separates the two stages of the dispute, the rotation disagreement and the personal falling-out, which makes the analysis of conflict types precise.
Where the marks sit in the LDR 3050 Module 9 rubric
The conflict reflection is graded on correct use of conflict types and styles, honest analysis of the writer's role, research support and a sound approach to resolution. Reflections that distinguish task from relationship conflict, and show how one can turn into the other, demonstrate depth. Applying negotiation principles to a real conflict, with specific positions and interests, shows practical skill. A personal rule for the future demonstrates that the writer will apply what was learned beyond this one dispute. Separating the people from the problem, as the negotiation literature advises, and showing it in action, earns credit for application. A personal rule for future conflicts shows the lesson will last beyond one dispute.
LDR 3050 Module 9 help from the desk
Students lose points by describing a conflict without analyzing it, by reporting a style without discussing its effects or by presenting a resolution that simply splits the difference. Others leave out the relationship side of the conflict. Name the type of conflict. Explain how your style shaped what happened. Identify each party's interests. Address the relationship as well as the issue, and state what you will do next time. Explain what you would do differently next time, not only what happened. Address the relationship as well as the task, since a solved problem can still leave two people not speaking. A free first sample on your own LDR-3050 Module 9 reflection is available on request.
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LDR 3050 Module 9 questions, answered
Where can I find a free LDR 3050 Module 9 sample paper?
Kevin and Andre's dispute over the frozen aisle, resolved through interests, is worked through above.
What are the main conflict styles?
Avoiding, competing, accommodating, compromising and collaborating, varying in concern for self and others.
What is the difference between task and relationship conflict?
Task conflict concerns the work, such as goals or resources; relationship conflict concerns how people treat each other.
What does focusing on interests mean?
Looking past the positions people state to the needs and concerns behind them, which often allows new options.
Is avoiding conflict always wrong?
No. It can help for trivial issues or cooling off, but habitual avoidance lets conflicts grow.