Question

What are the major issues that are the basis for most of the organizational power struggles within health care facilities? Propose a method that a health care facility could use to alleviate power imbalances within the organization?

Answer 1

A. Major issues basis for organizational power struggles:

Power imbalance

Male boss vs female colleagues

Female boss vs female colleagues

New employees vs experienced employees

Modern school colleagues vs old school colleagues

B. Measures to alleviate power Imbalance:

1. Engage in dialogue- conversation is more important

2. Keep in mind that both have a valid separate perspective regardless of power

3. Define conflict as a mutual matter

4. Practice restraint- If you are holding high power position limit your own power rather than using it to gain an upper hand.

5. Focus on interdependence- If you are holding low power position emphasize the interdependence that you and other person have between each other

6. Rely on calm persistence- Careful and thoughtful understanding and planning will likely lead to small but important changes.

7. Stay actively engaged- Never accept to defeatist attitude.

8. Third party intervention

According to Melamed(1999), the mediator can manage the power imbalance ranging from,

No assistance- mediator should do nothing and allow exploitation to occur as Imbalances occur in every day Life.

To equalizing power- mediator will try to equalize the power between the employees by shoring up the weaker and impending the stronger.

To helping both parties- mediator empower the employees equally.

To passionately assisting both parties- mediator should help both participants passionately to be at their personal best, to most capably problem solve and attain the greatest possible satisfaction.