Conflict - Inside Prison

Abstract

Research on conflict is vast, yet today humanity faces a constant battle delineating ideologies amongst various groups of people. In this piece of writing, I will discuss areas that have affected my ability to manage others and myself effectively in the professional and personal context. I will support this research with literature on conflict theories and conflict management strategies, selectively exploring areas that have expanded my practice and understanding of:

• Functional conflict – where parties wish to obtain the same goal but use distinct methods.

• Dysfunctional conflict - negative interaction that hinders achievement of goals.

• Interpersonal conflict - confrontation between two or more members of a team usually due to a difference in opinion, misunderstanding, suppressed emotions or a clash in personalities.

• Intragroup conflict - dispute that occurs between group members and leader due to incompatibilities or disagreements.

• Intrarole conflict - when expectations are not met of the role, person or tasks.

• Intrapersonal conflict - an ongoing psychological dispute within the self due to tasks and roles that do not match expertise, interests, goals or values.

• Structural conflict - where two departments clash due to differences in ideologies.

Bringing academic words and personal thoughts together for this auto-ethnography has been far more challenging than expected. Nevertheless it has been worth pursuing to understand others and myself in managing conflict effectively.

Introduction

For the past nine years, I have worked as an educator within the leisure, complementary and beauty therapy industries. I now teach beauty therapy within offender education for women.

Conflict is an inevitable aspect of life (Alexander, 1958; Kaushal and Kwantes, 2006). Manifestations of conflict create opportunities for understanding people at a deeper level and inevitably affect individual behaviour (Rahim, 2001). If a conflicting situation is not managed appropriately, it can spiral out of control (Ramsey, 2005). Consciousness, vision and self-development are an important aspect of effective leadership skills (Crawford, 2014; Bush, 2003) therefore managing conflict helps us to approach future conflicts innovatively. When managing professional and personal disputes, on more than one occasion I have used confrontational and avoidance strategies. Richardson (1995) suggests that any avoidance natured orientation is often manifested through non-assertive and uncooperative behaviour. This undesirable approach has sadly affected my ability in building trusting relationships with others. My approach in managing conflict has much room for improvement, so for this reason I have been inspired to explore the field of conflict in depth.

I am employed within the UK penal education system to teach various subjects and training skills for offenders. This aligns with the government rehabilitative culture for reducing reoffending.

Amongst a hierarchy of individuals, it is inevitable that conflicts will arise. Functional conflicts between departments in the pursuit of simultaneous goals, however, are an avenue for innovation and change (Rahim, 2001; Donnelly et al., 2012). There is always a way to resolve a problem no matter how difficult it may seem at the time (Ramsbotham, 2011). Understanding my own tolerance levels has given me the ability to challenge my ethics, attitudes and beliefs in order to manage my own intrapersonal (internal) conflict appropriately. Conflict management and leadership are fundamentally concerned with the wellbeing of others (Adair, 2010). Despite how uncomfortable conflict can be, it is important to engage with colleagues and share experiences, no matter how much change threatens us (Bochner, 1997).

What is conflict?

"Society is in a perpetual state of conflict for domination, power and control." Karl Marx

Conflict transpires for various reasons, usually as a result of several unresolved issues (Kaushal and Kwante, 2006). It is not however, solely a result of incompatibilities (Proksch, 2016). Baron (1990) suggests that tension will usually exceed a threshold level of intensity before the individuals notice the proclivity for disagreements.

My personal experiences of conflict have occurred due to lack of awareness of my own capabilities (Saraswati, 1981; Goenka, 1988). How is it then possible to remain professional when facing a provocative situation? Danish philosopher Kierkegaard said that, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”

It is upon reflection that I hope I have become objective enough to deal with future issues as they arise. The intrapersonal conflict within us may convolute our ability to manage our emotions (Goleman, 1996) and set appropriate moral standards (Hasson, 2014). In order to achieve an equanimous state of mind one must be patient with one self, as change does occur eventually (Goenka, 1988).

Proksch (2016) suggests that conflict is an interactive process manifested through incompatibility, disagreement or dissonance within or between social entities or individuals. Donnelly et al., (2012) argue that conflict gives opportunity for change and innovation. Nay (2010) proposed that in being conscious of our anger arousal we lean towards change and conflict solution. Spurr (2017) indicates that conflict resolution is an essential focus for encouraging positive change within the prison environment. On the contrary, Rahim (2001) argues that we should not be aiming at conflict resolution, as this involves reduction and termination of conflict, suggesting that we should use conflict management without avoiding the issues as they arise.

If we learn how to harmoniously create strategies for spontaneous conflict, we allow ourselves the capacity to enhance the way in which we approach dissonace (Adair, 2010). As a result, we are more likely to create positive waves of engagement working in harmony with others.

Despite the vast research in psychology and philosophy reviewing the fundamental reasons for conflict, it is fair to say we are bound by the internal conflict within ourselves (Saraswati, 1981). By suppressing the deep-rooted issues within, we inevitably affect our ability to find pragmatic solutions, burdening ourselves with greater aversion (Burr, 1995; Goenka, 2012, 2016; Freud, 1997; Krishnamurti, 1973; Murphy, 1966; Peterson, 2018). It is in continuous effort towards positive change that we incrementally improve relationships with others (Drucker, 2014).

Functional conflict

“An organisation that is bureaucratic and slow to change is likely to be a casualty of creative destruction.” Maciariello

Functional conflict works in favour of a team’s productivity (Donnelly et al., 2012) and means that two departments agree on the goal, yet not quite on the means to achieve it.

I experienced functional conflict during the first week of my time in prison as a teacher. My job was to set up a commercial beauty salon to operate as a service to prisoners.

In theory, this was a fantastic idea, however an unrealistic immediate expectation for two main reasons. Firstly, learners would need to obtain the relevant skills and secondly they would need to be competent enough to carry out the salon duties.

Within nine months I managed to train and open a student salon which I operated as a 4 week trial period. The commercial salon was a great success and clients (prisoners and staff members) were very impressed with the standards of the trainee therapists. Unfortunately, soon after, I was notified that the prison senior staff did not want a commercial salon for the next eight months without giving me a reason for this sudden change.

Naturally, the learners and I were disappointed. Running a commercial salon had given these women a real life experience of demonstrating their customer service and client care skills in a positive way. To be honest, unconsciously, I felt rather undermined and mislead by the prison leadership department.

Patience, persistence and effective communication are essential to any successful relationship. Loss of the salon caused a sullen loss of motivation towards the powers that be.

As a yoga and meditation practitioner, during the 8 months without permission to run the salon I wanted to redirect my team morale and share methods that I use to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. In the prison sector, for safety and accountability reasons, any new schema or idea requires written permission for higher powers. This goes through a process which then has to be granted by leadership department before one can engage prisoners into activities.

Unfortunately, my proposal to conduct official yoga and meditation sessions during this period was declined. Despite the disappointing news, my line manager suggested that I offer the meditative aspect as part of my teaching plan in class.

Negotiation is a functional aspect of departmental growth and demonstrates that one has to be willing to take the risk of being rejected and scrutinised. Burr (1995) suggests that as humans we have a greater responsibility to think, argue and make up our own minds to defend the perspectives through understanding, knowledge, reality and truth. When we learn to compromise we develop stronger concepts and improved strategies for change (Proksch, 2016).

Dysfunctional conflict

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

In order to resolve a conflict, one has to recognise that a problem is present in the first place (Rahim, 2001; Tolle, 2005). On several occasions my attempts to problem solve seemed to cause greater conflict between learners. Simultaneously a clash in personality between a colleague and I added to the frustrations of the working environment. Ramsey (2005) explains that when issues are bypassed they create undulant temperaments, negativity, irritability and eventually resentment. Donnelly et al., (2012) give a good example of dysfunctional conflict enhancing confrontational attributes and subsequently hindering group or company productivity.

Negative behaviour is harmful and causes a great deal of stress affecting health and wellbeing in the process (Burr, 1995). Donnelly et al., (2012) also suggests that it is management’s duty to eliminate such dysfunctional conflict. In contrast, Proksch (2016) claims that senior staff expect their employees to manage their own disputes using principles of negotiation or mediation if necessary.

Despite feeling overwhelmed with stress and expectations of management solving my issues, I recognised that it was not fair to expect senior staff to deal with dysfunctional conflict, except on a mediation basis. Being willing to confront the uncomfortable feelings by communicating and listening helped to resolves matters, although it did not seem like this at the time. Conflicts of values display a clash of principles, therefore when each party is only concerned for the self; it is reflective in behaviour and the approach to each other (Rahim, 2001). Avoidance also raises tension and creates relationship conflict meaning greater frustration, fear, envy, unfulfilled expectations and a repeat of misunderstandings. This is why it is also important to learn to look at how one’s own fear comes to the surface (Krishnamurti, 1973). Goenka (2016) explains that when we are aware of our temperaments, we are less likely to respond irritably, this change begins at a deeper level within the self. I found that in order to heal any tarnished relationships I needed to be truthful in accepting my own faults.

Interpersonal conflict

“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Lady Dorothy Nevill

During my first four weeks of employment with the prison service I was caught up in an unexpected whirlwind of interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict (Donahue, 1992) also known as ‘affective conflict’ (Rahim, 2001), ‘relationship conflict’ (Canary et al., 1995) and ‘emotional conflict’ (Ruz and Tudela, 2010) occur as a result of two parties reflecting a difference in belief, morals and values (Rahim, 2001).

Personality clashes are usually a combination of factors that build up over time inevitably transitioning behaviour (Nay, 2010). Interpersonal conflict that is avoided or not dealt with accordingly has the propensity to amplify negative interactions between the parties involved (Ramsey, 2005). Proksch (2016) gives a good example of conflict resolution being an essential part of developing individuals as it creates opportunity for innovation and change if managed appropriately. Conflicts arise when a factual problem is further complicated due to a relationship problem also referred to as a ‘strained situation’ (Proksch, 2016). Ramsbotham (2011) suggests that one should not attempt to repair a problem by denying or avoiding it, as this can become insidiously detrimental to all parties involved. Naturally I felt both apprehensive and excited about starting my new role. I manage my own department in beauty therapy and share the building facilities with one other tutor who teaches hairdressing.

Challenges I faced with learners initially required some moral support. Behaviour management has seldom been an issue throughout any of my previous roles but, when presented with this issue, I found that I became rather overwhelmed and struggled to obtain any order within the classroom. Simultaneously, I began to feel devalued with a sense of defeat. Being so close to a situation means less room for rationale (Russell and Sorrolla 2013), therefore maintaining balance within myself was of greater importance when engaging with those displaying animosity and hostility towards me. On several occasions, I had to remind myself that negative feelings are temporary (Goenka, 1988).

On more than one occasion, I found this particular colleague's response to be abrupt and unnecessary. However, I noticed her abruptness was part of her personality on observing her interactions with others. The increase in tension and my unconscious building of resentment, began making the salon environment feel. uncomfortable. Sharing a building began to feel like a chore.

I realised that I had not set any boundaries with Sarah and attempted at confronting the issue to convey my concerns. I took the affirmative nodding and “yes, yes” reply as a sign of understanding. Although weeks later the tension came to a halt through a heated verbal exchange. Our communication simply lacked professionalism without empathy for one another’s feelings and we used vague references telling each other how to behave. Maxwell (2004) indicates that learning to see things from the perspective of others helps us to succeed in our own relationships. Russell and Sorrolla (2013) highlight that when individuals do not directly address the issue, it is inevitable that tensions will rise and feelings of anger and disgust exaggerate objectives whilst encouraging aggressive behaviour.

It was apparent that our ethical views and strategies to implement professionalism were distinguishable. Donahue (2001) suggests that confrontation can help a relationship, if both parties can see it grow and prosper, however can work against one, if the opposing person wants to destroy it. I did not know where I stood with my colleague and by now had too many doubts whilst becoming bitter and dismissive in my communication with her.

Saraswati (1981) explains that by showing compassion, empathy and respect for others and ourselves, we may introduce a pragmatic, yet subtle change. Post this disagreement, my offer to work together with Sarah had been rejected, claiming she was too busy to collaborate groups.

When we feel rejection, it is important to observe the feelings instead of acting negatively (Hasson, 2014). Feeling devalued can cause one to become provocative and even resentful (Maxwell, 2004) however, this achieves no positive outcome and uses up valuable time in the process.

Proksch (2016) suggests that chronic unresolved conflicts cause 90% of dismissal in the workplace and 50% employee resignation. In the past I have usually chosen to resign (or been sacked) due to a cognitive dissonance planted in my mind. On this occasion however, I was not prepared to quit and was willing to diligently work through the temporary discomfort of reaching a consensus.

Saraswati (1981) suggests that the more we expect, the less we receive. Although this is not easy to accept at times, putting aside expectations of other professionals would be a pragmatic start to setting boundaries. As humans we have to learn to adapt and work together as order does not simply exist, but has to be produced in order to shape the circumstance appropriately (De Botton, 2000). I later suggested a monthly team building session to which Sarah agreed to participate in. The agreement was to share our own practices to allow both hair and beauty learners the opportunity to explore more about each other’s industries.

Intragroup Conflict

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Intragroup conflict refers to individuals in the same group who disagree with each other and their leader. I have been an educator for nearly a decade now, however that very first cold morning in October encased within the prison walls made me feel like a newly qualified teacher (NQT) again. Despite the enthusiasm displayed by these women to learn beauty therapy, the learners struggled to bond as a team. One afternoon during a group session, a conversation between learners rapidly escalated into an argument. Learner A (serving a 10 year sentence and diagnosed with ADHD) was in tears and learner B (serving an 11 year sentence, no official medical issues known) was furious, claiming she could no longer stand learner A’s behaviour. Feeling I had no control, I called for help and my colleague dashed over as the rage and shouting continued.

My colleague calmly asked the learners ‘how are we going to get passed this ladies?’ She gauged no response with blank expressions from the women. At the time I did not know what to do (or say). In retrospect I was disappointed in myself, as I had failed to support the learners in finding a solution. Later that day, I attempted to discuss the matter with Sarah, who quietly explained that, “This sort of behaviour is a regular occurrence in this environment and their issues are not our problems to fix”.

A conflict of values occurs when there is a greater concern for the self (Rahim, 2001) and personal interest as opposed to factual evidence of events (Proksch, 2016). I went home that evening feeling low, anxious and confused at the expectations of this role in its true capacity of dealing with such intrarole conflict. I was taken back by my colleague’s dispassionate attitude towards the learner’s capacity to resolve this conflict. Furthermore and more importantly, how can anyone continue to work in such a tense hostile environment? As the weeks went by, the conflict continued to spiral further out of control and the atmosphere remained tense amongst the learners as the inappropriate conversations amplified. I had even less control over the dynamics of the group, to which eventually I found myself face to face with an angry learner who blamed me for all the commotion. Lessons started to become disruptive and the learners did not want to engage in any activities that I had planned. I began finding my colleague less approachable and accepted that any advice from her would be of no use as her assistance or use to me. I was becoming resentful of her, the offenders and myself.

Peterson (2018) suggests that weakness expands and fills the spaces to allow for tyranny to exist. At the end of each week I felt emotionally drained and overwhelmed and as a result I became physically unwell. Was I truly ready for this environment? I have no authority here and there is no respect! How will I ever be heard? With the loss of communication and overstepped boundaries, it seemed impossible to implement any authority, let alone learning. Was this a test for me?

Bush (2003) suggests that leadership requires modification at the height of ambiguity. The following week I returned to work ready to start afresh, prepared to confront the group and reset the boundaries. An hour had passed and there was no sign of any learners. When half of the group turned up they were thrilled to spend their time without the presence of their “feudal” opposition. We spent the morning carrying out one to one tutorials at which each learner sincerely apologised about their behaviour. I later called relevant departments to locate the whereabouts of the absentees, but heard nothing back. It later transpired that they had conjured up an excuse to their wing leaders to dropout out off the course, claiming that they felt a threat to their lives. A week went by and none of the authorities had got back to me regarding the absenteeism.

As this combination of dysfunctional, intragroup and intrarole conflict was evidently hindering the achievement of the organisational goals, I needed an alternative strategy. Telephone calls made no impact, however emailing relevant parties gained a substantial response and within a few days the issue was resolved.

Although I had the learners back in class, the atmosphere was ‘icy’, with barely a word spoken by learners throughout the day. Eventually the tension lessened as they accepted they had more in common than not. The ladies worked productively (even better than before). A few weeks later they all successfully completed the qualification. I had already begun the preparations for my new group. Having learned some lessons, this time things will be different.

Intrarole conflict

“You can’t solve your problems with the same thinking that cause them in the first place. Isn’t that wonderful?” Michael Heppell

When commencing my role in the prison service, I was torn between the expectations of others, the job requirements and my choices to go back to work after taking maternity leave. Here the intrarole conflict played an essential part in my personal choices for my future and career.

As an adolescent, my parents and teachers regularly chastised my behaviour; I was mischievous, strong willed and like most teenagers needed guidance. I wanted to do well, but the pressure of cultural expectations and my neurological condition of Tourette's Syndrome festered insecurities. Somehow, this drove me to excel in some areas, however not so much in managing my anxieties. Nihilism created more harm than good, which is one of the key reasons why my teaching style takes a relaxed approach when encouraging others to develop their own conscientiousness. Goenka (2016) suggests that by observing our own behaviours and habit patterns, we can become aware of the true nature of our being, in order to make conscious changes towards a life of compassion, happiness and harmony.

Intrarole conflict looks at how a person can be subjugated to various duties. I play many roles simultaneously in my life and so finding a happy medium can be a challenge. At this point, I was determined to make work for me and not the other way round.

On more than two accounts professional discussions with tutors revealed that they did not feel responsible (or qualified) in offering learners who were suffering with mental health issues any advice.

The negative experiences in this job so far had begun tainting my perceptions of my future within the prison service. I was hesitant to speak to anyone about my fears and I knew this habitual approach was not an effective way to find solutions. Proksch (2016) identifies that inner resignation means one loses the motivation to conduct their duties, as there is a greater need to open up emotionally. The Society for Education and Training (2016) also encourage sharing practice in order build professional relationships. In order to persevere and overcome this dull sunken feeling, I had to be objective, place assumptions aside to allow a transformation to occur (Saraswati, 1981).

Simultaneously, during the course of these events at work, my family and I were forced to vacate our property upon discovering a pest infestation in December. With no pragmatic support from the council, I found myself without a home for 2 weeks. I did however learn a valuable lesson. Chaos and order are two the most fundamental elements at the experiential level, therefore we must change the way in which we perceive social circumstance in order to take action and operate in an evolutionary manner (Peterson, 2018).

Intrapersonal Conflict

“Power belongs to him who knows.” Blavatsky

At the early stages of my career, I did not appreciate the value of sharing experiences with other professionals. My internal conflict and fear of failure drowned thoughts and feelings deep in a well of insecurities. Jung (2014) suggests there are some problems that we cannot solve by ourselves, therefore building relationships is important. Donahue (1992) explains that when expectations are not met, short-fused conflict is a direct defense mechanism towards anxiety, uncertainty and animosity for which we must be accountable. Misunderstandings can become misled grudges.

When the tension in my classroom erupted, I felt overwhelmed and helpless. I allowed the fear of the unknown to affect my ability to damage control immediately (Ramsey, 2005). Conflict is difficult to manage when we are attached emotionally (Saraswati, 1981) and so to manage any conflict effectively, it would have been logical to discuss my concerns with the right people. Goenka (2012) expresses that we must not become complacent and work diligently each day to train our minds to be free from ego and fear of ourselves. Intuitive kindness occurs when we shift consciousness from deep within (Goleman, 1996). Ramsey (2005) suggests that the avoidance strategy is not recommended and conflict must be addressed before leading to greater tension. Rahim (2001) argues however that when handling minor issues, it is ideal to using tacit compromising styles to keep peace at work.

I found my internal conflict began to subside as I made efforts to resolve my own problems dissolving the mental blockages day by day (Freud, 1997).

If we do not deal with our intrapersonal conflict, the same problem will continue to present itself. It is in changing my attitudes, accepting my strengths and choosing to observe my weaknesses that I alleviated myself from various expectations of others. Setting boundaries is really important, re-enforcing boundaries however, takes courage, self-belief and perseverance. Meditation teaches one to observe one’s own feelings and come to terms with the deep-rooted intrapersonal conflict. Negotiation and compromise are recommended tactics in finding a good medium with others. Saraswati (1981) suggests that although conflict may be an obstacle at that moment, it is a form of grace, as without facing these matters we would never be given the opportunity to address such issues. Writing a dairy and practicing yoga and meditation have helped me reduce my anxiety. As a result, I spend quality time with my family whilst making positive transitions at work. When chaos becomes habitual, it is important to step back and look inwards for the strength to accept the changes required for a healthy balance of life.

I can accept that conflicting situations will arise in the future, however in understanding myself better, I feel less wayward about order. If we are the reflections of our mental makeup, then we must change the way we see things (Saraswati, 1981). When there is a deep-rooted internal pain, to be free from belligerent thoughts, we have to be willing to face our fears and confront our shadow.

Conclusion

“To thine own self be true.” Shakespeare

Change in the self is the first step to managing conflict effectively. Conflict management requires risk taking and experimentation. Leadership that is moral will inspire and empower humanity; a key factor when supporting the development of the self and others. A leap of faith can transform existence, yet the possibility of reaching the unknown can seem so distant in times of hardship. Self-doubt causes one to become chaotic within the parallels of paranoia, but we must remind ourselves that we deserve to be enriched with joy and a clear mind to be better than yesterday (Murphy, 1966).

I have provided a definition of what conflict is and identified that it is necessary to distinguish between the inner conflicts with the responsive actions when dealing with conflict against others. I have presented how conflict can be taken out of context if one fails to understand triggers, emotions and behaviours of one self.

Firstly, conflict will occur anywhere and at anytime. Secondly it is how we approach a situation rather that trying to win an argument. Thirdly conflict is resolved through an intrapersonal process that requires one to be flexible, honest with the self before being able to solve potential problems with others. As a result of functional conflict we learn to compromise in the process of implementing change. Conflict gives us opportunities to innovate and improve whilst learn about the complexities of the human mind. Recognising mistakes identifies opportunities for change. The action of change takes courage, effort, support and persistence.

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