Conflict Management Assignment: Debate by A. S. Fauci, Dr. Paul Rand & Jim Jordan Regarding COVID-19

Question

Task: Conflict Management AssignmentTask: Students are to watch two short videos, then write an analytical report exploring the Conflict Management issues evident in those videos.

Assessment Description:
Use the following links to access two short videos of Dr Anthony Fauci answering questions posed during US Senate Hearings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6FjOFMj_YM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r10OWrBqg

Biographical information regarding the three speakers (Dr Anthony Fauci, Dr Paul Rand, Jim Jordan) can be accessed via the following links: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/20/how-anthony-fauci-became-americas-doctor https://www.paul.senate.gov/about-rand https://jordan.house.gov The following questions should be covered in your report:

1. What real or imagined audience is each of the three key speakers addressing with their comments?
2. Identifying in (minutes:seconds):
a. The point in each video where any of the participants became threatened and explain why. b. Instances where participants were relying on opinions, and where they were relying upon facts.

3. The extent to which the session Chair in each video restored order or resolved issues.

Answer

Introduction
The major aim of this report on conflict management assignment is to present an analytical exploration of conflict management issues. This will be done through the analysis of videos where A. S. Fauci, Dr. Paul Rand, and Jim Jordan are debating regarding COVID-19. The report will also give a brief background about all the speakers and identify the audience the speaker is trying to influence through their comments and speech. Furthermore, the report will give an in-depth analysis of both the videos and discuss what stories the speaker was invented to support their opinion. Along with that, the most effective speaker will also be identified who could get their message across to their audience. The moment where the discussion became emotional or adverse will also be identified and discussed in the report. Therefore, the report will give an in-depth and detailed discussion about which discussion was able to restore order and resolve issues in both the videos.

Causes of Conflict
Conflict can arise due to different causes and some of the causes are goal difference, authority, common resources, and role expectation. The difference in goals creates conflict because when two people are working together but towards different goals then their processes and strategies differ and that causes conflict between them. In an organization, there are different employees with different authoritative powers and this cause difference between these employees. This is because many times the employees at the lower level do not listen to the orders given to them by the employees at a higher position(Murerwa and Guantai, 2019). Along with that, when different employees in an organization have to use the same resources then there rises conflict because each employee has different needs of the resources available. Lastly, role expectation is also because of conflict because when a superior expects his subordinate to behave in a certain manner and it does not happen then difference between them occur.

Following are the techniques that can help manage conflict:
Accommodation: The first method of managing conflict is accommodation and this technique can be used when one of the parties in conflict is ready for forfeiture.In this technique, one party agrees to give another party a chance to present their opinion and also promotes fairness in the process(Howell, 2014). The parties also give importance to the consideration of the issues and problems that needs to be addressed by them. This technique allows the parties in conflict to have a new perspective towards solving their issues effectively. There is no involvement of any third party in this technique and the conflicting parties aim to solve their issues themselves and safeguard their relationship. Compromise:Another technique through which conflict can be managed is compromising and this involves negotiation between the conflicting parties. This technique aims to identify and recognize a common ground for both parties. In this technique, both the parties have to give up a few of their demands so thatthey can arrive at an agreeable position. This technique has been identified because this is the quickest way to resolve a conflict between the conflicting parties(Mbwanga et al., 2021). The technique can also foster collaboration in the future because both parties will be understanding each other situation and agreeing on common ground. However, in this technique, one party can feel that they have made more sacrifices than the other party and this creates risk and chances of further occurrence of conflict.

Background
The three key speakers are A. S. Fauci, Dr. Paul Rand, and Jim Jordan in the given videos and they are debating on the topic of COVID-19. A. S. Fauci is the director of NIAID and his portfolio consists of applied research on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infectious disease (Specter, 2020). He has advised seven Presidents regarding domestic as well as global issues of health. Among several architects in the emergency plan of the President, he was one of the members. Another key speaker is Dr. Paul Rand and he is a surgeon who has made his entrance into politics. He is one the leading advocate in regards to liberty and his was the Senate of the US in 2010. He actively went against the overreach of the government and has made a significant contribution in limiting the constitutional scope of the government. The last key speaker is Jim Jordan and he is a political figure of the US and he has been representing the nation in the congressional district since 2007. He was a close ally of the former President of the US and he has worked towards the eradication of Trump's impeachment. The audience that each speaker was trying to appeal to were the vaccinated people as the speaker argued about the removal compulsion on wear masks after being vaccinated. Along with that, the unvaccinated are also being appealed to by these speakers because of the talk about different variants of the disease.

Analysis
Effective Speaker
Dr.Fauci and Dr. Rand Paul:In the discussion between Dr.Fauci and Dr. Rand Paul, the effective speaker is Dr.Fauci because he was able to explain appropriately why vaccinated people still need to wear a mask. Along with that, Dr.Fauci could also explain and identify the type of variants that could be contracted by the people if they do not wear a mask.

Dr.Fauci and Jim Jordan:In the discussion between Dr.Fauci and Jim Jordan, the effective speaker was Jim Jordan. This is said because Jim Jordan could present a graphical and statistical number of the surging case of COVID-19 and how lockdown was not necessary to control the growing cases of COVID-19 and the numbers he had presented supported his argument.

Story in Adversaries
In the discussion between Dr.Fauci and Dr. Rand Paul, the story that Dr.Fauci uses for adversaries is that he talks about facts that the references quoted by Dr. Rand Paul do not say the vaccinated people cannot get re-infected. However, in response, Dr. Rand Paul objects that there are no scientific research and studies which prove that once people and vaccinated, they are at threat of reinfection. Along with that, Dr. Rand Paul states that there have been no deaths recorded among the patients due to different variants of the virus. In the second discussion between Jim Jordan and Dr.Fauci, the speakers debate about the surging cases of COVID-19 and the validation of lockdown. In this discussion, Dr.Fauci states that people need to be vaccinated so that the risk of virus spreading can be lowered and the restriction has been introduced to control the virus from spreading. In response to this Jim Jordan presents a chart which shows, states the lifted lockdown and restriction have a comparatively lower number of infected people than the states where lockdowns and movement restrictions are still being followed.

Moment of Adversarial
In the discussion between Dr.Fauci and Jim Jordan, the moment of adversarial was at 3:23 when Dr.Fauci responded to the question of Jim Jordan. In this discussion when Jim Jordan asks Dr.Fauci to give an estimation regarding when all the restrictions will be lifted. Dr.Fauci responds that when all the people will get vaccinated then it will be safe for everyone.In the second discussion between Dr.Fauci and Dr. Rand, the moment of adversarial is 3:18 where the speakersdiscuss wearing a mask. Dr. Rand states that people are wearing masks for a show even after getting vaccinated, Dr.Faucireplies that people wearing a mask is for protection and not for show.

Diffusing Tension
When tension rises between two speakers in the debate then it becomes difficult to solve the issues identified. When two people are having a crucial conversation then it is called a discussion and hear the opinions and the perspective of the participants may differ(Overton and Lowry, 2013). However, if this difference exceeds then necessary steps need to be taken to control the increasing tension between the speakers. If the tension between the speakers is diffused then the speakers can continue to speak on the topic and reach a conclusion effectively. In the given discussion, the tension between the speakers was diffused with the intervention of the arbitrator.

Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that the report gives a clear understanding of how to manage conflicts between two people. This can be said because the report identifies various processes through which conflict can be controlled and managed effectively. The identified techniques are accommodation and compromise and both the techniques have their advantages and disadvantages. The report has also given an in-depth analysis of the discussion between the different regarding COVID-19. Before that, the background of each speaker has been discussed so that the speakers can be identified clearly. Then the discussion has been discussed, the most effective speaker has been identified and the audience they are trying to appeal to has been identified. The adversaries presented by different speakers have also been discussed and the moment of adversarial has also been identified. Lastly, the diffusion of tension in the discussion was discussed so that management and control of tension could be understood.

References
Howell, S.E. (2014). Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study. [online] ahra.org. Available at: https://www.ahra.org/AM/Downloads/OI/qc/RM365_p14-23_Features.pdf [Accessed 8 Oct. 2021].

Mbwanga, M., Maureen, M., Maore, S. and Were, E. (2021). Conflict management strategies and organizational performance (A survey of microfinance institutions in Nairobi).IOSR Journal of Business and Management, [online] 23(6), pp.2319–7668.

Available at: https://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol23-issue6/Series-4/D2306041429.pdf [Accessed 8 Oct. 2021].

Murerwa, T. and Guantai, F. (2019).Conflicts and Conflict Management in Modern Organisations-A Pre –Conflict Resolution Environment Approach.Conflict management assignmentInternational Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), [online] 9(8), p.p92104. Available at: http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0819/ijsrp-p92104.pdf [Accessed 8 Oct. 2021].

Overton, A. and Lowry, A. (2013). Conflict Management: Difficult Conversations with Difficult People. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery, [online] 26(04), pp.259–264. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835442/ [Accessed 8 Oct. 2021].

Specter, M. (2020).How Anthony Fauci Became America’s Doctor. [online] The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/20/how-anthony-fauci-became-americas-doctor [Accessed 8 Oct. 2021].