Conflict

1) What is Conflict?


According to the book "Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships" it is stated that “contrary to popular belief, conflict is not a bad thing. It is, in fact, a healthy display of each individual’s uniqueness, free will and boundaries.” [1] It is also believed that conflict helps us learn and grow! [2] Studies also show according to the book that unlike to conventional wisdom, “happiness is not the absence of conflict. Happiness is the ability to handle conflict in a positive way. [3]


(2) How to be understood;

The way a person communicates with another can be misunderstood and it all comes with the reason that the way you communicate may not get through to the person you are talking to as their way of receiving information in their brain is different to how you receive and absorb information. In the book “Peace Talk” it has an example, ‘if you are talking to person X and s/he seems to be listening. Don’t be fooled.
Even if s/he is paying attention, there are chances are your way of expressing
yourself is not hinted to the way his/her mind processes information’.
According to these studies ‘there might be an even bigger gap between your ‘sending’ and X’s ‘receiving’ abilities if the message also contains certain emotional components.’[4] This means ‘the person you are talking to may not be in sync with your communication technique’. [5]

There is a way to help X really ‘hear’ you, and ‘avoid any misunderstanding
or partial understanding, you need to find out first what ‘language’ (i.e. thinking and communication style) makes the most sense to him/her.’ [6] this means you need to change words around that they can understand, make it more simple, maybe they are visual learners and its best to show visual examples or even make comparisons and metaphorical examples to help them understand, and asking them for a basic summery of what they understood can also help clarification.

In this book, it states that even spend ‘just a few minutes listening to person X (i.e. playing ‘mind detective’), it won’t be necessary to spend many hours of possible miscommunication, urging, and other nasty goings-on later.
While listening to person X during those few minutes, you will find out what
form of communication s/he is most comfortable with.’ [7]
There are many types of ways people choose to communicate ‘some people express themselves through stories or sketch. Some prefer to ‘cut to the chase’ straight away. Then there are those who like to analyze every thought like myself, or go off on tangents. Others prefer to hear ‘just the facts,’ and ask questions later.’ Therefore, you need to listen to person X first, you will be able to talk to him/her in a way you can e heard and understood. [8]


So as you are trying to work out and "mirroring" person X's communication style,
you are also listening to his/her explanation for being in conflict with you.
This information, combined with your Peace Talk™ problem-solving
skills, leads to prolific brainstorming and this way you improve relations. [9]


3) Essential Communication Skills

Have conflict avoidance through understandable, confident communication.
Be secure, successful, truthful, have non-threatening, and blame-free confrontation.
Both people have to listen and be a mind detective.
It takes two to tango so it needs to be two-way problem resolving communication. [10]


4) Preparation is the key to managing conflict well and resolving it successfully.

• Conflict always spawns anxiety. It’s best to expect it, accept it, and resolve it by focusing on your conflict resolution skills, not your emotions or on
imagined undesirable outcomes. [11]

• Conflicts can only be resolved, by just facing them and adopting safe confrontation skills first. [12]

• It does take courage and resolution to start confrontation. Some people like to postpone it. Others feel frozen at the prospect of confronting either a person or a situation. [13]

• Keep in mind: Anxiety and fear restrain both thought and communication. [14]

• It is important, therefore, to prepare well previous to opening a conflict resolution process.[15]

• To avoid ‘choking up,’ ‘blowing up,’ or ‘giving up,’ you need to be
focused, patient and have communication and conflict resolution skills. Above all, you need to be
READY!
REHEARSED!
RELAXED! [16]






References:

Picture was taken by google under ‘conflict’ on page 1: http://www.shelbycounselingassociates.org/clientimages/33040/conflict.jpg

[1] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[2] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[3] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[4] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[5] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[6] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[7] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[8] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[9] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[10] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[11] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[12] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[13] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[14] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[15] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.
[16] http://peace-talk.com/_wsn/page3.html : Excerpted from the book
"Peace Talk™-- A Guide to Harmonious Relationships"
by Dina Eliash Robinson.

Picture of two men shaking hands is taken from google under “conflict resolved” on page 1
http://www.bianchi-group.com/images/handshake1.jpg

Remuneration

In the class presentation the topic “remuneration” was presented and it gave us a clear understanding of what remuneration essentially was, in my further research of this topic I decided to elaborate on the topic in general in the work force. So what is Remuneration? It’s a form of payment, a salary, a wage or even a reward. The wage is something that remunerates; "wages were paid by check"; "he wasted his pay on drink"; "they saved a quarter of all their earnings". [1] It is also defined as the act of paying for goods or services or to recompense for losses; "adequate remuneration for his work". [2] Remuneration can also be a pay or a salary which is normally monetary payment for services rendered, in an employment. [3]

This can include a base salary or fees, assured and/or anticipated bonus and earning a commission, inducement payments, allowances, sometimes even the advantage of receiving a company car and all other payments and taxable. [4] It could also be a payment for service. [5] It can be a payment prepared for services rendered to a company. Remuneration includes the following; Commission for seeking for an applicant for each applicant, whose request is subject to commission according to the above information, a company is obliged to pay the due expenses according to the following system, except if it is agreed in individual cases. [6] It is frequently called ‘payroll’. Includes wages, commission, bonus, it can be a pay for holidays, vacations, overtime pay and sickness and even payment for section of work. [7]

Remuneration can also be identified as the sum of all direct and indirect cash payments to an employee. It can consist of cash and non-cash rewards such as base pay, health insurance, allowances, childcare allowance, personal use of a company car, superannuation contributions and bonus payments. [8] Also it can actually depend on the professional background of an employee, perhaps even the experience and family circumstances, a competitive compensation and benefits package is obtainable. [9]
Remuneration also means base salary or hourly rate. [10]

The remuneration I have gained in this class is definitely the experience with working with groups, the advantages, the challenges and how to compromise; also the skill gained using Ut3 is one of the biggest rewards I could ever receive.











Reference:
[1] wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
[2] wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
[3] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remuneration
[4] www.dinosaursunlimited.co.uk/terms.php
[5] www.maine.gov/labor/unemployment/taxglossary.html
[6] www.amazon.de/b
[7] www.safeco.com/safeco/for_your_business/Premium_Audit_Services/prem_audit_glossary.asp
[8] www.workinsight.govt.nz/services/PayAndEmploymentEquity/resources/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-5.asp
[9] unjobs.org/vacancies/1180094507303
[10] www.beautyrecruitment.ie/timesheet/TOB%20Temp.doc

Context

Context is often referred to the environment, a milieu, scenery. It is a Latin origin “contextus” the surroundings, circumstances, background or settings which determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event. [1] Context in an UT3 can be changed by using lighting, furniture, building materials, topology, sound and color. In our fabrication, our project “The Wombarra house” is situated in a context is beach/bush landscape and applying that environment to our UT3 design is the ultimate goal in creating the concept. If our context is changed, then our concept changes too. The word concept is often referred to the idea, the notion of our project, or the perception of the context.
Researching and site seeing has given our group members an understanding of the context we strive to produce. We are working on our fabrication to recreate the context of the existing location of where the site is situated, if by any means the correct context is not provided in our project we might generate the wrong context and therefore have a misinterpretation of the environment of the project which will change the concept of our assignment.

Using UT3 can be a device to recreate the feeling, the environment, the style of the Wombarra House, using certain textures, sounds that match the environment of the mountain or bush land such as bird sounds as well as the beach which would be waves crashing and the sound of seagulls can make a large impact on the project as it sets the mood of the context. This is the concept we are trying to create. Another way we can express the mood of this environment is using lighting to set an atmosphere, preferably of a soothing, calm, home-like environment. Bringing that feeling in the project is our aim, as our project may not be the most interesting or grandiose and well-known building, Therefore we must use the strength of the building which is the context, so we are effectively recreating the feeling which is the most important part of our house that will capture the audience’s attention as the house will offer a sense of warmth that will steal the audience away with the emotion that this building will provide.

Reference;

[1] http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/context