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that can be learned, and more about learning and practicing the ability to
quickly reduce stress in the moment. It also includes the ability to remain
comfortable enough with your emotions to react in constructive ways even
in the midst of an argument or a perceived attack.

Being able to manage and relieve stress in the moment is the key to staying
balanced, focused, and in control, no matter what challenges you face. If
you don’t know how to stay centered and in control of yourself, you will
become overwhelmed in conflict situations and unable to respond in
healthy ways. Unhealthy ways of responding to stress include becoming

overly emotional, or withdrawing and becoming depressed, or becoming
immobilized and unable to act.

Ambiguity

An effective leader values clarity of direction and workflow within the
organization. Perhaps the greatest enemy of accountability and work
performance is continuing and unresolved ambiguity. 170 Without a doubt,
ambiguity is one of the greatest causes of misunderstanding leading to
conflict. Ambiguity leads people to a variety of interpretations of a
particular message or communication, depending on their own view of the

situation.

Ambiguity operates when the following circumstances are in place: 171
1. Incorrect information upon which others depend for deciding what
action to be taken.

2. Inadequate information, only partially representing what people
need to know in order to take informed action.
3. Different levels of understanding about the information received
causing individuals to act on their own differing understanding of
the information.

170 Tim Porter O’Grady, “Embracing Conflict: Building a Healthy Community,”
http://www.unc.edu/courses/2009fall/nurs/379/960/M9%20motivation%20perf%20app%2009/porter%20o
grady%20embracing%20conflict.pdf.
171 Tim Porter O’Grady, “Embracing Conflict: Building a Healthy Community,”
http://www.unc.edu/courses/2009fall/nurs/379/960/M9%20motivation%20perf%20app%2009/porter%20o
grady%20embracing%20conflict.pdf.

David Kolzow 156