THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE BIG BAD WOLF:

CONFLICT & COMMUNICATION

EDUC 6165

The Three Little Pigs is a childhood story that has stuck with me for years. When I think of communication I think of measures each pig took to settle conflict taking action and how they show both unproductive and productive communication with the big bad wolf. One pig uses straw on his home to shield from the huffs and puffs of the big bad wolf as the second pig uses sticks to try and  protect him and his brother. Both pigs lost their homes to the wolf... However, the third little pig was able to defeat the huffs and puffs using sturdy brick to protect himself and his brothers after the wolf lost his breath and determination to take over the pigs' home. Eventually the pigs and the big bad wolf were able to find some sort of communication to resolve conflict of safety and security… and power.

   

Considering conflict and communication, this childhood story reminds me of daily struggles individuals’ encounter that involve fighting for what is theirs or fighting to hold down their own post (or position). Though the concept of The Three Little Pigs is figuratively used in this blog I would like to share a personal conflict I have been experiencing which involves higher power, work ethics, and different perspectives of management. All in all, a “brick home” and sense of self security due to cruel treatment by a particular coworker who, to me, acts as the big bad wolf huffing and puffing as if it were a hobby of hers shows conflict within communication -unproductively .

According to authors O’Hair and colleagues (2015), I see there are types of conflict individuals face that involve bad “characters” who appear or make a poor impression to others. Unproductive conflict (O’Hair, et al., 2015) is conflict that has no open window for positive resolutions or relationship. Like the first two pigs who made their homes of straw and sticks the big bad wolf was able to destroy what they built with no mean of good communication or any hopes of relationship –obviously.

Like the pigs, unproductive conflict has also left a rift in my communication efforts and any potential work relationship with my coworker who plays the role of the big bad wolf brilliantly. But, like every story, there is always room for reconciliation mentioned by O’Hair and colleagues (2015) that suggests apology, forgiveness, collaboration, and mutual friendship that stems from productive conflict. 

Productive conflict is when different sides, like the pigs and the wolf or my coworker and I, find compromise such as respecting space, work ethics, and accepting exchanged feelings toward management that benefits each other’s outlooks (O'Hair, et al., 2015). This is a great strategy to help resolve ongoing conflict in the work place or even in society. The Three Little Pigs and the big bad wolf is a childhood story that I find relevant to communication and conflict and the idea that conflict can have successful endings. This applies to real life situations as I am concluding. Therefore, another strategy I find helpful toward conflict resolutions is finding a common agreement that both sides cannot be right all the time. Having strong work abilities and knowledge I would like my coworker to walk in my shoes as I am trying to walk in hers. If this is not plausible, walls will come down and a vicious cycle of unproductive conflict will harvest bad communicative behaviors in the work place. 

So, being an active listener, finding agreement and or compromise influences nonviolent communication. This helps my goals as an aspiring educator to recognize different roles, ethics, and different behaviors that can induce conflict which is no good for anyone. We all look for that happy ending as I see in the story The Three Little Pigs who lived happily ever after once the big bad wolf found that conflict was useless and relationship was more appropriate in effective communication.

Works Cited

O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3rd. Ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.