Using the Risk Negotiation Framework to Explore the Taboo Aspects of Forgiveness Among Organizational Members

Abstract

Organizations spend thousands of dollars and several hours of productivity each day because of destructive conflict. Though conflict is an inevitable part of organizational life, the authors of this chapter advocate for forgiveness as a transformative and prosocial process that organizational members can use to acknowledge transgressions, manage their conflict, and move their relationships toward reconciliation. However, forgiveness can be particularly risky and taboo due to various barriers that make it difficult for organizational members to communicate with one another. The authors begin this chapter by arguing that forgiveness is one productive method for handling conflict, and they review research findings about forgiveness in the organizational context. Following that, the authors detail the barriers to communicating forgiveness and use the risk negotiation framework to explain how organizational members can progress their workplace relationships. Finally, the authors provide directions for future research and strategies for encouraging forgiveness in the organization.