Conflict Management

Conflict Management

Establishing Rapport

"People do business with people

who they like who are like

them."- Dr. Rick Goodman

Solution

The act, method or process of

solving a problem the answer to a

problem, an explanation,

clarification.

Conflict Is Inevitable

Being able to constructively handle disagreements is

central to personal satisfaction and getting along in

an organization.

It is considered one of the more difficult

communication skills to master, because most

people find it extremely stressful.

Conflict Is Good

Commitment to organizational goals is desirable and

two different opinions can often lead to a better, more

clearly defined purpose when people are willing to

work through conflict.

It can be challenging and stimulating to work to

improve the quality of decisions products processes

and overall understanding.

Conflict Is Good

Conflict that is not addressed on the other hand is

destructive. It can lead to lower productivity and

poor relationships.

The better we develop skills to manage conflict, the

better we contribute to the overall health of the

organization.

The Ingredients of Conflict

Values

Values or beliefs or principles, we considered to be very

important.

Serious conflicts arise when people hold incompatible

values, or when the values are not very clear.

Conflicts also arise when one refuses to accept the fact

that the other party holds something as a value rather

than a preference.

Feelings and Emotions

Many people let their feelings and emotions become a major influence over how they deal with conflict.

Conflicts could also occur because people ignore their own or others’ feelings and emotions.

Other conflicts occur when feelings and emotions differ over a particular issue.

Taking Ownership of Your Feelings

Taking ownership of your personal feelings

requires accepting responsibility for all that

occurs in your life.

Foundation for Understanding Conflict

In dealing with customers or other types of

relationships, it is important to let go of whatever you

believe other people have done to you, whatever you

think you’ve done to them.

The resentment you feel towards someone or the

organization will block you from finding

peacefulness.

Foundation for Understanding Conflict

When you get caught up in the feelings associated resentment it sets you up for conflict with the world.

Resentment slows down the process of relieving the feelings of frustration, conflict, hurt, and anger.

Affixing blame in a customer service situation is a waste of time and energy. Instead, use your energy to seek a solution.

Instant Unconditional Forgiveness

The ability to forgive yourself and others

lets you begin to see yourself and others

as blameless!

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a gift, you offer the other person.

The act of forgiveness changes your mind and makes you more productive.

Take charge of forgiving the other person and watch your strength of character and understanding grow.

Forgiveness allows you to stop evaluating and begin accepting the other person as a good person.

Traditional View of Conflict

Conflict must be avoided and it is an indication of

malfunction within the group.

All conflicts are seen as bad.

Conflict was viewed as violence, destruction and

irrational to reinforce its negative connotation.

Human Relation View of Conflict

Conflict was a natural occurrence in old groups and

organizations.

As conflict is inevitable, it should be accepted.

Conflict may be a benefit of groups performance.

Functional Conflict

Conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its performance.

Functional conflict refers to a confrontation between two parties that improves or benefits, the organization’s performance.

At the individuals level, functional conflict can create a number of desirable conflicts.

Functional Conflict

Individuals require a certain level of stimulation and

excitement to feel enthusiasm about their work

To produce the desired results, however, the conflict

must somehow be limited or contained to appropriate

levels of interest.

Dysfunctional Conflict

Conflict that hinders the group’s performance is

called dysfunctional conflict.

It refers to any interaction between two parties that

hinders or destroys the achievement of organization

or group goals.

Intentions

Intentions form the basis for

decisions to act in a given way in a

conflict episode.

Behavior

Conflicts become visible and behavior is visible.

This stage include stalemates, also there is action

and reaction exhibited by the conflicting parties.

Conflict Management Techniques

Check Back Your Key to Delegation Success

The Three F’s

Feel

Felt

Found


Problem-Solving:

Face-to-Face meeting of the conflicting parties for the purpose of identifying problems and resolving them for open discussion.

Subordinate Goals:

Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of each of the conflicting parties.


Expansion of Resources:

When the conflict is caused by the scarcity of her resource ex: money promotion opportunities etc. It is here that the office can create a win-win solution.

Avoidance:

This is indicated by withdrawal from or suppression of the conflict.


Smoothing:

This results from playing down differences while emphasizing common interest between conflicting parties.

Altering the Human Variable:

The method of using behavioral change techniques, such as human relation training to alter attitudes and the behavior that can cause conflicts.


Authoritative Command:

Management uses its formal authority to resolve the conflict. It

then communicates its desires to the parties involved.

Compromise:

Each party needs to give up some of the requests to the other.


Altering the Structural Variables

Changing the formal organization structure and the

interaction patterns of conflicting parties through job

redesign, transfers, etc.

Conflict Stimulation Techniques

Communication:

Using ambiguous or threatening messages to increase conflict levels.

Bringing in Outsiders:

Any employees to a group whose backgrounds, values, attitudes or managerial style differ from those of the present members.

Restricting the Organization:

Realizing workgroups, altering rules and regulations, increasing interdependence and making similar structural changes to disrupt the status.

Three Classes of Conflict

Individual Conflict

Organizational Conflict

Inter-Organizational Conflict

Individual Conflict

The individual is not in a position to make a decision about certain matters.

He/She faces difficulty in choosing a course of action out of various alternative courses of action, which are either unacceptable or uncertain.

Management to help the individual in such a situation by providing counseling services to them.

Intra-Group conflict arises in 3 ways

When the group faces a novel problem.

When new values are imported from the social

environment into the group.

When a person’s extra-group role comes in conflict with

the intra-group role.

Inter-Group Conflict

There is existence of a positively felt need for joint

decision-making.

There is a differentiation of goals.

There is a difference in perception of reality.

Inter-Organizational Conflict

These arise out of daily contact between the

organizations

They are generally resolved through a bargaining

process between organizations.

Approaches to the Resolution of

Conflicts

“Conflict is inevitable; agreement is possible”

On this view, one may decide to fight it out.

This would result in a win lose power struggle.


Conflicts

“Conflict may be inevitable, but agreement is not possible.”

On this assumption the parties may decide to withdraw from interaction or become indifferent to the problems.

This approach may provide temporary satisfaction to some and benefits to others.


Conflicts

“Although conflict may arise in various situations agreement is possible”

This is regarded as the most positive approach to deal with conflicts.

Here, both parties would recognize that there is a need to solve the problem.

Five-Step Model for Managing Conflict

Analyze the Conflict

Determine the Management Strategy

Pre-Negotiation

Negotiation

Post-Negotiation

Step One: Analyze the Conflict

The first step in managing conflict is to analyze the

nature and type of conflict.

This is achieved by the technique of asking open-

ended questions.

Step Two: Determine Management Strategy

When you have a general understanding of the conflict. The groups involved will need to analyze and select the most appropriate approach.

In some cases it may be necessary to have a neutral facilitator to help move the group towards consensus.

Conflict Management Styles

Collaboration

This results from a high concern for the group’s own interests, matched with a high concern for the interests of other partners.

The outcome is win-win.

This strategy is generally used when the concern for others is important.

Collaboration

It is also the best strategy when society’s interest is

at stake.

This approach helps build commitment and reduce

bad feelings.

The drawbacks are that it takes time and energy.

Is regarded as the best approach.

Compromise

This results from a high concern for the group’s own interests, along with a moderate concern for the interests of other partners.

The outcome is some win and some lose.

This strategy is generally used to achieve temporary solutions, to avoid destructive power struggles or when time is limited.

Compromise

One drawback is that partners can lose sight of

important values and long-term objectives.

This approach could also distract the partners from

the merits of the issue and create a cynical climate.

Competition

This strategy results from a high concern for the

group’s own interests with less concern for others.

The outcome is win/ lose.

The strategy includes most attempts at bargaining.

Competition

It is generally used when basic rights are at stake or

to set a precedent.

However, it can cause the conflict to escalate and

losers may want to retaliate.

Accommodation

This results from a low concern for the group’s own

interests, combined with a high concern for the

interest of others.

The outcome is a lose/win.

This strategy is generally used when the issues are

more important to others than to oneself.

Accommodation

It is a gesture of goodwill.

It is also appropriate when you recognize that you are wrong.

The drawbacks are that one’s own ideas and concerns don’t get attention

You may also lose credibility and future influence.

Avoidance

This results from a low concern for the group’s own

interests coupled with a low concern for the interests

of others.

The outcome is lose/lose.

The strategy is generally used when the issue is

trivial or other issues are more pressing.

Avoidance

It is also used when confrontation has a high

potential for damage or more information is needed.

One of the drawbacks is that important decisions

may be made by default.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR NATURAL STYLE

If you are competing:

Let go of your position for a moment. Think about what the other person needs and wants.

Work with others to identify underlying concerns and issues.

Consider all the options, and how all the parties stand to benefit from each one.


If you are accommodating or avoiding

Focus on your own concerns. What are your needs and goals?

Give yourself time to gather data that support your case—your goals and the reasons they matter.

If you sense that a confrontation is brewing, don’t just give up. Objectively present your point of view while providing data to support it.


If you are compromising

Slow down. Don’t always choose the fastest solution.

Take your time to find alternatives that really work for

everyone.


If you are collaborating

Make your thinking explicit when you’re at the table.

Help your colleagues understand how you work with

others to find solutions that benefit everyone.

TURF GUARDING

The protection of perceived personal power, status,

and responsibility — is a covert part of every

workplace environment.

It is usually subtle even to the employees engaged in

it.

It occurs on every level, from the receptionist to the

CEO of an organization.

Signs and Symptoms

1. Backbiting

2. Undermining activities

3. Cloistering

4. The blame game

5. Non-productive and chaotic meetings

Signs and Symptoms

6. Tension

7. Power brokering

8. Withholding of information

9. Sabotage

Conflict Resolution Ground Rules

Start with a positive expectation.

Preserve dignity and respect.

Listen with empathy by using active

listening skills.

Stop trying to change the other person's

values.

Conflict Resolution Ground Rules

Express your own perspective with sincerity.

Take ownership of expressing your wants and needs.

Adopt a problem solving approach to ending conflict.

Step Four: Negotiation

Interests:

During negotiation, be sure to openly discuss interests rather than stated positions.

Interests include the reasons, needs, concerns and motivating underlying positions.

Satisfaction of interest should be the common goal.


Options:

You should concentrate on inventing options for

satisfying interests.

You should not judge ideas or favor any of the

options suggested.

You should encourage creativity, not commitment.


Evaluation:

Only after the partners have finished listing options

should the options be discussed.

All should determine together, which ideas are best

for satisfying various interests.


Written agreement:

Make sure to note areas of agreement and

disagreement to ensure common understanding is

documented.

This helps ensure that agreements can be

remembered and communicated clearly.


Commitment:

Every partner must be confident that the others will

carry out their part of the agreement.

All should discuss and agree upon methods to

ensure that the partners understand and honor their

commitments.

Step Five: Post-Negotiation

Once negotiations are complete the group will need

to implement the decisions made.

Some key steps include:

Ratification

Implementation

Conflict Solving Formula

Take time to listen.

Make certain you understand.

Think about the other person's point of view.

Concentrate on the problem and not the person.

Allow the other person to express their anger, it’s theirs not yours.

Conflict Solving Formula

Realize you can disagree agreeably.

Your own resistance has an impact on the resistance of

others.

Think in terms of helping each other get what you want.

Feel your feelings and express them honestly.

Positive Aspects of Conflict

Conflict provides an opportunity for releasing tension which otherwise would remain suppressed.

The thinking process followed by the conflict may lead to innovation and policies, procedures and behavior.

Conflict compels the individuals of a group to think again and again before adopting a course of action.

Positive Aspects of Conflict

Conflict brings about group cohesiveness among its

members.

Conflict helps identifying the weakness in the system.

Conflict is a test of capacities of the individual and the

group.

Dr. Rick Goodman

7247 NW 22nd Drive

Pembroke Pines, FL 33024

P 888 267 6098 | F 954 404 6402

[email protected]

www.RickGoodman.com

mailto:[email protected]

Conflict Management

Business

personal feelings

rapport people

feelings of frustration

emotionsmany people

good person

serious conflicts

overall understanding

act of forgiveness