Conflict Management in the Workplace

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Definition of Conflict

A situation in which someonebelieves that his or her own needs have been denied.

“The goal of organizational leadership is not to eliminate conflict, but to use it.”

“Conflict is a predictable social phenomenon and should be channeled to useful purposes.”

What Do You Think?

What Do You Think when you hear the word . .

CONFLICT

What do you think and what images come to you . . .

Symptoms Of Conflict

Tensions.No desire to communicate.Work not done properly.Disastrous meetings.Anger occurs quickly

and easily.

Symptoms Of Conflict

Failing productivity. Slipping morale.Absenteeism.Accidents.Escalating costs.Slamming doors.Shouting.Bad times.

Symptoms Of Conflict

The employee (or employees) involved display no desire to communicate.

Bad tempers are evident.Productivity is falling.Morale is slipping.

SOURCES OF CONFLICT:

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT

ORIGINS OF CONFLICT:ORIGINS OF CONFLICT: Limited resources. Unmet basic needs. Different values.

RESPONSES TO CONFLICT:SOFT: Withdrwing. Ignoring. Denying. Giving in.

HARD: Threatening. Pushing. Hitting. Yelling.

PRINCIPLED: Listening. Understanding. Respecting. Resolving.

OUTCOMES OF CONFLICT:SOFT: LOSE-LOSE LOSE-WIN

HARD: LOSE-LOSE WIN-LOSE

PRINCIPLED: WIN-WIN.

TYPES OF CONFLICT:

Interpersonal Conflict– Conflict between individuals due to differences in their goals or

values.

Intragroup Conflict• Conflict within a group or team.

Intergroup Conflict• Conflict between two or more teams or groups.

• Managers play a key role in resolution of this conflict

Interorganizational Conflict• Conflict that arises across organizations.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: Five conflict management modes

Withdrawal/Avoidance. temporary

Smoothing /Accomodating. fails to resolve

Compromising

Forcing/Competing. Provides

Problem solving/collaboration resolution.

CONFLICT APPROACHES:COMPETING/FORCING.APPROPRIATE: An emergency looms. The issue is trivial and

others don’t really care what happens.

You’re sure you’re right, and being right matters more than preserving relationships.

INAPPROPRIATE: Collaboration is not

yet been attempted. Co-operation from

others is important. Used routinely for

most issues. Self-respect of others

is diminished needlessly.

COLLABORATING:

APPROPRIATE: Co-operation is important. A creative end is

important. Reasonable hopes exists to

address all concerns. The issues and

relationship are both significant.

INAPPROPRIATE: Time is short. Issues are

unimportant. You’re over-loaded. The goals of the other

person certainly are wrong.

COMPROMISING:APPROPRIATE: Co-operation is important

but time or resources are limited.

When finding some solution, even less than the best, is better than a complete stalemate.

When efforts to collaborate will be misunderstood as forcing.

INAPPROPRIATE: Finding the most

creative solutions possible is essential.

You cant live with the consequences.

AVOIDING:

APPROPRIATE: The issue is trivial. The relationship is in-

significant. Time is short and a

decision is not necessary.

You have little power but still wish to block the other person.

INAPPROPRIATE: You care both about

the relationship and the issues involved.

Used habitually for most issues.

Negative feelings may linger.

Others would benefit from caring.

ACCOMMODATING:APPROPRIATE: You really don’t care

about the issue. You’re powerless but

have no wish to block the other person.

You realize you are wrong.

INAPPROPRIATE: You are likely to

harbor resentment. Used habitually in

order to gain acceptance.

PROBLEM-SOLVING: Set the stage. Gather perspectives. Identify the interests. Create options. Evaluate options. Generate agreement.

PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION:

Separate people from the problem. Focus on interests, not positions. Invent options for mutual gain. Use objective criteria.

THANK YOU !