Conflict Management_SANT SAROVAR

8/3/2019 Conflict Management_SANT SAROVAR

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Sources of Conflict

Conflictis an expressed struggle between at leasttwo interdependent parties who perceiveincompatible goals, scare resources, andinterference from others in achieving their goals

(Wilmot and Hocker, 1998)

Conflicts exist whenever incompatible activitiesoccur.


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Sources of Conflict

Conflicts may originate from a number of differentsources, including:

Differences in information, beliefs, values, interests, or desires.

A scarcity of some resource.

Rivalries in which one person or group competes with another.


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Desirability of Conflict

Many writers believe that conflict in a group isdesirable.

Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the likelihood of

groupthink. A moderate level of conflict across tasks within a

group resulted in increased group performance whileconflict among personalities resulted in lower group

performance (Peterson and Behfar, 2003)


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Types of Conflict

Conflict of ideas

Dooley and Fryxell (1999) found that conflict of ideas at theearly stage of decision making (idea formulation) wasdesirable.

That same conflict sometimes caused problems at a later stagewhen the ideas actually had to implemented.

Conflict of feelings (often calledpersonality conflict)


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Types of Conflict

Opposition and Support


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Undesirability of Conflict

Conflicts are often hard to keep under control oncethey have begun.

There is a definite trend toward escalation and polarization.

Once conflict escalates to a point at which it is no longer undercontrol, it almost always yields negative results.


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Game Theory

Game theory puts people into the mixed-motivesituation.

Covey (1990) in The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Peoplerefers to the scarcity mentality versus the abundance

mentality.

The scarcity mentality leads us to resent the success of others.

The abundance mentality allows us to think of situations in whicheverybody can win.


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Toward Conflict Management

Blake and Mouton (1970) have proposed a schemewhereby we can try to avoid win-lose situationsand, when possible, apply a win-win approach.

The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach, also called avoidance.

The 1,9 position, also called accommodation, is excessivelyperson-oriented.


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The 5,5 position represents a willingness to compromise.

The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach, also called competing.

The optimum style for reducing conflict is the 9,9 approach,also called collaboration.


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Unilateral negotiation strategies

They include:

The trusting collaboration strategy.

The open subordination strategy.

The firm competition strategy.

The active avoidance strategy.


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Interactive negotiation strategies

Trusting collaboration

Principled negotiation

Firm competition Soft competition

Open subordination

Focused subordination

Active avoidance

Passive avoidance Responsive avoidance


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Fisher, Ury, and Patton (1991) outline four principlesthat composeprincipled negotiation.

Separate the people from the problem.

Focus on interests, not positions.

Invent options for mutual gain.

Seek objective criteria.


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Blake and Moutons Conflict Grid

Source: Reproduced by permission from Robert R. Blake and Jane Syngley Mouton. The FifthAchievement.Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 6(4), 1970..


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Toward Conflict ManagementPractical Tips

Walker and Harris (1995) offer the followingpractical tips for implementing the 9,9 style.Encouraging behavior occurs when a team

member:1. Avoids feelings or perceptions that imply the otherperson is wrong or needs to change.

2. Communicates a desire to work together to explore a

problem or seek a solution.3. Exhibits behavior that is spontaneous and destruction-

free.


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Toward Conflict ManagementPractical Tips

4. Identifies with another team members problems, sharesfeelings, and accepts the team members reaction.

5. Treats other team members with respect and trust.6. Investigates issues rather than taking sides on them.

The same principles can be applied to negotiating with

others outside your team, or with a supplier orcustomer.


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Tubbs, Kryska, and Cooper (1997) propose that onefrequent source of conflict is the leadership struggle

between superior and subordinate in decisionmaking. The Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior has been

described as including four styles of decision making:

Tells

Sells

Consults

Joins


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A Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior

Source: From Stewart L. Tubbs. Empowerment (Ann Arbor, Mich.: U-Train, Inc., 1993), pp 5-9. Adapted from R. Tannenbaumd H W S h idt H w t Ch L d hi P tt H d B i R i M h A il 1958

Conflict Management_SANT SAROVAR

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