Executive Development (PA61)

Conflict Management

What is conflict management?

[Link]

Conflict management, also known as conflict resolution, involves having a workplace that precludes conflict and a
management team that successfully handles and resolves workplace issues.
Conflict often happens because no one can come up with a workable solution, so resolving the conflict depends on
creating a solution.

Why is conflict management important?

What creates conflict?

Social-psychological studies have identified several ingredients of conflict. What’s striking (and what simplifies our task)
is that these ingredients are common to all levels of social conflict, whether international, intergroup, or interpersonal.

Major causes of workplace conflict (NIBUSINESS [Link])

 Personality clashes - the 'personality mix' within a team can be upset when a new member of staff joins or if
two colleagues suddenly fall out. Individuals may also respond to difficult or challenging situations in an
unhelpful or unproductive way.
 Unrealistic needs and expectations - conflict at work can often be caused when employers ignore the needs of
employees or set unrealistic expectations. For example, arranging hours that make it difficult for employees to
carry out childcare responsibilities.
 Business values - most people have very clear ideas about what they think is fair, and your organization's
procedures and policies must reflect this. For example, giving someone a fair hearing or explaining the reasoning
behind a decision.
 Unresolved workplace issues - for example, an employee might ask to be moved to another team because of
their manager's 'aggressive' leadership style. However, the employee may have other reasons - for example,
they may blame their manager for a lack of training or career progression.
 Increase in workload - sometimes workplace conflict is caused because people feel they are being pushed too
hard and resentment sets in if they feel their workload is unmanageable.
Conflict in the workplace could be the result of:

 poor management
 unfair treatment
 unclear job roles
 inadequate training
 poor communication
  poor work environment
 lack of equal opportunities
 bullying and harassment
 significant changes to products, organizational charts, appraisals or pay systems

There are five main causes of conflict according to Vilendrer Law

Information conflicts -arise when people have different or insufficient information, or disagree over what data is
relevant. Allowing sufficient time to be heard, in a respectful environment facilitated by a neutral person can allow
parties to clear up information disparities.

Values conflicts -are created when people have perceived or actual incompatible belief systems. Where a person or
group tries to impose its values on others or claims exclusive right to a set of values, disputes arise. While values may be
non-negotiable, they can be discussed and people can learn to live peacefully and coherently alongside each other.

Interest conflicts -are caused by competition over perceived or actual incompatible needs. Such conflicts may occur over
issues of money, resources, or time. Parties often mistakenly believe that in order to satisfy their own needs, those of
their opponent must be sacrificed. A mediator can help identify ways to dovetail interests and create opportunities for
mutual gain.

Relationship conflicts- occur when there are misperceptions, strong negative emotions, or poor communication. One
person may distrust the other and believe that the other person’s actions are motivated by malice or an intent to harm
the other. Relationship conflicts may be addressed by allowing each person uninterrupted time to talk through the
issues and respond to the other person’s concerns.

Structural conflicts -are caused by oppressive behaviors exerted on others. Limited resources or opportunity as well as
organization structures often promote conflict behavior. The parties may well benefit from mediation since the forum
will help neutralize the power imbalance.

Six Steps to the Conflict Resolution Process Kimberly A. Benjamin, PHR, founded HR Strategies Plus LLC

1. Clarify what the disagreement is. Clarifying involves getting to the heart of the conflict. The goal of this step is
to get both sides to agree on what the disagreement is. To do this, you need to discuss what needs are not being
met on both sides of the conflict and ensure mutual understanding. During the process, obtain as much
information as possible on each side’s point of view. Continue to ask questions until you are certain that all
parties involved (you and those on either side of the conflict) understand the issue.
2. Establish a common goal for both parties. In this step of the process, both sides agree on the desired outcome
of the conflict. “When people know that they’re working towards the same goal, then they’re more apt to
participate truthfully to make sure that they reach that end goal together.” Kimberly A. Benjamin explained in a
recent BLR webinar. To accomplish this, discuss what each party would like to see happen and find a
commonality in both sides as a starting point for a shared outcome. That commonality can be as simple as “both
sides want to end the conflict.”
3. Discuss ways to meet the common goal. This involves listening, communicating, and brainstorming together.
Continue with both sides working together to discuss ways that they can meet the goal they agreed on in step 2.
Keep going until all the options are exhausted.
4. Determine the barriers to the common goal. In this step of the process, the two parties acknowledge what has
brought them into the conflict and talk about what problems may prevent a resolution. Understanding the
possible problems that may be encountered along the way lets you proactively find solutions and have plans in
place to handle issues. Define what can and cannot be changed about the situation. For the items that cannot be
changed, discuss ways of getting around those road blocks.
 5. Agree on the best way to resolve the conflict. Both parties need to come to a conclusion on the best resolution.
Start by identifying solutions that both sides can live with. Ask both sides and see where there is common
ground. Then start to discuss the responsibility each party has in maintaining the solution. It’s also important to
use this opportunity to get to the root cause to ensure this conflict will not come up again. “A lot of times when
we try to fix problems, we get so caught up in fixing it that we do not identify what we need to do so it doesn’t
happen.” Benjamin cautioned.
6. Acknowledge the agreed upon solution and determine the responsibilities each party has in the
resolution. Both sides need to own their responsibility in the resolution of the conflict and express aloud what
they have agreed to. After both parties have acknowledged a win-win situation, ask both parties to use phrases
such as “I agree to…” and “I acknowledge that I have responsibility for…”

Five Major Conflict Management Styles

Knowing when and how to use each style can help control conflict and lead to an improved working environment,
resulting in a better bottom line.

Collaborating Style: A combination of being assertive and cooperative, those who collaborate attempt to work with
others to identify a solution that fully satisfies everyone’s concerns. In this style, which is the opposite of avoiding,
both sides can get what they want and negative feelings are minimized. “Collaborating works best when the long-
term relationship and outcome are important—for example, planning for integrating two departments into one,
where you want the best of both in the newly formed department,” Dr. Benoliel says.

Competing Style: Those who compete are assertive and uncooperative and willing to pursue one’s own concerns at
another person’s expense. Dr. Benoliel explains using this style works when you don’t care about the relationship
but the outcome is important, such as when competing with another company for a new client. But, she cautions,
“Don’t use competing inside your organization; it doesn’t build relationships.”

Avoiding Style: Those who avoid conflict tend to be unassertive and uncooperative while diplomatically sidestepping
an issue or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation. “Use this when it is safer to postpone dealing with the
situation or you don’t have as great a concern about the outcome, such as if you have a conflict with a co-worker
about their ethics of using FaceTime on the job.”

Accommodating Style: The opposite of competing, there is an element of self-sacrifice when accommodating to
satisfy the other person. While it may seem generous, it could take advantage of the weak and cause resentment.
“You can use accommodating when you really don’t care a lot about the outcome but do want to preserve or build
the relationship,” Dr. Benoliel says, “such as going out for lunch with the boss and agreeing, ‘If you want to go for
Thai food for lunch, that’s OK with me.’”

Compromising Style: This style aims to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both
parties in the conflict while maintaining some assertiveness and cooperativeness. “This style is best to use when the
outcome is not crucial and you are losing time; for example, when you want to just make a decision and move on to
more important things and are willing to give a little to get the decision made,” Dr. Benoliel says. “However,” she
adds, “be aware that no one is really satisfied.”

“It’s incredibly important to not be afraid when conflict arises because there are things you can do, such as
becoming more skilled and qualified by building a repertoire for responding to reduce conflict,” says Dr. Benoliel.

Reporter: Charry Ve B. Fernandez