Managing conflict

The word conflict is usually perceived as something hostile, undesirable and certainly avoidable. But we need to realize that, in today’s typical work environments, conflict is inevitable. Conflict is best understood as a disagreement, difference of opinion / views between two or more people.

Whilst the common belief is that conflicts should be avoided; the human relations approach recommends that conflict should be confronted and resolved. Let us understand five basic styles of conflict resolution.

Avoiding: Here, the individual does not immediately pursue his own concerns or those of the other person. He does not address the conflict. Avoiding might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better time, or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation.

Competing: An individual pursues his own concerns at the other person’s expense. Power used to win a position; one’s power in ability to argue, rank or dominate. Competing might mean standing up for your right, defending a position which you believe is correct, or simply trying to win.

Accommodating: It is the opposite of competing. When accommodating, an individual neglects his own concerns to satisfy the other side. Accommodating might take the form of selfless generosity or charity, obeying another person’s order when one would prefer not to, or yielding to another’s point of view.

Compromising: The objective is to find some expedient, mutually acceptable solution which partially satisfies both parties. It falls on a middle ground between competing and accommodating. It addresses an issue more directly than avoiding, but does not explore it in as much depth. Compromising might mean splitting the difference, exchanging concessions, or seeking a quick middle ground position; good in short run but not long lasting.

Collaborating: Collaborating involves an attempt to work with the other person to find some solutions which fully satisfies both persons. It means digging into an issue to identify the underlying concerns of the two individuals and to find an alternative which both accept. Collaborating between two persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each other’s insights, concluding to resolve some condition which would otherwise have them competing for resources, or confronting and trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem.To conclude, conflict is not a dirty word and needs to be looked at more positively. Let us not forget conflicts are often the seeds of new ideas and approaches and methods at work. Effective conflict resolution can help better openness, trust and sound interpersonal relations at the workplace