Conflict Management
Conflict Management
Conflict Management
Conflicts in
organizations are
Inevitable
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Objectives
What is a Conflict
Understand why conflict occurs
Explore the impact of conflict
Examine conflict management styles
Identify our personal conflict management styles
Consider the appropriateness of conflict styles
Examine a model for managing the conflict process
Conflict
A process in which one party perceives
that its interests are being opposed or
negatively affected by another party.
Conflict
FUNCTIONAL CONFLICT
serves the organizations interests while
DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT
threatens the organizations interests.
Interpersonal Conflict
Exists when two or more people have
incompatible goals and one or both
believe that the behavior of the other
prevents their own goal attainment
Worker needs/values
Personality
Job assignments
Scarce resources
Job design
Organizational structure
Culture differences
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Other Persons
Behavior
Persons
Experienced
Frustration
Persons
Conceptualization of
Conflict
Conflict
style
Conflict
resolution
Conflict
aftermath
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Accommodating
Unassertive
Collaborating
Assertive
Compromising
Avoiding
Competing
Uncooperative
Collaborating
Accommodating
Compromising
Avoiding
Competing
Low
Relationship Orientation
High
Low
Goal Orientation
High
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Compromising
Point out to the other person that if you both will
make a few concessions, the conflict can be resolved
quickly
Point out that if the disagreement is to be resolved,
some sacrifices must be made by both of you
Appropriate when...
Goals are important but not worth the effort or
potential disruption of more assertive modes
Opponents with equal power are committed to
mutually exclusive goals
It is desirable to achieve temporary settlements to
complex issues
Time pressures necessitate expedient solutions
Collaboration or competition is unsuccessful
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Competing
Pursue your goals regardless of the other persons
concerns
Make the first move, gain control, and maximize
chances of obtaining your demands
Prolong discussion until the other person gives in to
your approach for handling the problem
Appropriate when...
Quick, decisive action is vital (e.g., emergencies)
Unpopular actions on important issues must be
implemented (e.g., cost cutting, enforcing unpopular
rules, discipline)
You know you are right regarding issues vital to the
organizations welfare
People will take advantage of noncompetitive
behavior
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Collaborating
Determine where each of you stands; identify
options available to meet both parties needs
Suggest combining your ideas with the other
persons ideas to make an even more workable idea
Express concern for the differences between you; let
the other person know you want a resolution that
satisfies both of you
Appropriate when...
An integrative solution must be found because both
sets of concerns are too important to be
compromised
Your objective is to learn
Insights from people with different perspectives
should be merged
Commitment can be gained by incorporating
concerns into a consensus
It is desirable to work through feelings that have
interfered with a relationship
Avoiding
Downplay the seriousness of the problem: Lets
not waste time with the matter.
Tell the other person that the problem does not
concern you
Explain that there is no point in trying to resolve a
conflict between two people with such basically
different personalities
Appropriate when...
An issue is trivial or more important issues are
pressing
You perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns
Potential disruption outweighs the benefits of
resolution
People must cool down to regain perspective
Gathering information supersedes immediate
decision
Others can resolve the conflict more effectively
Issues seem tangential or symptomatic of other
issues
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
Accommodating
Offer to handle the problem any way the other
person wants
Go along with whatever the other person requests,
rather than get into the difficulties of direct
confrontation
Appropriate when...
Self Assessment
An exercise
10
>10 Passive
12
15
18
11-20 Assertive
21
24
26
30
21- 30 Aggressive
Fair Fighting
The mantras for winning
No false agreements
...pretending to go along or
to agree when you don't.
No character analysis or
psycho-analyzing
...telling a person what
they are thinking, feeling,
or why they acted as they
did.
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
No stereotyping
...labeling or name calling.
No gunny sacking
...saving up minor
grievances and dumping
them all at once rather than
dealing with them one at a
time as they occur.
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco
No playing archaeologist
...digging up past
happenings.
Don't generalize
...using statements such as
"You always ..." or "You
never ..." to describe a
person's behavior.
Paras Kaushik, Training Center, Hindalco