RESOLVING CONFLICT

MODULE 4 LESSON 1: RESPONSES TO CONFLICT

Prepared by: Fatma Tahara M. Capal (Group 4)

There are different patterns or styles in responding to conflict. Depending on different kinds of people
and different situations, the responses to conflict are like:

 Movement Towards  Assertive (satisfying your own concern)

 Movement Against  Cooperative (satisfying other person's
 Movement Away concern)
 Both (combining assertive and cooperative)

FIVE PATTERNS IN RESPONDING TO CONFLICT

 Avoidance
 Accommodation
 Compromise
 Competition
 Collaboration
 DEFINITIONS OF THE FIVE PATTERNS IN RESPONDING CONFLICT

1. Avoidance or “Do Nothing”: The individual will not assert, and he will also not cooperate. There is
no movement towards or against another. Avoiding individual moves away from another and do not
address the conflict. Instead, they deny it and keep it hidden. For them, conflict is hopeless and they
would rather accept disagreements and get out. They just hope and allow time to solve the problem.
Avoidance reflects a low concern for the issues and of relationships. The longer the time the two
conflicting parties resolve, the more difficult it becomes. When both parties avoid each other, both of
them loses since they do nothing to their problem.

2. Accommodation or “I lose, you win”: is giving up or giving in to the other person. The individual
neglects his/her own concern in favour of satisfying the concern of the other. The individual is
unassertive and very cooperative. They tend to be selflessly generous or charitable, giving in ad deciding
that one’s concern is no big deal. They yield to another's point of view, and obey although they prefer
not to. Accommodating individuals ignore the issues and put higher stakes to relationships. For them,
conflict is disastrous therefore it is better to keep one's peace.

3. Compromise or “You lose, I lose”: people who compromise are moderately assertive and
moderately cooperative. Their objective is to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that
partially satisfies both parties. Compromising is in the middle of accommodating and competing, giving
up more than competing but less than accommodating. It means seeking the middle-ground apposite,
splitting the difference or exchanging concessions. For the compromiser, conflict is mutual difference
resolved by cooperation or compromise. If each comes half way, progress can be made by democratic
process.

4. Competition/Confrontation/Domination or “I win, you lose.": Competing is a movement against

another response. It is power-oriented, But not cooperative. Individuals will assert themselves in
pursuing their interest even at other people's expense. Competition means defending a position and
pushing it through, believing it to be correct, or simply due to the desire to win -even by force. in
competition, the perspective is that conflict is obvious, some people arc right and others are wrong.
Very important is who is right and pressure and coercion are necessary. The issues are of much
importance while relationships are least considered.

5. Collaboration or “I win, you win”: The parties are both assertive and cooperative. They move
towards the other in order to find a solution that fully satisfies both their concerns. Different opinions
are tackled, weighed against each other and measured against the common aim. Differences are
welcomed although they assert their own views while also listening to others views. Collaborating
between two persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each other's
insights, resolving some condition that would otherwise have them competing for resources, or
confronting and trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem.
 WHEN TO USE STRATEGIES TO RESOLVE
CONFLICT
AVOIDANCE:
 When an issue is unimportant or when other,
more important issues are pressing
 When you perceive no chance of satisfying
your concerns - for example, when you have low
power or you are frustrated by something that
would be very difficult to change
 When the potential costs of confronting a
conflict outweigh the benefits of its resolution
 When you need to let people cool down-to
reduce tensions to a productive level and to
regain perspective and composure
 When gathering more information outweighs
the advantages of an immediate decision
 When others can resolve the issue more
effectively
 When the issue seems tangential or
symptomatic of another, more basic issue
ACCOMMODATION:
 When you realize that you are wrong - to
allow a better solution to be considered, to
learn from others, and to show that you are
reasonable
 When the issue is much more important to
the other person than it is to you - to satisfy
the needs of others and as a goodwill gesture
to help maintain a cooperative relationship
 When you want to build up social credits for
later issues that are important to you
 When you are outmatched and losing and
more competition would only damage your
cause
 When preserving harmony and avoiding
disruption are especially important
 When you want to help your employees
develop by allowing them to experiment and
learn from their mistakes
COMPROMISE:
 When goals are moderately important but
not worth the effort or the potential
disruption involved in using more assertive
modes.
 When two opponents with equal power are
strongly committed to mutually exclusive
goals- as in labour-management bargaining.
 When you want to achieve a temporary
settlement of a complex issue.
 When you need to arrive at an expedient
solution under time pressure as a backup
mode when collaboration or competition
fails.
COMPETITION:
 When quick, decisive action is vital-for
example, in an emergency On important
issues when unpopular courses of action
need implementing- for example, cost cutting
, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline. On
issues vital to company welfare when you
know you're right.
 When you need to protect yourself from
people who take advantage of non-
competitive behaviour.
COLLABORATION:
 When you need to find an integrative
solution and the concerns of both parties are
too important to be compromised.
 When your objective is to learn and you wish
to test your assumptions and understand
others' views.
 When you want to merge insights from
people with different perspectives on a
problem.
 When you want to gain commitment by
incorporating others' concerns into a
consensual decision
 When you need to work through hard
feelings that have been interfering with a
relationship.