Stress & Conflict

Agenda
• Stress
• Conflict
• Conflict Sources
 Course Framework
Input Process Output

Job Satisfaction

Personality Emotions Job

Performance
Individual Motivation
Values
Perception & Decision Making
Commitment
Stress

Communication Group
Group
Effectiveness
Group Structure Leadership

Roles & Power & Politics

Group Cohesion
Norms
Conflict & Negotiation
 Class Question
Why are individuals more stressed than others and how does stress
affect performance outcomes?
What is Stress?
Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands that
possess certain stakes and that tax or exceed a person’s
capacity or resources.
The demands that cause people to experience stress are
called stressors.
The negative consequences that occur when demands
tax or exceed one’s capacity or resources are called
strains.
• A complex emotion that prepares us for fight or flight
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative Stress
Model of a Stress Episode
Consequences of Stress

Cardiovascular disease, , back pain,

Physiological stomach aches, headaches

Work performance, accidents,

Behavioral absenteeism, overly critical, bossy,
excessive smoking, gum chewing

Depression, anxiety, anger, hostility,

Psychological moodiness, emotional fatigue
Reactions to Organizational Stress
• The reactions that people who experience organizational
stress might exhibit can be divided into three categories:
• Behavioural reactions
• Psychological reactions
• Psycological reactions
Behavioural Reactions to Stress
• Behavioural reactions to stress are overt activities that the
stressed individual uses in an attempt to cope with the stress.
• Behavioural reactions to stress include:
• Problem solving: Problem solving is directed toward terminating
the stressor or reducing its potency.
• Talking it out
• Delegation
• Time management
• Ask for help
• Withdrawal
• Use of addictive substances
Psychological Reactions to Stress
• Psychological reactions to stress primarily involve emotions
and thought processes rather than overt behaviour.
• The most common psychological reaction to stress is the use
of defense mechanisms.
• Defense mechanisms are psychological attempts to reduce
the anxiety associated with stress.
• They concentrate on anxiety reduction rather than on actually
confronting or dealing with the stressor.
• Defense mechanisms do not change the objective character of
the stressor.
• After some short-term relief from anxiety, the basic problem
remains unresolved.
Defense Mechanisms
• Some common defense mechanisms include the following:
• Rationalization: attribute socially acceptable reasons to how one
feels, ex angry nurse regarding promotion discrimination
• Projection: attributing one’s undesirable ideas to others, ex:
bribing  corrupt
• Displacement: direct feeling somewhere else, ex: yelling at other
drivers
• Compensation: covering up with what you are good at, ex:
teaching and research
• Reaction formation: hiding true feeling, ex: voting similar to high
status group
 Is stress a good thing or a

bad thing for groups/organizations?

Consequences of Stress
(Organization Level)

Hindrance Job
Weak Negative Performance
Stressors

Hindrance Organizational
Strong Negative Commitment
Stressors

Challenge Job
Weak Positive Performance
Stressors

Challenge Organizational
Moderately Positive Commitment
Stressors
Hindrance Stressors
Stressful demands that are perceived as hindering progress
toward personal accomplishments or goal attainment.
– Work stressors
• Role conflict (conflicting expectations)
• Role ambiguity (lack of information about what needs to be
done, unpredictability regarding consequences)
• Role overload (too much to do)
• Daily hassles
– Nonwork stressors
• Negative life events
• Financial uncertainty
Sources of Stress at Various Points in the
Organization
Challenge Stressors
Stressful demands that are perceived as
opportunities for learning, growth, and achievement.
–Work stressors
• Not enough time
• Work exceeds capabilities (complexity)
• Work responsibility (number/scope/importance
of obligations)
–Non-work stressors
• Personal development
• Positive life events
How to Cope?
 Managing Work-Related Stress
• Remove the stressor
• Minimize/remove stressors
• Withdraw from the stressor
• Vacation, rest breaks
• Change stress perceptions
• Positive self-concept, humor
• Control stress consequences
• Healthy lifestyle, fitness, wellness
• Receive social support
Managerial Implications
Help employees understand body’s reaction to stress as a
natural, healthy response
Help employees get support by providing opportunities to
connect with people who care about them
Provide a caring working environment so that employees can
turn to each other when stressed
Fostering a collaborative workplace with strong socialization
activities
Provide or educate employees about how to cope:
Job redesign
Social support
Work-life balance programs
Conflict Defined
The process in which one party
perceives that its interests are
being opposed or negatively
affected by another party
Is Conflict Good or Bad?
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:
Pre 1970s View
Historically, experts viewed Good

conflict as dysfunctional

Conflict outcomes
• Undermined relations
• Wasted human energy
• More job dissatisfaction, 0
turnover, stress
• Less productivity,
information sharing

Bad
Low Level of conflict High
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:
1970s-1990s View Optimal
conflict
1970s to 1990s – belief in an
Good
optimal level of conflict
Some conflict is good because:

Conflict outcomes
• Energizes debate
• Reexamine assumptions 0
• Improves responsiveness to
external environment
• Increases team cohesion

Bad
Low Level of conflict High
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:
Emerging View
• Constructive conflict (Process/Task conflict)
• Conflict is aimed at what and how work should be done
• Remaining respectful
• Produces benefits of conflict

• Relationship conflict (Affective/Destructive conflict)

• Aims conflict at the person not the task or issue
• Personality clashes
• Distorts information processing
 Is Conflict Good or Bad?:
Emerging View
• Goal: encourage Constructive
constructive conflict, Good conflict
minimize relationship
conflict

Conflict outcomes
• Problem: difficult to
separate constructive from
0 Relationship
relationship conflict conflict
• Drive to defend activated
when ideas are critiqued

Bad
Low Level of conflict High
The Conflict Process

Conflict
Perceptions
Sources of Manifest Conflict
Conflict Conflict Outcomes
Conflict
Positive:
Emotions
Better Decisions
Responsive Org.
Team Cohesion
Conflict Negative:
Escalation Cycle Stress
Low Morale
Turnover
Hoard Information
Conflict Handling
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Avoiding
• Best when:
• relationship conflict is high
• conflict resolution cost is higher than benefits
• Problems: doesn’t resolve conflict, frustration
Accommodating
• Best when:
• other party has much more power
• issue is much less important to you than other party
• value/logic of your position is imperfect
• Problem: Increases other party’s expectations
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Collaborating
• Best when:
• Interests are not perfectly opposing
• Parties have trust/openness
• Issues are complex
• Problem: other party take advantage of information
Competing
• Best when:
• you have a deep conviction about your position
• quick resolution required
• other party would take advantage of cooperation
• Problems: relationship conflict, long-term relations
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Compromising
• Best when…
• Parties have equal power
• Quick solution is required
• Parties lack trust/openness
• Problem: Sub-optimal solution where mutual gains are
possible
Summary and Implications for Managers
• Don’t assume one conflict-handling strategy will always
be best!
• Use competition
• Use collaboration
• Use avoidance
• Use accommodation
• Use compromise
• Make sure you set aggressive negotiating goals
Summary

• How people cope with stress?

• What is conflict?
• Is it good or bad?
• Next class: Power and Politics