1. What is conflict management.

Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly,
fairly, and efficiently. Since conflicts in a business are a natural part of the workplace, it is
important that there are people who understand conflicts and know how to resolve them. This is
important in today's market more than ever. Everyone is striving to show how valuable they are
to the company they work for and at times, this can lead to disputes with other members of the
team.

2. Conflict management theory.

a) Traditional view

Before the management study got more in-depth details on conflict, management used to
think that conflict is the result of the dysfunctional outcome. It was also believed that
poor communication and trust issues created every type of conflict.

This view was quite common until the 1940s, but there have been substantial changes in
management thinking since then.

The traditional theory stresses that all conflicts are harmful, and the management should
eradicate them by addressing the person creating the conflict. This theory has slowly
become obsolete as many advantages of conflict have come up.

b) Human Relations theory

This theory stresses that conflict is a natural occurrence that indeed happens with more
people who work together in a group. Conflict is inevitable, especially in these
interconnected worlds where organizations focus more on integration and sync between
teams, departments, and other verticals.

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 These views had dominated among management between the late 1940s to mid-1970s.
Even some managers believe that conflict will happen, and they try to understand the root
cause for proper resolution instead of blaming the individual causing the conflict.

c) Interactionist theory

Interactionist theory is made with the idea that human beings are social animals and love
to interact with others and the world around them. This interaction gives meaning to the
personal life and helps in making decisions in everyday lives.

This theory encourages the managers to maintain minimal conflict, so the group members
remain creative and forward-looking. This view still resonates well within the
management circle, and most conflict resolution systems depend on that.

3. What are conflict management skills .

a) Avoiding

This style believes that avoiding a conflict is a safer option to postpone the conflict. It tends to be
unassertive and uncooperative because the person keeps away themselves from the issue. Many
times, avoiding styles works has some conflict get automatically resolved by passing of time.

A conflict between two employees gets resolved if they switch the team or leave the organization
for better career prospects. A manager who knows that one of the employees is trying very hard
for better career opportunities waits for that thing to happen to resolve the conflict.

b) Compromise

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This style is ubiquitous among a spectrum of organizations. It focuses on finding amicable and
mutually acceptable solutions to every conflict by satisfying both parties. It works on resolutions
while maintaining assertiveness and cooperativeness.

This style is highly effective when the outcome is not crucial, but the time involved in the
conflict is essential. For example, two people fighting over silly issues get resolved this way so
that the management can focus more on the other essential things.

c) Accommodating

It is just the opposite of competing here, and one party has to self-sacrifice their stance to make
the other person happy. It sounds like a great style, but it is mainly misused by the strong party to
take advantage of the weak.

For early conflict resolution, the person lets go of the issue, but it causes resentment in the long
run. This style is only helpful when one party does not care much about the outcome.

d) Collaborating

Collaborating methods stress that the management should take an assertive as well as
cooperative outlook while solving conflict. Managements of the company have planned to merge
two departments into one; there will undoubtedly be some or other way of resistance and
conflict.

Here, both the team managers bring all those involved in the process and try to make them
understand the new merging of the team and ask a gentle warning on abiding by the management
decisions.

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It is the opposite to avoiding as both parties try to get a good deal, and negative feelings are
minimized. It works better when the outcome is essential and there is long term relationship
between the conflicting parties.

e) Competing

This style has pros and cons both at the same time. When an employee completes with a person
outside his team, it is beneficial for the team and organization. However, when employees take
an assertive and uncooperative outlook in their competition, it becomes harmful for the
organizations.

In this style, one party does not care about the other and tries to fetch the vital outcome in their
favour. Not caring about the relationship and the importance of outcome are two prerequisites of
this style.

4. Why Employers Value Conflict Management Skills

Poor communication or interpersonal tension can easily cause simple disagreements to flare up
into resentment or worse.

Conflicts that are allowed to fester and grow will ultimately diminish productivity and damage
staff morale. This is why employers seek employees with the skills to manage and diffuse
conflict.

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 5. Types of conflict management skills.
i. Communication

Much unnecessary conflict can be avoided simply with clear, accurate written and verbal
communication; a single lost email could lead to failed plans and fingers pointed.

Assumptions about what other people already know, think, or intend can cause resentment or
worse. Some people argue just because they want to feel heard.

Simply being a good listener can be enough to inspire trust and resolve hurt feelings.

Examples of good communication skills include:

o Quickly Addressing Problems

 Understanding Reluctant Participants
 Formalizing Agreements
 Active Listening
 Leadership
 Mediating
 Meeting with Parties
 Modelling Reasonable Dialogue
 Negotiating
 Nonverbal Communication
 Open Dialogue
 Suppressing Conflict-Provoking Behaviours
 Teaching Positive Behaviours
 Written Communication

ii. Emotional Intelligence

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Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own feelings and those of others, and to
handle those feelings well. People who have high emotional intelligence are good at identifying
and meeting the needs of others while taking responsibility for their own needs and feelings.

A few ways they do this are:

 Being Adaptable
 Being Analytical
 Asserting Feelings
 Compromising
 Showing Curiosity
 Forgiving Transgressions
 Helping Others
 Identifying Triggers
 Recognizing Improvements
 Setting Ground Rules
 Showing Respect
 Modifying Behavior
 Being Motivated
 Being Optimistic
 Being Self-Aware
 Displaying Self-Regulation

iii. Empathy

Empathy means feeling what others feel. The ability to see a situation from someone else’s
viewpoint, and to understand their needs, motivations, and possible misunderstandings, is critical
to effective conflict management.

Some people are naturally more empathetic than others, but empathy can be developed.

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At its most useful, empathy is augmented by an intellectual understanding of another’s situation,
since emotional empathy alone can sometimes create complicated scenarios. Empathy is best
applied in a work environment when paired with critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and
other types of discernment.

Hallmarks of empathy include:

 Accountability
 Asking for Feedback
 Building Trust
 Showing Compassion
 Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
 Giving Constructive Feedback
 Handling Difficult People
 Managing Emotions
 High Emotional Intelligence
 Identifying Nonverbal Cues
 Recognizing Differences
 Understanding Different Viewpoints
 Good Interpersonal Skills
 Ability to Recognize Problems
 Good Self-Control
 Ability to Embrace Different Opinions

iv. Creative Problem Solving

Understanding and communication are all very well and good, but do not help much if you don’t
have a solution for the underlying problem, whatever that problem may be.

Conflict often happens because no one can come up with a workable solution, so resolving the
conflict depends on creating a solution.

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That makes problem-solving an in-demand skill for employers. Examples of problem-solving
conflicts in the workplace include:

 Conflict Analysis
 Brainstorming Solutions
 Collaborating
 Verbal Communication
 Convening Meetings
 Creativity
 Decision Making
 Designating Sanctions
 Nonverbal Communication
 Problem Solving
 Sense of Humor
 Goal Integration
 Monitoring Compliance
 Reconfiguring Relationships
 Fair Resolution

6. case study

In the business case below, you will be able to apply your knowledge on Conflict Management
by advising a client on how to deal with conflict.

Case:

You are a management consultant specializing in Organisational behaviour, and you receive a
call from a new client, John. John is the Chief Innovation Officer at G Box, a vedio game
company.

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John: “I am calling you because I am having a very hard time dealing with one of my employees,
Eva. Eva is one of our leading software engineers, and she just joined the company from Ubisoft.
I have a lot of respect for Eva, and I’m actually the one that hired her. She is the only engineer
that has a Ph.D., and her experience at Ubisoft is exceptionally precious to the company. She is
by far our most talented engineer. She even had higher grades than myself in college.

Consultant: “Sounds great, so why are you fighting?”

John: “when asking her to create a video game based on the blueprint I created, instead of
building the game, she built a new blueprint instead! This upset me tremendously because we
have deadlines to maintain, and I don’t think an employee should ever challenge her manager.
Even if her blueprint was better, she has no business trying to step on my turf. In response to this,
I decided to build the video game myself at night after work using my blueprint. I did not even
discuss the issue with her since I knew it would lead to nothing getting done my way. The
problem is that I am so exhausted now, I can keep on doing this going forward."

Required:

1. What Conflict Management style is John currently using? Explain.

2. What Conflict Management do you recommend John to use? Explain.

Solution.

1.The student should identify this Conflict Management style as Competing with some
degree of Avoidance as well.
2.The student should form an answer that considers Eva's superior expertise and is more
cooperative, such as the Collaborative, Compromising, or Accommodating style.

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 7. Best practices to manage conflict

I. Be aware of conflict

Keep your eyes and ears open forchanges in workplace climate and any early signs of developing
conflict. Don’t turn a blind eye to symptoms of hidden conflict. Conflict can only be safely
ignored if it is momentary and unlikely to escalate. Ignoring conflict may be an easy option
initially, but in most cases, it does not help and will create a more difficult situation to resolve
later.

II. Take a considerate and rational approach to conflict

Stay calm and ensure that you are able to take a considered, rational and impartial approach to
the situation. If you are personally involved, you may need to ask someone else to handle the
issue. Avoid the temptation to adopt the instinctive reactions of ‘fight or flight’.

Avoid passive behaviour - do not take an apologetic stance and accept all points of view whether
they are right or wrong. Similarly, avoid aggressive behaviour – do not take an authoritarian
approach and fail to listen to reasoned argument. Instead, aim to take an assertive stance, while
treating all parties with respect and listening to all points of view.

Take care with your use of language and your body language while dealing with people involved
in conflict situations. Most importantly, be neutral and focus on the facts.

III. Investigate the situation

Take time to find out what has happened, who is involved, how people are feeling, and what the
issues are. Don’t prejudge the issue or jump to conclusions. Speak individually and

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 confidentially to those involved and listen actively to make sure you understand their point of
view.

Try to identify any underlying causes of conflict which may not be immediately obvious. For
example, a member of staff may be in apparent conflict with colleagues, while the root cause is
their perception that a supervisor is treating them unfairly. Be aware that those involved may
have differing perceptions of the same situation.

IV. Decide how to tackle the conflict

Having examined the situation, decide what kind of action is appropriate.

Ask yourself:

 Is this a serious matter or relatively trivial? Could it become serious?

 Should organisational discipline or grievance procedures be invoked?
 Is the matter within your sphere of authority or should it be referred to a superior?
 Are any legal issues involved? In situations where the law comes into play it is advisable
to consult with your HR department before you take any action.
 Would the participation of a trade union representative be appropriate?
 Would it be best to make a ruling on the issue yourself, or would an informal gathering to
discuss the problem be helpful? Will the parties accept your ruling?
 Is time needed for heated emotions to subside before moving forward?

The answers to these questions will help you decide what action to take. For all sorts of reasons,
there may be situations where formal processes, including legal proceedings, may need to be
invoked – if in doubt, consult your HR department. However, many issues can be resolved

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 without resorting to costly legal cases. In most cases a mutually agreed mediated solution will be
more effective than an imposed solution which may leave all parties dissatisfied.

V. Let everyone have their say

If you are able to get the parties together, you may be able to reach a satisfactory solution. Take a
positive, friendly and assertive approach to the meeting and set ground rules for the session.
Assertive behaviour will encourage the parties to express their thoughts honestly and openly,
understand the causes of conflict and find solutions.

Make sure that everyone has the chance to explain their point of view and concerns. People will
be more willing to relinquish entrenched positions and consider compromise if they feel that
their point of view has been understood and their concerns taken on board.

VI. Identify options and agree on a way forward

This is the most important and often the most difficult part of the process. The following steps
may be helpful in reaching agreement:

 Create an atmosphere where all parties are able to speak openly and honestly.
 Acknowledge emotional issues as these are often at the heart of it and thus will need to be
resolved.
 Consider carefully the extent to which you need to control the meeting and intervene in
the discussion.
 Explore the reasons for the disagreement.
 Identify any misconceptions or misunderstandings which are blocking progress.
 Encourage the parties to examine their own positions and identify any common ground
with others.

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  Look for points which may be negotiable and seek win-win solutions which take the
interests of all parties into account.
 Ask the parties to put forward preferred solutions.
 Allow time for reflection.
 Assess each option and help the parties to agree on which represents the best way
forward.
 Secure the commitment of all parties to any agreement and agree on a review point.

If no progress is made, a period of reflection may help, but ultimately it may be necessary to
bring in another manager or to consider external assistance from a specialist in mediation, ADR
(Alternative Dispute Resolution) or arbitration. In these difficult cases, where complete
consensus is impossible, you should aim for a way forward that is acceptable to all, even if it is
not the preferred option for all parties involved.

VII. Implement what has been agreed

It is important to ensure that everyone is clear about what has been decided and takes personal
responsibility for any actions which have been agreed. In some cases, a written agreement may
be appropriate. Be careful here if there is any embarrassment of any of the parties involved, for
example, if it involves public apologies.

VIII. Evaluate how things are going

Don’t assume that the issue has been finally resolved. Continue to keep an eye on the situation
and evaluate how well the solution is working. If the problem reappears it may be necessary to
take further action.

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IX. Consider preventative strategies for the future

Think about the lessons that can be learned from the conflict and the way it was handled. What
could be done better next time? How could you develop your conflict managementskills? You
may wish to consider training or other forms of professional development on influencing,
mediation or dispute resolution techniques for yourself or a colleague.

Looking at the broader context, consider what action can be taken to improve working
relationships and encourage a culture of open communication and consultation. Fostering a sense
of group identity and encouraging employees to see themselves as working towards a common
cause is a good way of lessening conflict in the future.

Consider whether an organisational procedure for dispute resolution or mediation is needed.

Think about whether there is something about the way the unit works that encourage this
conflicting behaviour and if this can be ‘fixed’.

8. Conclusion

Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly,
fairly, and efficiently. Since conflicts in a business are a natural part of the workplace, it is
important that there are people who understand conflicts and know how to resolve them. This is
important in today's market more than ever. Before the management study got more in-depth
details on conflict, management used to think that conflict is the result of the dysfunctional
outcome. It was also believed that poor communication and trust issues created every type of
conflict. The traditional theory stresses that all conflicts are harmful, and the management should
eradicate them by addressing the person creating the conflict. This theory has slowly become
obsolete as many advantages of conflict have come up. Interactionist theory is made with the
idea that human beings are social animals and love to interact with others and the world around

14
them. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own feelings and those of others,
and to handle those feelings well. People who have high emotional intelligence are good at
identifying and meeting the needs of others while taking responsibility for their own needs and
feelings.

Empathy means feeling what others feel. The ability to see a situation from someone else’s
viewpoint, and to understand their needs, motivations, and possible misunderstandings, is critical
to effective conflict management. Understanding and communication are all very well and good,
but do not help much if you don’t have a solution for the underlying problem, whatever that
problem may be. Conflict often happens because no one can come up with a workable solution,
so resolving the conflict depends on creating a solution.

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