CONFLICT

MANAGEMENT

ANJUM NISAR Qureshi

Bahria University
 Toward Conflict Management

Blake and Mouton (1970) proposed a

grid that shows various conflict
approaches.

The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach,

also called avoidance.

The 1,9 position, also called

accommodation, is excessively person-
oriented.
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 Toward Conflict Management
Blake and Mouton’s Conflict Grid

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 Toward Conflict Management

The 5,5 position represents a willingness

to compromise.

The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach, also

called competing.

The optimum style for reducing conflict is

the 9,9 approach, also called
collaboration.

Anjum N. Qureshi
The Five Conflict-Handling Modes
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is
designed to assess an individual’s behavior in conflict
situations.

In such situations, we can describe a person’s behavior

along two basic dimensions:

(1) assertiveness (Concern for self), the extent to which the

individual attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns, and

(2) cooperativeness (Concern for others), the extent to which

the individual attempts to satisfy the other person’s concerns.

These two basic dimensions of behavior are used to define

five specific methods of dealing with conflicts shown in the
next slide…...

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 Five Conflict-Handling Styles

Concern for Others

High Collaborating Accommodating

Compromising

Low Competing Avoiding

High Low
Concern for Self
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This is taken from Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode
Instrument by K.W. Thomas and Kilmann.
Avoiding – the manager is not very helpful in helping to resolve the
conflict. This could be used on situations seen as not very important or
when disruption could be a big problem.

Competing – These are win-lose situations. One person’s option is

chosen at the expense of another’s.

Accommodating – One person allows the opposing person to have

their way. This could be used when a conflict is more important to the
other person, when one person decides they were wrong, or to
preserve future relations.
Compromising – People bargain to get pieces of what they want by
giving up pieces that aren’t as important to them.

Collaborating – These situations can be viewed as win-win. The

opposing groups sincerely and creatively work together to reach a
method that pleases both sides.
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SCORING INTERPERSONAL STYLES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
QUESTIONNAIRE

Total number of items circled in each column: 

_______ _______ _______ _______ _______

Competing Collaborating Compromising Avoiding Accommodating

The largest number is your most probable reaction to conflict

situations.

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 Competing - SHARK
Competing - SHARK - is assertive and
uncooperative.

An individual pursues his or her own concerns at the

expense of the other person.

This is a power oriented mode in which one uses

whatever power seems appropriate to win ones own
position.

When to use Competition:

1. When you know you are right.
2. When you need a quick decision. (autocratic)
3. When you meet a steamroller type of person and
you need to stand up for your own rights.
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 Accommodating - TEDDY BEAR
Accommodating - TEDDY BEAR - is unassertive (opposite of
competing).

When accommodating, an individual neglects his/her own

concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person. There
is an element of self-sacrifice in this mode.

When to use accommodating:

1. When the issue is not so important to you but it is to the other

person.

2. When you discover that you are wrong.

3. When continued competition would be detrimental - "you know

you can't win."

4. When preserving harmony without disruption is the most

important - "it's not the right time."

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 Avoiding - TURTLE
Avoiding - TURTLE - is unassertive and
cooperative.

When a person does not pursue her/his own

concerns or those of the other person.

He/she does not address the conflict, but rather

sidesteps, postpones or simply withdraws.

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 When to use avoiding:
1. When you don't have anything to lose - "when the
issue is trivial."

2. When the context isn't suitable - "it isn't the right

time or place."

3. When you see no chance of getting your concerns

met.

4. When you would have to deal with an angry, hot

headed person.

5. When you are totally unprepared, taken by surprise,

and you need time to think and collect information.

6. When you are too emotionally involved and the

others around you can solve the conflict more
successfully.

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 FOX - Compromising
FOX - Compromising. The objective - is to find some
expedient, mutually acceptable solution which partially
satisfies both parties.

It falls in the middle group between competing and

accommodating.

When to use compromise:

1. When the goals are moderately important and not worth the
use of more assertive modes.

2. When people of equal status are equally committed.

3. To reach temporary settlement on complex issues.

4. To reach expedient solutions on important issues.

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 OWL - Collaborating
OWL - Collaborating - is both assertive and cooperative. This is the
opposite of avoiding.

Collaboration involves an attempt to work with the other person to find

some solution which fully satisfies the concerns of both persons.

It includes identifying the underlying concerns of the two individuals

and finding an alternative which meets both sets of concerns.

When to use collaboration:

1. When other's lives are involved.

2. When you don't want to have full responsibility.
3. When there is a high level of trust.
4. When you want to gain commitment from others.
5. When you need to work through hard feelings, animosity, etc.

** The best decisions are made by collaboration.

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The Rabbit and the Tortoise

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THE PREFERRED APPROACH OPTION IS
WIN/WIN.......

WIN/WIN is a co-operative approach

where both parties get more of what they
want. From the orange story we learn that
the first step is to go back to NEEDS.

Move away from solutions being proposed

and analyze needs.

Then work out a way in which each party

gets more of what they want
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WIN/WIN DILEMMAS: Can you always have a
win/win solution.

1. What about a friend who never

reciprocates favors?

2. What about trading with another

business that seems headed for
bankruptcy? Should my business provide
them with prompt service?

3. Suppose you are in direct competition

with others for the same promotion?
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 WIN/WIN DILEMMAS:
Can you always have a win/win solution

1. What about a friend who never reciprocates favors?

Try telling them: 'I want us to stay friends and I find that hard to manage when
I don't feel I'm getting anything back from you.'

2. What about trading with another business that seems headed for
bankruptcy? Should my business provide them with prompt
service?

Try telling them: 'I realize you are in a tight financial situation right now, but my
company can't risk not getting paid. I'll have to have cash on delivery. Would it
be easier to pay immediately if you had smaller, more frequent deliveries?'

3. Suppose you are in direct competition with others for the same
promotion?

Try to stop worrying about the others and concentrate on yourself.

Competition is always an opportunity for improvement, whatever the outcome.
Getting the promotion may or may not be a win. A real win is doing your best.
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 RIDING A BICYCLE

You weren’t interested

You saw others riding & realized you couldn’t ride
You learned how to ride
You ride so much you do it automatically

YOU MAY NOT FIND IT EASY TO DO

.......... IT WILL COME WITH PRACTICE

......................IF YOU COMMIT YOURSELF TO DOING IT

...................................THEN YOU’LL DO IT
AUTOMATICALLY

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 How to win a conflict – 10 fatal rules
1. Insist absolutely on your position – the other will certainly concede!

2. Announce permanently and vocally in the public that you are right and that your rival is
wrong.

3. Look only after solutions which correspond at most to your interest – you are right!

4. Confront your rival with facts, that will steal his thunder.

5. Look for allies who follow you blindly, your rival will be intimidated.

6. If your rival doesn’t give in, threaten him with violence – this always makes an impact.

7. In any case – don’t accept any intermediation from a third person – he/she only wants to
support your rival.

8. Gather information about the private life of your rival and forward them to the press.

9. If this doesn’t show any impact, spread any sort of rumour about your rival.

10. Perishing together with the rival is always better than making any concession. You are
fighting for the victory of the truth!
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 Conflict Resolution Techniques
Step 1 Create an Effective Atmosphere

Select a location where everyone feels comfortable and at ease. Create an

atmosphere that allows the issues to be addressed openly and honestly during a
time convenient for all and no one is feeling pressured.

Step 2 Clarify Perceptions

Find out what the conflict is about while avoiding any side issues. Recognize
other’s needs and wants. Listen carefully to help clear up misconceptions

Step 3 Focus on Individual and Shared Needs

Be concerned about meeting other people’s needs besides your own. Recognize
the fact that you need each other to resolve conflict.

Step 4 Build Shared Positive Power

Power is made up of people’s outlooks, ideas, convictions, and actions. Thus, a

positive view of power enables people to be most effective. Positive power
Promotes building together and strengthening partnerships.
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 Conflict Resolution Techniques
Step 5 Look to the Future, then Learn from the Past

Try to understand what happened with past conflicts and avoid repeating the same
mistakes over.

Step 6 Generate Options

Get ideas from people having conflict. Look for common threads. Make sure
options are workable for all parties
Step 7 Develop “Doables” – Stepping Stones to Action
Select the “doables” that:

have the best chance of success,

never promote unfair advantages on any side,
are found on shared input and information from all parties, and
add confidence in working together.

Step 8 Make Mutual Benefit Agreements

Focus on developing agreements and finding shared goals.

Pay attention to the needs of the other person.
Recognize the things that can’t be N.
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Qureshi
Clarify what is expected of you in the agreement.