Conflict

Shubhra P Gaur
 What is conflict?
• A process that begins when one party
perceives that another party has negatively
affected, or is about to negatively affect
something that the first party cares about.
• This definition is flexible enough to cover
– wide range of conflicts people face in
organizations
– full range of conflict levels,e.g violent to subtle
What is your view about conflict?
Why?
 What is your view about conflict? Why?

• Traditional view: Conflict is dysfunctional-

outcome of poor communication, lack of
openness & trust
• Human relations view: Conflict is Inevitable-
accept it –it may even benefit the
group/people involved
 Interactionist view
Current thought…
• Encourage minimum level of conflict to keep
the group viable, self critical & creative.
• Balanced view-conflict can have different
consequences-sometimes desirable
sometimes destructive depending on the type
of conflict
 Types of conflict
• Task Conflict
– content and goals of the work
• Process Conflict
– how the work gets done
• Relationship Conflict
– interpersonal
 Types of conflict
• Task-content and goals • Low to moderate level
of the work functional
• Relationship- • Always dysfunctional
(interpersonal)
• Process-how the work • Low to moderate lead
gets done to functional outcomes
 The conflict process
• Stage -1 potential opposition/incompatibility
• Stage -2 cognitions & personalization
• Stage -3 intentions
• Stage -4 behaviour
• Stage -5 outcomes
 The conflict process
• Stage -1 potential opposition/incompatibility is it
communication, structural (sales-credit:; auditor-other employees) or personal

• Stage -2 cognitions & personalization conflict gets defined,

role of emotions

• Stage -3 intentions- interpretation of other’ intentions is imp/your own

preferences

• Stage -4 behaviour conflict gets visible

• Stage -5 outcomes
• Functional - improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity and innovation, fosters an
environment of self evaluation and change.
• Dysfunctional- discontentment, retarded communication, reduced group cohesiveness,
subordination of group goals over infighting, group survival can be threatened
 Levels of conflict
• Intrapersonal
• Interpersonal
• Intragroup
• Intergroup

These levels are often cumulative and interrelated

 Intrapersonal
• It involves some kind of goal, cognitive/affective
conflict.(many alternatives and imp decision)
• Approach-Approach-two equally good jobs
• Avoidance- Avoidance-two equally undesirable
options/low pay-travelling
• Approach-Avoidance-both positive and negative in
one option-good job in a bad location
• Cognitive dissonance-when thoughts and behaviour
are inconsistent (change thoughts and/or behaviour
or seek more information)
 Interpersonal
• When two or more individuals perceive that
their attitudes,behaviour or preferred goals
are in opposition
• Role conflict-intra sender,intersender,
interrole, person role
• Role ambiguity
• Personality
• Both intra and interpersonal are very
detrimental to the mental health of the
individual…if not handled timely
appropriately.
• Look for Dominant CM Style if any
• Need to intervene if it is avoiding or forcing or
accommodating
• HIGH score +1 sd in avoiding or forcing or
accommodating- review required
• Low score -1 sd in collaborating and
compromising –review required
 Avoiding style
• Unassertive/uncooperative
• Stay away from tension etc, ignore
disagreements, remain neutral
• I usually don’t take positions that create
controversy
• I shy away from topics that are source of
disputes.
• That’s ok-it wasn’t imp anyway
 Avoiding style-consequences
• Ignoring imp issues frustrates others-
consistent use of this style results in
unfavourable evaluations by others
• Desirable –issue is minor, not enough
information,power to resolve is low, others
can resolve it more effectively
 Competing(Forcing) style

• Forceful-uncooperative behaviour which reflects win

lose approach
• Try to achieve their goals without concern for others
• I like to put it plainly-like it or not ,what I say goes
• I convince the other person of the logic and benefits
of my position
• I insist that my position is accepted in a
disagreement
• I usually hold to my solution after the controversy
starts
 Competing (Forcing) style
consequences
• Goal is achieved but Unfavourable evaluation
• Over reliance lessens work motivation of
subordinates
• In decision making other alternatives and
relevant information may be ignored
• Desirable-emergencies, unpopular decisions
for overall org effectiveness & survival, self
protection or prevent people from taking
advantage
 Accommodating style
• Cooperative unassertive-
– unselfish act
– long term strategy for seeking coop
– submission to others wishes
 Accommodating style-consequences
• Fav evaluation but perception of being weak
& submissive
• If dominant -ineffective concern for emotions
but little attention to focussing on substantive
issues
• In short run-maintaining harmony is
imp,potentially explosive emotional conflict
situation
 Compromising style
• Intermediate levels of cooperation and
assertion
• May engage in give and take and series of
concessions
• Commonly used and widely accepted
 Compromising style-consequences
• Fav eva-cooperative pragmatic this helps maintain
good relations in future
• Shouldn’t be used early on as stated issues may be
used to decide rather than real issues- without
exploring the best decision available
• Doesn’t maximise mutual sat(mod partial)
• Desirable-sit where better off at least not worse off,
winnwin isn’t possibleconflicting goals or interstes
block agreement on one’s proposal
 Collaborating style
• Strong coop and assertive beh-win win,
maximise joint results
• View conflict as natural, helpful and leading to
more creative solution, exhibits trust,
recognises that when conflict is resolved to
the sat of all, commitment to the solution is
likely
 collaborating-consequences
• Evaluated as dynamic
• Is most effective when
– Sufficient interdependence to justfy spending the
extra time
– Sufficient parity of power for free & candid
interaction
– Potential for mutual benefits thru win win
– Sufficient org support for investing the necessary
time and energy (norms rewards punishments
from the top)
 Reflection of collaborating style…..
• I first try to overcome any distrust that might
exist between us Then I try to get at the
feelings that we mutually have about the
topics. I stress that nothing I decide is cast in
stone and suggests that we can find a position
that we can give a trial run
• I try to dig in an issue to find a solution good
for all of us.
 Some pearls of wisdom…
• Collaborative- characteristic of more
successful ind and high performing org , leads
to fav evaluation, positive feelings and leads
to constructive use of conflict
• Forcing (competing)and avoiding often have
negative effects
• Compromising and accommodating have
mixed results.
 finally…
• When used appropriately each of these styles
can be an effective approach to CH-
collaborative style is not a panacea
• Any one or a mixture of the five can be used
during the course of a dispute