Conflict

Management
Our Team Members

Islam Shalaby Introduction

Mostafa Rabie Conflict Management Strategies

Ahmed Taher Applying CM & Case studies

Hisham Mohamed Best Practices & Conclusion

 Table of contents
01 02 03
Introduction Conflict Management CM Applications
Strategies

04 05 06
Case Studies Best Practices Conclusion
 What is Conflict?
“Conflict is a relationship
between two or more
parties (individuals or
groups) who have, or think
they have, incompatible
goals and who act on the
basis of those perceived
incompatibilities”,

4
Schneider et al 2016, p144
What is Conflict?
Conflict is not the same as violence – conflict is not always violent, or even immediately
obvious
Generally seen as negative, but this need not be the case, provided the conflict is
acknowledged, understood, and transformed into a positive force for change.
Managers spent 25% in solving conflicts.
Conflict is a natural part of human interaction, and it can arise from a variety of sources,
including differences in opinions, values, interests, and personalities. While some conflicts
can be resolved through open dialogue and negotiation, others can escalate into destructive
behaviors and even violence if left unchecked.
Therefore, it is essential to have effective conflict management skills to identify, address, and
resolve conflicts in a constructive and productive manner. Conflict management involves
understanding the different types of conflicts, their underlying causes, and the appropriate
strategies to manage them.
What are Types of Conflicts in the workplace ?

There are broadly four kinds of workplace conflict: when people's ideas, decisions or actions
relating directly to the job are in opposition, or when two people just don't get along. On an
individual level, workplace conflict is stressful and unpleasant

Intrapersonal Conflict

Interpersonal Conflict
Types Of Conflict
Compatible goals Incompatible goals

Compatible
behaviour

No conflict Latent conflict

Incompatible
behaviour

Surface conflict
Open conflict
Types of conflict

Compatible goals Incompatible goals

Compatible
When goals and behavior are compatible, there is
behaviour
no conflict

No conflict Latent conflict

Incompatible
behaviour

Surface Open
9
conflict conflict
 Types of conflict

Compatible goals Incompatible goals

Latent conflict is when behaviour is apparently

Compatible
behaviour
compatible, but goals are not. The latent conflict may
need to be brought to the surface to be resolved

No conflict Latent conflict

Incompatible
behaviour

Surface Open
10
From Tearfund (no date) conflict conflict
 Types of conflict

Compatible goals Incompatible goals

Compatible
behaviour

No conflict Latent conflict

When goals are compatible but behaviour is not,

this results in surface conflict. This kind of
Incompatible

shallow conflict can often be resolved with good

behaviour

communication

Surface Open
11
From Tearfund (no date) conflict conflict
Types of conflict

Compatible goals Incompatible goals

Compatible
behaviour

No conflict Latent conflict

Incompatible

Open conflict is both visible and deep-rooted,

behaviour

emerging from incompatible goals and behaviour

Surface Open
12
conflict conflict
Video
0
1
Conflict Resolution
Strategies
Most Common Management Resolution Strategies…..
Most Common Conflict
Resolution Strategies…
1. Compromise
2. Avoidance
3. Accommodation
4. Competing
5. Collaborative Problem-Solving
Strategy #1. Compromise
• Compromise as a conflict resolution strategy
• When compromise is appropriate
○ When time is limited
○ When maintaining relationships is important
○ When there are moderate stakes involved
○ When there is equal power or influence
○ When there are multiple viable solutions
Strategy #2 Avoidance

• Instances when avoidance might be appropriate

o Emotionally Charged Conflicts
o Limited Resources or Time
o Temporary Resolution
• Potential drawbacks and situations where
avoidance may not be advisable
o Unresolved Issues
o Escalation Risk
o Impact on Relationships
o Missed Opportunities for Growth
o Negative Organizational Culture
 Strategy #3. Accommodation
• Accommodation as a conflict resolution approach
• When accommodation might be appropriate
o Preserving Relationships
o Non-Essential Issues
o Building goodwill
• Potential Implications of Accommodation:
o Sacrificing Individual Interests
o Imbalance of Power
o Suppressed Concerns
o Potential of Misuse
o Delayed Conflict Resolution
Strategy #4. Competing

• Introduction to competing as a conflict resolution style

• Instances when competing might be necessary
o Urgency or Crisis
o Prevent Injustice
• Potential consequences and considerations for using a
competitive approach
o Damage Relationships
o Limited Cooperation
o Missed Opportunities
o Escalation of Conflict
o Long-term Implications
Strategy #5. Collaborative
Problem Solving

 What is collaborative problem solving ..?

 Benefits of involving parties in finding mutually
beneficial solutions
○ Increased Satisfaction
○ Improved Relationships
○ Enhanced Creativity
○ Long-Term Solutions
○ Win-Win Outcomes
○ Conflict Resolution Skills Development
Strategy Selection

• Tailoring the approach to the specific conflict

and individuals involved
• Factors to consider when selecting a conflict
resolution strategy
o Nature of the conflict
o Goals and Objectives
o Power Dynamics
o Relationship Importance
o Time and Urgency
o Organizational Culture
o Communication and Trust
o Available Resources
Tips for Effective Conflict Resolution
Develop Self-Awarness
Understand your own
conflict management
style, strengths, and
areas for improvement.
Improve
Communication Skills
Enhance your active
listening skills to fully
understand the concerns
and perspectives of all
parties involved.
Cultivate Empathy
Empathy promotes better
understanding, helps build
rapport, and facilitates the
development of mutually
beneficial solutions.
Stay Neutral and
Impartial
Maintain confidentiality
and avoid taking sides to
promote a fair and
unbiased resolution
process.
Promote Positive
Organizational Culture
Foster a culture that
values collaboration,
teamwork, and proactive
conflict resolution.
Continouslu Learn and
Improve
Keep up to date with the
latest research, trends,
and best practices in
conflict resolution.
Conflict Management
Styles
5 Styles of CM
Styles Graph
Collaborating ( Style#1 )
Collaborating Style
Owl • High – High ( High for own – High for Others )
• Value own Goals – Value Relationship with others & their
required goal too .
• Their view of conflict as it’s a Problem to be solved
• Solution to achieve both parties Goal
• The see Conflict as a way of enhancing relationships
Avoiding ( Style#2 )
Avoiding Style
Turtle • Low – Low ( Low Own – Low for others )
• Value Avoiding Confrontation
• Avoiding is more important than either Goals/Relationship
• Extreme level may reach that they might give up their own goal or
losing a relationship to avoid Confrontation .
Competing ( Style#3 )
Competing Style
Shark • High – Low ( High own – Low for others )

• Value their goals over relationships and others goals

• More concerned for accomplishing their goals to an extent

they may force opponent to accept their solution by
overpowering them some how a mix of (i.e Task oriented –
Dictator , etc )
Accomodating ( Style#4 )
Accomodating Style
Teddy Bear • Low – High ( Low own – High Others )
• Value Relationships than their own goals .
• They may sacrifice their own goals for others to maintain
a relationshop with others .
• This style would love to be loved by all as they see
that confrontation may lead to losing people
Compromising ( Style#5 )
Compromising Style
Fox • Medium – Medium ( Medium own – Medium Others)
• Are moderately concerned with both goals and
relationships by seeking compromising .
• By losing part of their own goal and persuading the other
party to lose part of his / her own goal .
Ready For Assesment !

Ready To know your Conflict Management Style !

Time for One Male Volunteer and one Female Volunteer
 Ready !

Be Genuine in your answers

There is no Good or Bad Conflict
Management style
Choose Wisely and Truly !
Gulf Kids ( 81 Mother )
No Relation
%
• Results Analysis
Major / Minor
Situational
Conflict Management
Styles
Causes of Conflicts

One Male & One Female Volunteer

Causes of Conflicts

• Poor Communication
• Different Goals / Prospective
• Competition
• Lack of Planning
• Poor Staff Selection
• Lack of Empathy
• Ignorance
• Lack of Compromising Culture
 Pros & Cons of Conflict in Practical Work environment

Cons
• Break down Relationships
• Lack of Goals achievements if not managed
• Destruction of Communication
• Unhealthy Work Environment.

Pros
• Increase Creativity and out of the Box solutions
• Confrontation inforce people to clarify their point of view
• Increase team work and team development
• Gives people opportunity to test their capacities
 Refrences
• Full Assessment for CM Styles

• http://www.blake-group.com/sites/default/files/
assessments/
Conflict_Management_Styles_Assessment.pdf
Best Practices for
Effective Conflict
Management
Conflicts include
#Differences of opinion and perceptions at all levels of interaction
including :
supervision, shared work and living spaces, teaching and learning

# When conflicts affect the ability to work productively, learn effectively, or

live in a comfortable environment, they need to be addressed. The following
are some best practices that can contribute to effective conflict management.
Practices for Effective Conflict Management
1. As an individual
• Address conflict early to prevent it from escalating.
• Discuss the issue directly with the person(s) involved.
• Communicate with respect. For assistance with an effective conversation, ask a
supervisor, HR representative
• Seek to learn and understand the other point(s) of view.
• Address perceptions and assumptions.
• Listen to understand the interests of the other party, and not just their position on the
matter in dispute.
• Focus on the issue, not the person.
2. As a colleague or co-worker:
• Encourage colleagues in conflict to address each
other early and directly.
• Encourage them to focus on common interests and
work to resolve their differences in order to move
forward.
• Taking sides will not help resolve the conflict.
• Do not be drawn into conflicts in which you are not a
party.
• Do not escalate the conflict by giving it undue
attention.
• Treat both parties in conflict with respect.
3. As a supervisor dealing with
colleague or co-worker conflict:
• Practice the individual conflict management skills listed above, and
encourage others in conflict to do so as well.
• Manage the environment to support conflict resolution.
• Be aware of the effects of power differences on conflict management.
Be alert to worries about retaliation.
• The Conflict Description Template may be useful for supervisors in
understanding a conflict situation and discussing it with others.
Skills for Conflict
Management
Active Listening
 When actively listening, you focus on what the other person is saying and not interrupting or speaking over them. By
paying attention to the other person’s point of view, active listening allows the other person to feel heard and
understood, leading to conflict resolution.

Emotional Intelligence
 is the ability to perceive, manage, and control emotions in oneself and others , EI skills help improve
communication and relationships and therefore is included in the vital skills for conflict
resolution.

Patience
Resolving conflict is a challenging but essential part of any relationship. It can be frustrating when an
argument escalates quickly to the point of no return. But patience is critical to resolving conflict
successfully
Mediation
 is a process by which a third party helps to resolve a dispute between the parties involved. It is an alternative to
litigation or going to court, allowing parties to work out their disagreement without needing a judge or law enforcement
officer

Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are vital for conflict resolution

Positivity
Positivity is one of the critical skills for conflict resolution. When conflict arises, it’s essential to be
positive and constructive in addressing the problem. Negativity can lead to conflict escalation
and long-term problems. Instead, positive thinking can help prevent negative emotions from
taking over and affecting your ability to think clearly
Negotiation
Negotiation is one of the powerful skills for conflict resolution, and it can help bring parties together
to work toward a common goal.

Observation
 is the key to effective conflict management. When one observes a conflict, one can understand it
better and find solutions that work for both parties. You must also be able to keep track of your
emotions and reactions to remain impartial.
Self-awareness

Team Awareness
A conflict resolution team must have the skills to work together effectively. One of the skills that are
essential for conflict resolution is team awareness.
Role of HR in conflict
management
• Manage differences
• Locate tension points
• Create healthy environment
• Deal with conflicts
 1.Manage differences
• Most of international companies employ people of different cultural
backgrounds, and that might result in the emergence of conflicts.

• When it comes to managing the differences between the employees,

the HR managers need to pinpoint the similarities between people
and make an emphasis on those similarities. 

• HR management needs to apply conflict resolution skills to help

people understand that the differences between them do not hinder
the work process but enrich the team and give it more strength.
2. Locate tension points

A smart HR manager always keeps an eye on the team to

prevent conflicts before they even happen.
This requires a deep understanding of human relationships
as well as attention to the details.
The HR manager must always read between the lines of this
specific conflict essay and see where the points of
tension emerge between the employees
3.Create healthy environment
HR has to create an atmosphere of trust in which
people feel safe to discuss their problems and
free to communicate with each other the way
they feel most comfortable.
A healthy environment can also be achieved by
adding some value to the time people spend at
the office. Give them some entertainment, a
comfortable kitchen, some opportunities for
fun and relaxation, and the people would feel
so much more comfortable doing their job.
When people are comfortable, they are less
likely to engage in conflicts.
4.Deal with conflicts
Dealing with conflicts is the hardest part,
but every HR has to be aware of the relevant conflict
resolution techniques to deal with any situation
that might arise.a smart HR manager can apply
the combination of techniques and experience to
address the situation in the most efficient
manner. Each HR has to develop a set of skills
and knowledge to effectively deal with the
conflicts, and all of that comes with experience
and practice
Conflict Resilience
Conflict Resilience
•Conflict resilience involves being able to hear – and sit within the discomfort of –
opposing viewpoints without resorting to immediately taking sides.

•As a society, we’ve become so uncomfortable with conflict, that we avoid feeling
discomfort when someone had a different point of view. We resort to trying to
eliminate conflict right away, rather than consider what we can learn from that
discomfort.
 It is important to truly engage with someone with another point of view. Even if you
can’t find a common ground, you can gain context and see the multi-dimensions of the
person.
 Conflict isn’t necessarily bad, it can lead to forward progress, innovation, and
more. You just have to reframe how you view it and how you confront it.
Conclusion
Conclusion

Conflict management is the process by which disputes are resolved, where negative results are
minimized and positive results are prioritized.
This key management skill involves using different tactics depending on the situation, negotiation,
and creative thinking. With properly managed conflict, an organization is able to minimize
interpersonal issues, enhance client satisfaction, and produce better business outcomes.
Workplace conflict does not automatically mean that there are specific employees at fault, although
in some cases that will be the issue. If you have employees who question the status quo and are
pushing to make changes that they feel would be positive for the organization, that can indicate that
your organization has a high level of employee engagement.