CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

MS. JUDY ROSE L. MENDOZA, RN

OBJECTIVES:

• TO UNDERSTAND “CONFLICT” IN ORGANIZATION

• TO MANAGE OUR OWN EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
• TO MANAGE CONFLICT MORE EFFECTIVELY
 WHAT IS CONFLICT?

• “CONFLICT IS DIFFERENCE OF INTERESTS, UNDERSTANDING, VALUES, STYLE OR

OPINION.”

• “CONFLICT EXISTS WHEN ACTIONS OF ONE PERSON PREVENT, BLOCK,

INTERFERE, INJURE OR IN SOME WAY MAKE ACHIEVEMENT OF ANOTHER
PERSON’S GOALS LESS LIKELY”

• “CONFLICT IS THE FIGHT, COLLISION, STRUGGLE OR CONTEST BETWEEN TWO

COMPETITORS”
 WHY CONFLICT?

 DIFFERENT VALUES AND BELIEFS

 ROLE PRESSURE OR CLARIFICATION
 PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES
 DIVERSE GOALS OR OBJECTIVES
 GROUP STATUS OR IDENTITY
 RACE, ETHNICITY, OR GENDER DIFFERENCES
 PERSONALITY CLASH OR CONFLICT
 COMPETITION FOR LIMITED RESOURCES
 DISAGREEMENT ON HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE
 PERSONAL, SELF OR GROUP INTEREST
 TENSION AND STRESS
 INFORMATIONAL DEFICIENCY
 POWER AND INFLUENCE
 THE GOOD AND BAD

• FUNCTIONAL CONFLICT- CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOALS

OF THE GROUP OR THE ORGANIZATION. FUNCTIONAL CONFLICT SHOULD BE
NURTURED, IF NOT ENCOURAGED.

• DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT- IMPEDES THE ORGANIZATION FROM

ACCOMPLISHING ITS GOALS. DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT SHOULD BE REDUCED
OR REMOVED.
 LEVELS OF CONFLICT

• DISCOMFORT- THINGS DON’T FEEL RIGHT

• INCIDENTS- SHORT, SHARP EXCHANGE OCCURS
• MISUNDERSTANDINGS- MOTIVES AND FACTS ARE CONFUSED
• TENSION- NEGATIVE ATTITUDES AND FIXED OPINIONS
• CRISIS- NORMAL FUNCTIONING BECOMES DIFFICULT
 POSITIVE FORCES OF CONFLICT

 STIMULATES INTEREST
 MEANS FOR PROBLEMS TO BE HEARD
 INCREASES COHESIVENESS
 PROMOTES CHANGE
 PROVIDES MEANS TO WORK TOGETHER
 NEGATIVE FORCES OF CONFLICT

• DIVERTS ATTENTION FROM IMPORTANT ISSUES

• MAY DAMAGE MORALE
• MAY CAUSE DIVISION
• REINFORCES DIFFERENCES IN VALUES
• PRODUCES IRRESPONSIBLE AND REGRETTABLE BEHAVIORS
 CONFLICT IS….

• ANY SITUATION IN WHICH YOUR CONCERNS OR DESIRES DIFFER FROM THOSE OF

ANOTHER PERSON.
 OBJECTIVES:

• BECOME MORE AWARE OF YOUR CONFLICT STYLE

• RECOGNIZE THE CONFLICT STYLES OF OTHERS
• ASSESS CONFLICT SITUATIONS
 UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICT MODES

• TWO BASIC ASPECTS OF ALL CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES

1. ASSERTIVENESS
2. COOPERATIVENESS

YOUR CONFLICT MODE= SKILL + SITUATION

THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES

COMPETING COLLABORATING

COMPROMISING

AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING
THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES
MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
COMPETING COLLABORATING
 TAKING QUICK ACTION
 MAKING UNPOPULAR
DECISION
 STANDING UP FOR VITAL
COMPROMISING
ISSUES
 PROTECTING YOURSELF

AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING
 OVERUSE OF COMPETING
• LACK OF FEEDBACK
• REDUCED LEARNING
• LOW EMPOWERMENT
• SURROUNDED BY “YES” PEOPLE
UNDERUSE OF COMPETING
• RESTRICTED INFLUENCE
• INDECISION
• DELAYED ACTION
• WITHHOLDING OF CONTRIBUTIONS
THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES
IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE
 SHOWING
COMPETING COLLABORATING
REASONABLENESS
 DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE
 CREATING GOODWILL
 KEEPING “PEACE”
COMPROMISING  RETREATING
 MAINTAINING PERSPECTIVE

AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING
 OVERUSE OF UNDERUSE OF
ACCOMMODATING ACCOMMODATING
OVERLOOKED IDEAS LACK OF RAPPORT
RESTRICTED INFLUENCE LOW MORALE
LOSS OF CONTRIBUTION BY-THE-BOOK REPUTATION
ANARCHY INABILITY TO YIELD
(DISORDER/CHAOS/LAWLESSNESS)
THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES

I’LL THINK ABOUT IT TOMORROW

COMPETING COLLABORATING
 LEAVING UNIMPORTANT ISSUES
ALONE
 REDUCING TENSIONS
COMPROMISING  BUYING TIME
 KNOWING YOUR LIMITATIONS
 ALLOWING OTHERS OWNERSHIP
 RECOGNIZING ISSUES AS
SYMPTOMS
AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING
 OVERUSE OF AVOIDING
• LACK OF INPUT FROM YOU
• DECISIONS MADE BY FAULTY
• FESTERING (DECAYING/ROTTING)
ISSUES
UNDERUSE OF AVOIDING
• HOSTILITY/HURT FEELINGS
• LACK OF
PRIORITIZATION/DELEGATION
THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES
TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN
ONE
COMPETING COLLABORATING
 INTEGRATING SOLUTIONS
 LEARNING
 MERGING PERSPECTIVES
COMPROMISING  GAININIG COMMITMENT
 IMPROVING RELATIONSHIPS

AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING
 OVERUSE OF UNDERUSE OF
COLLABORATING COLLABORATING
TOO MUCH TIME IN TRIVIAL MATTERS  LACK OF COMMITMENT
DIFFUSED (SOFT, GENTLE, SUBTLE) LOW EMPOWERMENT
RESPONSIBILITY LOSS OF INNOVATION
WORK OVERLOAD
THE FIVE CONFLICT-HANDLING MODES
LET’S MAKE A DEAL
COMPETING COLLABORATING
 RESOLVING ISSUES OF
MODERATE IMPORTANCE
 REACHING RESOLUTION
WITH EQUAL POWER AND
COMPROMISING STRONG COMMITMENT
 CREATING TEMPORARY
SOLUTIONS
 DEALING WITH TIME
AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING CONSTRAINTS
 BACKING UP
COMPETING/COLLABORAT
ING
 OVERUSE OF UNDERUSE OF
COMPROMISING COMPROMISING
LOSS OF BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE FREQUENT POWER STRUGGLES
LACK OF TRUST INABILITY TO NEGOTIATE
 CYNICAL (PESSIMISTIC/SARCASTIC) EFFECTIVELY
CLIMATE
 STYLES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

1. FORCING
2. AVOIDING
3. ACCOMMODATING
4. COMPROMISING
5. COLLABORATING
 STYLE 1: FORCING
STYLE 1: FORCING FORCING
OBJECTIVE Get your way
YOUR POSTURE “I know what’s right. Don’t question my judgment
or authority”
SUPPORTING RATIONALE It is better to risk causing a few hard feelings than
to abandon a position you are committed to”
LIKELY OUTCOME You feel vindicated, but other party feels defeated
and possibly humiliated
 STYLE 2: AVOIDING
STYLE 2 AVOIDING
OBJECTIVE Avoid having to deal with conflict
YOUR POSTURE “I’m neutral on that issue, let me think about it”
SUPPORTING RATIONALE Disagreements are inherently bad because they
create tension.
LIKELY OUTCOME Interpersonal problems don’t get resolved,
causing long term frustration manifested (visible)
in a variety of ways
 STYLE 3: ACCOMMODATING
STYLE 3 AVOIDING
OBJECTIVE Avoid having to deal with conflict
YOUR POSTURE “I’m neutral on that issue, let me think about it”
SUPPORTING RATIONALE Disagreements are inherently bad because they
create tension.
LIKELY OUTCOME Interpersonal problems don’t get resolved,
causing long term frustration manifested (visible)
in a variety of ways
 STYLE 4: COMPROMISING
STYLE 4 COMPROMISING
OBJECTIVE Reach an agreement quickly
YOUR POSTURE “let’s search for a mutually agreeable solution”
SUPPORTING RATIONALE Prolonged conflicts distract people from their
work and engender bitter feelings
LIKELY OUTCOME Participants become conditioned to seek an
expedient, rather than effective solution.
 STYLE 5: COLLABORATING
STYLE 5 COLLABORATING
OBJECTIVE Solve the problem together
YOUR POSTURE “This is my position, what is yours? I’m
committed to finding the best possible solution”
SUPPORTING RATIONALE The position of both parties are of equal
importance. Equality emphasis should be placed
on the quality of the outcome.
LIKELY OUTCOME Participants find an effective solution.