Conflict Management
As per Webster's dictionary, conflict is termed as a strong disagreement or friction of interests or opinions. Conflict is part of businesses. Two people can contradict on some point. When conflict occurs employees' morale lowers and that leads to a decrease in productivity and an increase in absenteeism and mental health issues. Handling and resolving conflicts are complex tasks. An open mind is of utmost importance. Conflict management strategies help organisations to deal with corporate conflicts. There are different types of conflict in an organisation like lack of reporting system, differences regarding work culture and more. In this piece, you will find everything you need to know about conflict management and the types of conflict an organisation faces.
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Types of Conflicts in an Organisation
There are three different types of conflict in an organisation.
Task Conflict
Task conflict involves tangible issues related to workers assignments and can include conflicts regarding resources, differences in ideas and policies, judgement and interpretation of information and more. Collaborative problem-solving sessions can help solve these conflicts, brainstorming possible solutions is important here.
Relationship Conflict
Relationship conflict has nothing to do with work. This type of conflict generally arises due to differences in personality, interests, and other attributes. In organisations, relationship conflicts are common as people from different backgrounds work together and can have contradictory opinions.
Process Conflict
Process conflicts apply to the disagreement over methods or procedure to complete a task. It generally occurs when there is a concrete clash on procedures, policies and strategies.
Effective Conflict Management Strategies
There are five major types of conflict management styles and knowing how and when to use each style helps organisations control conflict and lead to a healthy working environment for employees.
Collaborating
This style is a mix of cooperative and assertive. People who collaborate attempt to work with others to bring a solution that satisfies everyone. Collaborating is best when long term relations are profitable and the outcome is important. In this style, negative effects are minimized as both the parties are satisfied with the solution.
Avoiding
People who avoid conflict are both uncooperative and unassertive; it is generally side-stepping from an issue. This works best when dealing with the situation is not compulsory for time being or is better to resolve it later.
Accommodating
Accommodating is to sacrifice your well being for satisfying others. This can be misleading sometimes as people tend to take advantage of the situation. It works best when the relationship is important than the outcome.
Negotiation
This aims to find a negotiable and mutually accepted solution that partly satisfies both parties. This style works best where you are losing time and the outcome is not important.
Distributive Negotiation
This strategy is employed by the company in the case of limited distribution of assets between both the parties.
Guidelines for Effective Conflict Management
By following the following guidelines organisations can manage and control conflicts.
Understand the Situation
Understand and analyze all the details of the conflict. Action taken without understanding the issue can lead to more serious conflicts.
Acknowledging the Issue
To acknowledge all the underlying issues that create conflicts is of utmost importance. Try to look at the different levels of problems and evaluate them.
Forbearance
Never conclude on a conflict in haste. Look for all the information related to the dispute and then take the necessary steps.
Keep Room for Communications
Communication is very important for the smooth functioning of an organisation. One can solve a conflict by interacting with the parties.
Solved Examples
Q. Explain How the Establishment of Guidelines Can be an Effective Strategy to Control Conflicts in an Organisation?
Ans: Organising a meeting between the parties is an important aspect of conflict management. But to ensure the proper and quality outcome of the meeting, the organisation must set certain guidelines for the discussion. The guidelines can include avoiding emotional outbursts and more.
FAQs on Workplace Conflict Management Strategies
1. What is workplace conflict, and what are some common examples?
Workplace conflict is a state of disagreement or misunderstanding between individuals or groups within an organisation, resulting from either opposing needs, ideas, or interests. It can hinder productivity and morale if not managed effectively. Common examples include:
Task-Based Conflicts: Disagreements over project goals, deadlines, or the distribution of work.
Leadership Conflicts: Clashes between an employee and their manager regarding management style or feedback.
Interpersonal Conflicts: Issues arising from differences in personality, communication styles, or personal values.
Resource Allocation: Disputes over the use of shared resources like budget, equipment, or office space.
2. What are the five key strategies for resolving workplace conflict?
The five widely recognised strategies for conflict resolution, based on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, help manage disagreements based on the importance of the goal and the relationship. The five strategies are Avoiding, Competing, Accommodating, Compromising, and Collaborating. Each strategy is suited for different situations and requires a different balance of assertiveness and cooperativeness.
3. Can you provide a real-world example for each of the five conflict management strategies?
Certainly. Here are examples of each strategy in a workplace context:
Avoiding: Two colleagues disagree on a minor design choice for an internal presentation. They decide the issue is not worth arguing over and simply move on, as the deadline is more important. This is an example of strategically ignoring a low-stakes conflict.
Competing: In a safety-critical situation, a shift supervisor must enforce a mandatory procedure immediately, even if a team member disagrees. The supervisor uses their authority to ensure compliance because the outcome (safety) is non-negotiable.
Accommodating: A junior employee makes a mistake in a report. Their manager wants to maintain a positive, supportive relationship, so they accommodate the employee's request to have an extra day to fix it, even though it slightly delays the timeline.
Compromising: Two departments both need the main conference room at the same time for important meetings. They compromise by splitting the day—one department gets the room in the morning, and the other gets it in the afternoon. Neither gets exactly what they want, but a workable solution is found quickly.
Collaborating: The marketing and sales teams disagree on the strategy for a new product launch. Instead of compromising, they hold a joint workshop to analyse data, brainstorm new ideas, and create a completely new, integrated plan that satisfies both teams' goals and is better for the company.
4. What is the main difference between the 'Compromising' and 'Collaborating' strategies?
The main difference lies in the outcome and the effort involved. Compromising is about finding a middle ground where both parties give something up to reach a quick agreement (a 'lose-lose' or 'partial-win' situation). In contrast, Collaborating involves working together to find a creative solution where both parties fully achieve their goals (a 'win-win' situation). Collaboration is more time-consuming but often leads to a more effective and lasting resolution.
5. What are the '5 C's' of conflict management and how do they help?
The '5 C's' provide a practical framework for managers and employees to navigate conflicts constructively. They are:
Clarity: Clearly identify the root cause of the conflict, not just the symptoms.
Communication: Establish open and honest dialogue where all parties can express their views without interruption.
Collaboration: Encourage the involved parties to work together towards a mutually beneficial solution.
Compromise: Be willing to find a middle ground if a perfect win-win solution is not possible.
Control: Maintain control over the process and emotions to ensure the discussion remains professional and productive.
6. How does a person's emotional intelligence influence their ability to manage workplace conflicts effectively?
Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial for effective conflict management. A person with high EI can regulate their own emotions, such as anger or frustration, preventing the situation from escalating. They can also perceive and understand the emotions of others (empathy), which helps in identifying the true concerns behind their words. This allows them to choose the most appropriate strategy—be it collaborating, compromising, or accommodating—based on a rational assessment of the situation rather than a purely emotional reaction.
7. What is the primary role of a manager in mediating conflicts between team members?
A manager's primary role in mediating conflict is to act as a neutral facilitator, not a judge. Their goal is to guide the involved team members towards their own resolution. Key responsibilities include:
Creating a safe and private environment for discussion.
Ensuring both parties have an equal opportunity to speak and be heard.
Helping to clarify the core issues and points of misunderstanding.
Focusing the conversation on solutions and future actions, rather than past blame.
Ensuring the final agreement is clear, fair, and documented if necessary.
