11 Chapter 10: Conflict in the Work Enviornment
Chapter 10 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
- Identify common causes of conflict.
- Compare common types of conflict.
- Assess personal conflict style.
- Compare conflict styles.
- Assess conflict management strategies.
- Formulate a plan for engaging in a difficult conversation.
Priming the Mind:
Beginning of class pre-write or pre-discussion questions
10.1-10.2 Think of a recent workplace (it can be school or club-related) conflict you experienced or witnessed. What do you think the causes of the conflict were? How did the conflict affect the relationships of the people involved?
10.3 What is your approach to conflict? In other words, how do you behave when you think something is in the way of having your goals, needs, and wants met? Are you happy with your approach or do you want to find a different way to respond to conflict?
10.4 How can you resolve personal workplace conflicts and help others resolve workplace conflicts?
10.1 What is Conflict?
Conflict in the Workplace
- Conflict is a universal human experience.
- It arises from incompatible goals, scarce resources, or interference.
- Conflict is not necessarily a sign of a poor relationship.
- It cannot be avoided or always resolved.
- Conflict can be both positive and negative.
Types of Conflict
- Interpersonal Conflict: Occurs between individuals.
- Examples: CEO and board of directors, coworkers, competitors.
- Intergroup Conflict: Occurs between different groups.
- Examples: Departments, unions and management, competing companies.
Is Conflict Always Bad?
- Moderate levels of conflict can be beneficial for organizations.
- Too much or too little conflict can disrupt performance.
- Task conflict can stimulate creativity but can interfere with complex tasks.
- Personal conflict is never healthy and can lead to workplace bullying.
- Effective teams have low but increasing levels of process conflict, low levels of relationship conflict, and moderate levels of task conflict.
Key Takeaway
- Conflict is unavoidable and can be an opportunity for growth.
- Understanding the different types of conflict and their impact is crucial for managing them effectively.
- A moderate level of conflict can be beneficial for organizations.
10.2 Causes of Workplace Conflict
Causes of Conflict
- Organizational Structure: The way an organization is structured can contribute to conflict.
- Example: Matrix structures can lead to decisional conflict.
- Limited Resources: Competition for scarce resources can create conflict.
- Example: Allocation of laptops or smartphones.
- Task Interdependence: Reliance on others to complete tasks can lead to conflict.
- Example: Creative team, photographer, media buyer.
- Incompatible Goals: Different goals or priorities can cause conflict.
- Example: Sales manager and transportation manager.
- Personality Differences: Individual personalities can contribute to conflict.
- Example: Type A vs. Type B personalities.
- Communication Problems: Misunderstandings or poor communication can lead to conflict.
- Example: Lost emails, unclear feedback.
Outcomes of Conflict
- Positive Outcomes:
- Increased creativity and participation
- Clarification of individual views
- Negative Outcomes:
- Increased stress and anxiety
- Lowered morale and turnover
- Mistrust and hindered teamwork
Key Takeaway
- Conflict is caused by various factors, including organizational structure, limited resources, task interdependence, goals, personalities, and communication.
- Both positive and negative outcomes can result from conflict.
- Effective conflict management is essential for organizations.
Activity
Have students think of a time when a conflict led to a new opportunity, better understanding, or another positive result. If they cannot think of one, have them think of a past conflict and imagine a positive outcome. Have them write a description of what happened or what they imagine could happen and share their results with a classmate.
10.3 Conflict Styles
Conflict Management Styles
- There are five common conflict-handling styles: avoidance, accommodation, compromise, competition, and collaboration.
- These styles can be mapped on a grid based on assertiveness and cooperation.
Avoidance
- Uncooperative and unassertive.
- Denying the existence of conflict.
- Postponing decisions.
- May be habitual due to personality traits.
- Can be problematic for important issues.
Accommodation
- Cooperative and unassertive.
- Giving in to others’ desires.
- May be due to fear or valuing the relationship.
- Effective when the issue is less important to oneself.
- Can lead to neglect of personal interests.
Compromise
- Middle-ground style.
- Sacrificing something valuable on both sides.
- May be effective for resolving conflicts quickly.
- Can lead to suboptimal solutions.
Competition
- Assertive and uncooperative.
- Prioritizing own goals over others.
- May lead to poor relationships.
- Effective for urgent decisions or unpopular actions.
Collaboration
- Assertive and cooperative.
- Seeking a win-win solution.
- Focusing on problem-solving and integration.
- Effective for complex issues requiring both parties’ input.
Choosing the Best Style
- There is no one “right” style.
- The best style depends on the situation and individual personalities.
- Successful individuals are able to adapt their style.
- Managers and subordinates often have different preferences.
Stimulating Conflict
- Encourage people to raise issues and disagree without fear of reprisal.
- Assign a devil’s advocate.
- Create competitions among teams.
- Build ambiguity into the process.
Key Takeaway
- Understanding different conflict management styles is essential for effective conflict resolution.
- The best style depends on the situation and individual preferences.
- Stimulating conflict can be beneficial for organizations.
Activity
Assign pairs of students with different conflict styles and have them role-play a common workplace conflict. Have them role-play in front of small groups, who will then suggest ways for the students to work through their conflict by adopting other conflict styles.
10.4 Managing Workplace Conflict
Conflict is an inevitable part of communication. As professional communicators, we should anticipate and address it effectively. Here are some strategies to manage conflict:
Avoidance
- Temporarily sidestepping the issue.
- Can be useful for minor conflicts or when emotions are high.
- May escalate the conflict if not addressed eventually.
Defensiveness vs. Supportiveness
- Defensive communication: Focuses on control, evaluation, and judgments.
- Supportive communication: Focuses on the issue and avoids personal attacks.
- Choose supportive communication to maintain a positive climate.
Face-Detracting and Face-Saving
- Face-detracting strategies: Take away from a person’s credibility or respect.
- Face-saving strategies: Protect credibility and separate the message from the messenger.
- Use face-saving strategies to maintain relationships and avoid power struggles.
Empathy
- Understand the other person’s perspective.
- Listen to both the literal and implied meanings of messages.
- Build relationships and address conflict constructively.
Gunnysacking
- Holding onto unresolved conflicts or grievances.
- Can negatively impact current relationships.
- Address past issues to prevent them from affecting future interactions.
Managing Emotions
- Recognize and manage your own emotions.
- Avoid making decisions or speaking when you’re emotional.
- Create a calm environment for effective communication.
Evaluations and Criticism
- Listen without interrupting.
- Determine the speaker’s intent.
- Indicate you are listening.
- Paraphrase the main points.
- Agree or disagree respectfully.
- Learn from the experience.
By understanding and applying these strategies, you can effectively manage conflict and maintain positive relationships.
Activity
Write a description of a situation you can recall where you came into conflict with someone else. It may be something that happened years ago or a current issue that just arose. Using the principles and strategies in this section, describe how the conflict was resolved or could have been resolved. Discuss your ideas with your classmates.
