change management class: milestone 2

F iv e M eth ods f o r M an ag in g C onflic t

C onflic t h as m any s o urc e s in th e w ork p la ce . It is b orn e o ut o f d if fe re nce s a nd w ill a ris e in a ny s it u atio n w here p eople a re

re quir e d to in te ra ct w it h o ne a noth er. D ealin g w it h c o nflic t e ffe ctiv e ly is a k e y m anagem ent s kill. T his a rtic le o utlin es fiv e

dif fe re nt a ppro ach es to c o nflic t m anagem ent a nd th e s it u atio ns th ey a re m ost a ppro pria te fo r.

1 . A cco m modatio n

T his is a lo se /w in s it u atio n. T he a cco m modatio n a ppro ach is g enera lly u se d w hen o ne p arty is w illin g to fo rfe it th eir

posit io n. It is b est u se d in s it u atio ns w here :

One p arty w is h es to in dic a te a d egre e o f fa ir n ess.

People w is h to e nco ura ge o th ers to e xp re ss th eir o w n o pin io n.

The is su e o r p ro ble m is m ore im porta nt to th e o th er p arty c o nce rn ed.

It is m ore im porta nt to s a fe guard th e r e la tio nsh ip r a th er th an a rg ue a bout th e is su e.

2 . C om pro m is e

T his is a w in /lo se – w in /lo se s it u atio n, i. e . e ve ry o ne in vo lv e d g ain s a nd lo se s th ro ugh n egotia tio n a nd fle xib ilit y . E ach w ill

w in s o m e o f w hat th ey d esir e w hile a t th e s a m e tim e g iv in g s o m eth in g u p. T he m ain g oal o f th is a ppro ach is to fin d

co m mon g ro und a nd m ain ta in th e r e la tio nsh ip . C om pro m is e is b est u se d:

To a ch ie ve a n a gre em ent w hen a ll p artie s h ave e qual p ow er.

To r e ach a te m pora ry r e so lu tio n in m ore c o m plic a te d m atte rs .

To a ch ie ve a s e ttle m ent w hen tim e o r o th er c ir c u m sta nce s a re c o nstr a in ed.

3 . A vo id an ce

T his is a lo se /lo se s it u atio n. N eit h er p arty ta ke s a ctio n to a ddre ss th e is su es in vo lv e d in th e c o nflic t, m eanin g th at it w ill

re m ain u nre so lv e d. T his a ppro ach is b est u se d:

If a ll c o nce rn ed fe el th at th e is su e is a m in or o ne a nd w ill b e r e so lv e d in tim e w it h out a ny fu ss.

When th e p artie s n eed a c h ance to c o ol d ow n a nd s p end tim e a part.

If o th er p eople a re a ble to r e so lv e th e c o nflic t m ore e ffe ctiv e ly th an th e p artie s c o nce rn ed.

When m ore tim e is n eeded b efo re th in kin g a bout d ealin g w it h th e is su es.

If th e im pact o f d ealin g w it h th e s it u atio n m ay b e d am agin g to a ll p artie s in vo lv e d.

4 . C om petit io n

T his is a w in /lo se s it u atio n. O ne p arty a tte m pts to w in th e c o nflic t th ro ugh d om in ance a nd p ow er. T his a ppro ach is b est

use d:

When a ll o th er m eth ods h ave b een tr ie d ( a nd fa ile d).

In e m erg ency s it u atio ns w hen q uic k, im media te a nd d ecis iv e a ctio n is c a lle d fo r.

In s it u atio ns w here u npopula r c h anges n eed to b e a pplie d a nd d is cu ssio n is n ot a ppro pria te .

5 . C olla b ora tio n

T his is a w in /w in s it u atio n. It is th e m ost e ffe ctiv e b ut m ost d if fic u lt w ay o f m anagin g d if fe re nce s. It r e quir e s tr u st a nd

co m mit m ent o n a ll s id es to r e ach a r e so lu tio n b y g ettin g to th e h eart o f th e p ro ble m . A ll p artie s n eed to b e w illin g to

em path is e a nd tr y to u nders ta nd e ach o th er’s s it u atio n. C olla bora tio n is m ost a ppro pria te :

When a ll p artie s a re w illin g to in ve stig ate a lt e rn ativ e s o lu tio ns to geth er th at th ey m ay n ot n ece ssa rily h ave th ought

of o n th eir o w n.

When tr y in g to g et to th e s o urc e o f p ro ble m s th at h ave c o ntin ued fo r a lo ng tim e.

When u phold in g o bje ctiv e s th at c a nnot b e c o m pro m is e d o n a ny s id e w hile s till p re se rv in g th e r e la tio nsh ip .

When p artie s fr o m d if fe re nt b ackg ro unds a nd e xp erie nce s a re in vo lv e d.

R ela te d It e m s

R ela te d R eso urc es

Reso lv in g C onflic t

Analy sin g C onflic t S ty le s

What's M y C onflic t M anagem ent S ty le ?