Conflict Management Styles
The "fight or flight" theory of animal behavior dictates that in aconflict situation the parties engaging in the conflict will choose eitherconfrontation or avoidance. These behavior patterns revolve around aninnate sense to protect oneself from harm and preserve integrity of values,and can be witnessed in all social animals, including humans. While thechoices seem simple, stay or leave, a range of sub-actions can also beconsidered. The styles of conflict management include competition,collaboration, compromise, accommodation, and avoidance. While conceptually distinct, the five behavioral styles of conflictresolution do incorporate two other dimensions: the degree to whichindividual interests will be preserved and the extent of concern for theother party's interests. With competition the concern for the competitoris of highest order while with avoidance self-interest is of least concern. Accommodation is the first degree of interaction beyond avoidance, payinggreater concern to the competitor than to self. Compromising is a jointattempt at satisfying an equal number of needs of each party, whilecollaboration considers both interests to be of high concern.
Motives to anaccommodating behavior include a desire to minimize conflict, a lack ofperceived knowledge, and the wish to be viewed as cooperative. This self-sacrificing style is seen as a defense to an assertor or to pacify a threatto a long-term employment prospect. A compromising style enables people to find resolution whilemaintaining the relationship, but at the sacrifice of some of theinterests. Protecting the relationship would also prove effective iffuture conflict were to arise by generating a foundation of trust andsupport. This style ofconflict resolution may be seen within organizations where unrelatedproject teams come together with one establishing itself as the powerplayer. A user-dominated processor introversion on the part of the avoider may play a part in anorganizational conflict utilizing avoidance. The results of my OB Skills Workbook Assessment 20, review ofpersonal conflict management styles, show a total score of 8 for competing,6 for collaborating, 6 for compromising, 10 for avoiding, and 10 foraccommodating. Competition is the reverse of collaboration when confrontation ischosen. This demonstrates a fairly level use of each of thedifferent conflict resolution styles with a slight tendency toward theextremes of competition and avoidance or accommodation. Accommodation places one set of interests before the other, preservingthe relationship but at the cost of personal sacrifice. In order for the goals and objectives of all parties to besatisfied, an integration of perspectives is considered, informationshared, alternatives sought, and ultimately a mutually beneficial solutionagreed upon. In order to better support an integrative, problem solvingbehavior within an organization, structuring groups for an evendistribution of power, rewarding cooperation as a group, facilitating trustamong the parties, and promoting success rather than failure can help toestablish a more efficient and harmonious organization. It falls within the range of parameters between asserting andaccommodating, and is more often seen when team members of the samedivisional level interact for a give-and-take rapport. For the professional involved in organizational conflict management,each of the conflict management styles should be utilized and adapted tothe given situation. Individuals will tend toward a particular style orblend of styles, but may tap into the arsenal of resolution methods asneeded.
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