Conflict Management-Part 2-Styles

Conflict Management Processes:

Conflict Management Processes Part 2: Conflict Styles Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles Avoidance Focus on Other’s Concerns Compromise Accomodation Collaboration Competition Focus on Own Concerns Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles Competition Variations: Winner take all competition Contending Passive aggressive Benefits: + Own needs met + Quick + Decisive Disadvantages: - Damage to future relationship - Becomes habitual Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles B. Avoidance Variations: Protecting Withdrawing Smoothing Benefits: + When need to calm down (temporary response) + When you are in a position of weakness + May help you save face Disadvantages: - Low levels of satisfaction - Others perceive you as weak or unresponsive Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles C. Accomodation Variations: Open Not acknowledged Benefits: + Preserves relationship + When you are in a position of weakness Disadvantages: - May lose face - Others perceive you as weak or unresponsive Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles D. Compromise Variations: Openly acknowledged Tacit coordination Benefits: + Each party gets something they need + Can build relationship + Others perceive you as competent Disadvantages: - May lead to lower levels of commitment to the solution - Glass half empty Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles E. Collaboration Involves: Focus on problem and issues Acknowledge differences Generate solutions jointly Benefits: + Meets parties needs + Often leads to creative solutions + Builds relationship Disadvantages: - Takes time and effort - If it fails, may give up on future compromise/problem- solving efforts Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles F. Critiques of the Style Concept Do not take interaction into account There may be more dimensions underlying styles than the two in the diagram Copyright Marshall Scott Poole

III. Conflict Management Styles:

III. Conflict Management Styles G. Selecting Conflict Styles We can switch and adapt styles to the situation Criteria for selecting styles: Importance to self Importance to other Importance of maintaining positive relationship with the other Time pressure Degree of trust in the other Copyright Marshall Scott Poole