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Everyone handles conflict differently.
The 5 conflict management styles are:
 Competing
 Avoiding
 Collaborating
 Accommodating
 Compromising
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Shark
“I win, you lose”
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Sharks try to overpower opponents by
forcing them to accept the shark’s solution to
the conflict.
Their goals - highly important
Relationships - minor importance
Seek to achieve their goals at all costs
Not concerned with the needs of others
Do not care if others like or accept them
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Conflict solution -one person wins and one
person loses
They, of course, want to be a winner.
Winning gives sharks a sense of pride and
achievement. Losing gives them a sense of
weakness, inadequacy and failure.
Tactics include attacking, overpowering,
overwhelming, and intimidating.
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Owl
“I win, you win”
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Owls highly value their own goals and
relationships.
They view conflict as a problem to be solved
and to seek solution that achieves both their
goals and the goals of the other person.
Owls see conflicts as a means of improving
relationships by reducing tensions between
two persons.
They try to begin a discussion that identifies
the conflict as a problem.
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By seeking solutions that satisfy both
themselves and the other person, owls
maintain the relationship.
Owls are not satisfied until a solution is found
that achieves their goals and the other
person’s goals.
They are not satisfied until the tensions and
negative feelings have fully resolved.
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Turtle
“You bend, I bend”
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Turtles withdraw into their shells to avoid
conflicts.
They give up their goals and relationships,
they avoid people and issues over which the
conflict is taking place.
Turtles believe it is easier to withdraw from a
conflict than to face it.
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Teddy Bear
“I lose, you win”
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To Teddy Bears, the relationship is of great
importance while their own goals are of little
importance.
Teddy Bears want to be accepted and liked by
others. They think that conflict should be
avoided in favor of harmony and that people
cannot discuss conflicts without damaging
relationships.
They are afraid that if the conflict
continues, someone will get hurt and
that would ruin the relationship.
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Teddy Bears say “I’ll give up my goals and let
you have what you want, in order for you to
like me.”
Teddy Bears try to smooth over the conflict
out of fear of harming the relationship.
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Fox
“You bend, I bend”
Foxes are moderately concerned with their own
goals and their relationship with others.
 Foxes seek a compromise; they give up part of
their goals and persuade the other person in a
conflict to give up part of their goals.
 They seek a conflict solution in which both sides
gain something; the middle ground between two
extreme positions.
 They are willing to sacrifice part of their goals and
relationships in order to find agreement for the
common good.
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What do you think would be the most
effective ways of dealing with conflict out of
the five styles? Why?
 Competing
 Avoiding
 Collaborating
 Accommodating
 Compromising
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Conflict is inevitable;
Conflict develops because we are dealing with
people's lives, jobs, children, pride, selfconcept, ego and sense of mission or purpose
Early indicators of conflict can be recognized;
There are strategies for resolution that are
available and DO work;
Although inevitable, conflict can be
minimized, diverted and/or resolved.
1. Task: the content and goals of the work
(Example: you do not agree on topic your team
has decided to present on)
2. Relationship: interpersonal relationships
(Example: you don’t get along with your boss)
3. Process: how work gets done. (Example: you
think that everyone should have equal parts, but
your team members disagree)
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Poor communication
Poor leadership
Irresponsibility
Insufficient resources
Underlying stress or tension
Dissatisfaction
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Helps raise and address any
problems
Brings about necessary change
Allows people to express how
they feel
Helps people learn how to
recognize and benefit from
each other’s differences
Encourages communication in
order to work out conflict
Any other benefits??
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Decreases productivity
Low moral
Conflict continues to escalate
Causes inappropriate behavior
Creates tension among co-workers; reduces
cooperation
#1 Address the problem, not the personality
Communicate with the person. In a calm,
controlled tone tell the person how you feel
when conflict occurs. Use “I” statements, not
“You” statements. Address what happened
not why it happened.
Example, “I feel disrespected when you don’t
listen to me during our meetings.”
#2 Practice Active Listening
During the conversation, pay attention, and
show the other person you are interested in
what they have to say. Remember you don’t
have to agree with the person but your goal is
to understand what he/she is trying to say.
#3 Create possible solutions
Brainstorm a list of possible solutions.
Remember to negotiate. Think win-win, not
win-lose. Discuss solutions that have not
worked in the past
#4 Agree on a possible solution for you both
to try.
Come to a conclusion to try. If it doesn’t work
know that you can readdress the problem.
Consider a follow-up meeting to discuss the
progress. Make an effort!
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Watch the video and using your worksheet,
take the position of either the husband or the
wife and write how you would best handle
the situation using our 4 steps to conflict
resolution.
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Work with your group to act out a conflict in
front of the class. Demonstrate the 4 steps to
Conflict Resolution as you work through the
conflict. Also, have your teammates
represent several of the 5 Conflict
Management Styles in your presentation.
The presentation should take 3-5 minutes.