Conflict Defined!
-a disagreement where parties involved perceive a
threat to something that the first party cares about.
-Involves perception.
-'clash of interests, values, actions, views or
directions.'
How the changing views come about
-motivated by many needs
- people try to meet
economic needs at work
- no conflict exists
between individual and
organizational objectives
-people act rationally for
self interest
- we act alone to satisfy
individual needs
-not always logical
-management requires
effective social skills, not
just technical skills
-job satisfaction will lead
to higher job productivity
The 3 Changing views of Conflict
Traditional
Human
Relations
Interactionist
• Bad, caused by trouble makers
• Should be avoided or suppressed
• Natural, inevitable
• Cannot eliminate, may contribute to group
performance
• A positive force and essential to performance
effectively. Can be functional or dysfunctional.
• An atmosphere of tension is essential in any
organization
Some Potential Causes of Conflict
- Specialization
- Conflict management
style
- Interdependence
- Perception
- Common Resources
- Values and Ethics
-Authority
-Emotions
- Relationships
- Status Inconsistencies
- Communication
barriers
- Jurisdictional
-Cultural Differences
Transformation of
conflict space into
opposing interests
Disruption of
expectations
Balance of
power
Involves the choice
to perceive opposing
interest
Results in
conflict
behaviour
Improves quality of decision
Oppose goals of conflict
stimulate members of the
organization to increase their
knowledge and skills
Less motivation by group
members, time consuming
Increases contribution to
organizational innovation and
productivity.
Upsets personal psychological
functioning
Creates environment for selfevaluation and change
Poor quality of decision
Upsets psychological
functioning
Being aware
of existing
problems
Facilitates
group
cohesiveness
Relieves
minor
tensions
Medium for
problemsolving
Clears air of
unexpressed
resentments
Catalyst for
positive
change
Better
decisions
made
Task
• Over contents
and goals of
work
• Differences in
viewpoints
• Effective
decision
making
Psychological
• Inside the
person
Relationship
• Interpersonal
relationship
• Interpersonal
differences
• Poor decision
making
Process
• Delegate
resources
Identifying Work place Conflict, Causes
 A specific type of conflict that occurs in workplace
 Personality or style differences and personal problems
 Organizational causes: leadership, management,
budget, and disagreement about core values can also
contribute
 Avoid authority- and domain-related disputes,
 improve policies, procedures and rules,
 re-apportioning existing resources or adding new,
 altering communications
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF A
CONFLICT
Win-Win
• Both parties needs are met
• Ends up happy
Win- Lose
• Only 1 winner and 1 loser
• Traditional perception
Lose-Lose
• Neither party benefits
• Ends up unhappy
How to behave during a conflict
Focus
• Knowing what the individual wants
• Identify the best outcome
Needs
• Asking what the other party wants (never assume)
• Anticipate the person’s response
Listen
• Let him feel you care
• Acknowledge differences and seek suggestions
HIM
• Address the other party’s interest first.
• Explain benefits and begin and end with positive words
Appropriate Conflict Management Strategies
Conflict Resolution – process of
attempting to resolve a conflict
Accommodate
Avoid
Compete
Compromise
Appropriate Conflict Management Strategies
Conflict Stimulation – creating and
increasing of conflicts
Communication
Bringing in the Restructuring
Appointing a
outsiders
the organisation devil’s advocate
The 5 conflict management styles
Avoid
Compromise
Collaborating
Accommodate
Competing
http://www.child.gov.ab.ca/whatwedo/familyviolence/pdf/ncn0886.pdf
Kare Anderson’s Model for Conflict Resolution
STEP 1
STEP 2
Reach out to find the
other person’s main
needs.
Tell yourself your
main needs.
THE ROUND TRIP
STEP 4
Propose a solution that
supports their main
needs and yours as
well.
STEP 3
Listen to the other
person.
Conflict Check List
It’s time to take some action!
Step 1: Win/win
Step 2: Creative
response
Step 3: Empathy
Step 5: Managing emotions
Step 6: Willingness to
resolve
Step 7: Mapping the
conflict
Step 8: Mediation
Step 4: Appropriate
assertiveness
Step 9: Broadening
perspectives
Conclusion of Conflict as a Group
- Inevitable
- Learn to address our differences and needs
- work together as a group to solve all difficulties
- Each person should have a role to play instead of waiting
for leader to assign task
- Confident positive outcomes if conflict is constructively
managed
- Improve self-awareness
- Strengthen relationship
Summary/ Learning Points

- Conflict can occur due to different goals and expectations
- Necessary for better decisions
- Optimal level of conflict can result in high performance
- Increased group performance
- Types of outcome; win-win is the best situation.
- Resolving and stimulating conflict lead to desired level of
conflict.
- The appropriate conflict management techniques
APA Style Citation
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http://www.managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm
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January 2007 from,
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(n.d.). Conflict Checklist. Retrieved 16 January 2007 from,
http://www.cdc.gov/od/adr/training/q02chk.pdf
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APA Style Citation
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2007 from, http://www.greensprings.org/sup/restricted/lesson13.htm
Free Management Library. Authenticity Consulting, LLC. (1997). Basics
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http://www.managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm
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http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4035/is_3_45/ai_68217165
(2007) BusinessDictionary.com. Retrieved 16 January 2007 from,
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/conflict-stimulation.html
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Retrieved 16 January 2008 from,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_conflict
APA Style Citation
Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (n.d.). Conflict
Retrieved 16 January 2008 from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict
Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (n.d.). Conflict Management.
Retrieved 16 January 2008 from,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_management
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