Conflict and Management Styles

27 July 2010

Nadja Ortner on Conflict and Management Styles

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Defining Conflict

Conflict is the disagreement between two or more interdependent parties, who have incompatible goals, different impressions of past events, limited resources, constricted possibilities or the fear of interference from the other party to achieve one’s goal. The most common causes of conflict are disagreements that arise through conflict fueling influences such as perceived differences in power, culture, identity and rights.

That said the process of conflict begins “when a person perceives that another person is negatively affecting, has negatively affected or is planning to negatively affect, something that the first person cares about “(Robbins, 2005, p.423). Most conflicts in organizations are about incompatibility of goals, misinterpretation of facts, gestures or behavior.

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Traditionally conflict used to be seen entirely negatively, but keeping a minimum level of conflict alive in teams may also stimulate creativity. It can help to keep a group of people viable and self-critical. Up to a certain extent conflict in organizations is a natural occurrence that needs to be contained to a controlled minimum. Constructive forms of conflict are called “functional conflict”, while destructive forms of conflict are called “dysfunctional conflict”.

Defining Conflict

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The Process of Conflict

Antecedent conditions

•Communication•Structure•Personal variables

Conflict-handling intentions

•Competing•Collaborating•Compromising•Avoiding•Accommodating

Felt conflict

Perceived conflict

Decreased group performance

Overt Conflict

• Party’s behavior•Other’s reaction

Increased group performance

Source: Robbins, 2005, p.425

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The Process of Conflict

Looking at the previous graph , that illustrates the process of conflict on the previous slide it becomes obvious that firstly certain conditions have to come up in order for the conflict base to be created:

Conflict Stage 1- Potential Opposition or Incompatibility:

These conditions are the actual source of conflict and typically consist of one or more of the following variables: communication, structure and personal variables.

Conflict Stage 2- Cognition and Personalization:

If the conditions negatively affect what one party cares about – respectively, if a person perceives to be affected- the conflict is created. Depending on the person’s mental attitude, he or she will now decide how to deal with the conflict.

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Conflict Stage 4- Behavior:

At this stage conflicts become visible and it is obvious for others to observe that there is some kind of discord between the conflicting parties. The behavior should usually reflect the parties intention, but may not seem to do so, because sometimes miscalculation or unskilled enactments may make overt behavior deviate from the original intention. The dynamics behind this process of interaction may lead to unforeseeable behavior patterns that do not correspond to typical character traits of the individuals involved.

The Process of Conflict

Conflict Stage 3- Intentions:

The major role in this stage is the intention to act in a given way. In order to handle a conflict situation it is important to understand the other party’s intention and to know, that his or her intention is not necessarily reflected in this or her behavior.

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Stage 5- Outcomes:

Functional OutcomesThe effectiveness of a group can increase through low or modest levels of conflict. Conflict is functional, if it stimulates creativity , innovation and curiosity and improves the quality of decision making through cultivated criticism. If people in an organization are too comfortable with each other and for get to challenge themselves, this lack of functional conflict may cost an organization its existence.

Conflict Stage 5- Outcomes:

Dysfunctional OutcomesMore known than functional outcome of conflict is dysfunctional outcome or destructive consequences respectively. Dysfunctional varieties can reduce group effectiveness which may result in…

• retarding of communication• reduction in group cohesiveness• subordination of group goals• halt of group functioning

The Process of Conflict

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Conflict Dynamics

Conflict is always a dynamic process as it deals with sequences of actions and reactions. It is common to promote and defend own interests with a competitive behavior. In a conflict situation the parties often use unfair tools to seemingly put themselves ahead of the other, such as manipulating pieces of information and using threats such as not conflict-related knowledge about another person’s weaknesses. In order to avoid a conflict to result in discord or an argument it is crucial to create a proactive negotiating climate.

“Our approach to handling conflict depends on two factors- the extent to which we’re prepared to assert our needs, beliefs and positions- and the degree to which we’re willing to cooperate with others to meet our mutual needs.”

Hutcheson, 2002, ¶2

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COMPETING

ACCOMMODATINGAVOIDING

COMPROMISING

COLLABORATING

ASSE

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ENES

S

COOPERATIVENESS

CONFLICT HANDLING INTENTIONS = CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES

uncooperative

unas

serti

ve

cooperative

asse

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Competing

Competing is assertive and uncooperative. It is if a person tries to satisfy his or her interests, regardless what impact this might have on the other party.

People with low empathy, little respect and a high need of recognition, who are pursuing their goals at the sacrifice of the other’s goal are tending to compete in organizations.

But competing may also mean standing up for

one’s rights, defending one’s position and trying to win.

This is the right style, when someone knows for sure that he is right or someone needs to defend his position. If someone needs to win in a situation that is important for him this style may be appropriate, too.

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Compromising

Compromising is intermediate in both assertiveness and cooperativeness. People compromise, if a situation does not allow to satisfy the needs or desires of all individuals involved. People therefore need to compromise, by finding a solution that combines components of all participants’ desires. There is no winner or loser in a compromise as everyone has reached his goal half-way, while relinquishing some parts. The golden rule in compromising is “meeting somewhere in the middle”.

Compromising is the right style, if collaborating does not work and can often be used to prevent more severe conflict. It results in incomplete satisfaction of both parties’ concerns.

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Avoiding

Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative. People, who do not want to be directly in a conflict situation sometimes try to escape, by either avoiding the respective person or by speaking with that person about other topics only. People who avoid do not only ignore the concerns of other people, but even give up to pursue their own concerns or goals. Avoiding starts from side-setting issues, to postponing or even ignoring them forever.

Avoiding may be the the right approach for trivial issues or issues that are impossible to be resolved. It may also be useful, if the conflicting parties need to cool down.

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Accommodating

Accommodating is unassertive and cooperative. If an opponent’s interest is placed above the own, this is called accommodating. If a person gives up something he or she aims for or believes in, to please the other party or to maintain a relationship, he or she is accommodating the other’s wishes and putting back his or her own. The element of self-sacrifice in this conflict handling style has to be carefully handled.

Accommodating may sometimes be the right way to deal with, if an issue is more important to the other person than to oneself, or if someone is not sure about the right solution for a problem.

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Collaborating

Collaborating is assertive and cooperative. It is the aim to fully satisfy the concerns of all parties involved by clarifying differences rather than accommodating different view points. Collaborators are trying to deeply dig into an issue in order to find and analyze the underlying concerns. The result could be an attempt to find a win-win solution or finding a conclusion that incorporates the valid views of both parties.

Conflicts that deal with concerns that are to important to be compromised need to be solved collaboratively. Also, if two or more opinions are needed for a project, which is in a test phase or similar, collaboration is the right tool. It is the best way to work, but may in some minor issues be too time consuming and not economically feasible.

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Power & Influence

The most common source of organizational conflict is, if a person wants to exert influence on another one by using his or her real or perceived power over another person Power can be effectively used to motivate people, increase productivity and to stimulate their creativity, while on the other hand it can be used to de-motivate and destroy. It is the ability or capacity of a person to influence or control a person. Power always leads to a influence that the powerful person has on another less powerful one.

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Organizational Power

Those who possess power over others through withholding resources or administering punishments also have the power to modify others’ states. The more dependence on others, the less power a person has and the less influence he or she can exert.Coercive, reward and informational power are structural forms of power, while powers that come mostly through the hierarchical structure of an organization such as legitimate, referent and expert power highly depend on the design of an organization.

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Power & Influence

Informational Power

Reward Power

Coercive Power

Legitimate Power

Expert Power

Referent Power

INFLUENCE

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Conflict Handling Strategies

Conflict handling strategies are either “dominant” or “submissive” and label the power use of the disputing parties (De Reuver, 2006, p. 592). Using a submissive strategy with subordinates leaves room for creativity and innovation. Typically managers use more dismissive approaches with their superiors than with their subordinates. People having position that allow them to use their power are normally expected to do so and even rewarded for it through a higher compensation.

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Bibliography•Bateman, T. & Snell, S. (2007). Leading and collaborating in a competitive world. New York: McGraw Hill. pp. 397-399 •Bruins, J. (1999). Social power and influence tactics: A theoretical introduction. Journal of Social Issues. Blackwell Publishing•De Reuver, R. (2006). The influence of organizational power on conflict dynamics. Personnel Review, 35(5), pp.589-603 •Harvard Business School Press. (2005). The ethics of power, influence and persuasion: Points to honor. Harvard Business School, Harvard Business School Press•Hutcheson, C. (2006). Dealing with conflict. Retrieved 25 July 2010 from http://www.ideaworldhq.com/resources/downloads/doc_view/6-handling-conflict.raw?tmpl=component&format=raw •Robbins, S. (2005). Organizational behavior. (11th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall•Schmidt, W. & Tannenbaum, R. (2000). Management of differences. Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business School Press