CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Guided by - Prof.(Dr.) Y.D. Badgaiyan Prof. and Head Dept. of Community Medicine CIMS , Bilaspur (C.G.).

INTRODUCTION

Conflict is natural and inevitable part of all human social and professional relationships.

It occurs at all levels of society – - intra-psychic - interpersonal - intragroup, - intergroup - intra-national and - international. (Sandole & Staroste,

1987).

Conflict is largely a perceived phenomenon.

Conflict may be either healthy or unhealthy.

No two persons in the world are absolutely same.

Therefore no two persons can feel or think alike.

The difference between thinking of different people causes conflict.

Conflict is the root of personal and social change.

Conflict prevents stagnation. It stimulates interest and curiosity.

Research reports substantiate that manager or administrator spend 20 percent of their time in dealing with conflicts in the organization.

Hence the ability to handle and manage conflict behaviour has become essential.

DEFINITIONS

“Conflict is a state of opposition, disagreement or incompatibility between two or more people or groups of people.”

Conflict is usually based upon a difference over goals, objectives or expectations between individuals or groups.

(Sandole & Staroste, 1987) .

TRANSITIONS IN CONFLICT THOUGHT

Traditional View of Conflict

The belief that all conflicts are harmful and must be avoided.

Human Relations View of Conflict

The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group.

Interactionist View of Conflict

The belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively.

CONFLIT AND PERFORMANCE

CONFLICT AND UNIT PERFORMANCE

CONFLICT AND UNIT PERFORMANCE

PROCESS OF CONFLICT

The Conflict Process

Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility (Presence of source of conflicts)

CommunicationSemantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”

StructureSize and specialization of jobsJurisdictional clarity/ambiguityMember/goal incompatibilityLeadership styles (close or participative)Reward systems (win-lose)Dependence/interdependence of groups

Personal VariablesDiffering individual value systemsPersonality types

Stage II: Cognition and PersonalizationConditions of stage 1 causes frustration and perception of conflicts started.

Perceived Conflict

Awareness of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise.

Felt Conflict

Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety, tenseness, frustration, or hostility.

Stage III: Intentions

Conflicts are out in open.

Decisions are made to act in a given way.

RESPONSES

Cooperativeness:• Attempting to satisfy the other party’s

concerns.

Assertiveness:• Attempting to satisfy one’s own

concerns.

Dimensions of Conflict-Handling Intentions

Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

Competing (WIN-LOOSE)

A desire to satisfy one’s own interests only, regardless of the impact on the other party.

Collaborating (WIN-WIN)

A situation in which desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties in the conflict.

Avoiding (LOOSE-LOOSE)

The desire to withdraw or suppress from conflict.

Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

Accommodating (LOOSE-WIN)

The willingness to place the opponent’s interests above his or her own.

Compromising (NO CLEAR WIN-LOOSE SITUATION)

A situation in which each party is willing to give up something.

Stage IV: Behavior

The behavior stage includes the statements, actions, and reactions made by the conflicting parties.

STAGE V: OUTCOME

The action–reaction interplay among the conflicting parties results in consequences.

Outcome may be functional or dysfunctional.

1. Functional - when it improves the quality decisions, stimulates creativity and encourages interest.

2. Dysfunctional – when it causes decreased job satisfaction, poor coordination and absenteeism.

TYPES OF CONFLICTS

1. Intra-personal conflicts. 2. Inter-personal conflicts. 3. Inter-group conflicts. 4. Role conflicts. 5. Goal conflicts. 6. Organizational conflicts.

1. INTRA-PERSONAL CONFLICTS

This type of conflict is within individual. Can be analyzed in terms of frustration

behaviour. Level of conflict depends upon- - perception - job experience - individual needs - motives , goals and belief.

2. INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

Occurs between two or more individuals who are in opposition to one another.

Sources: Personal Difference Information Deficiency. Role incompatibility. Environmental stress.

3. INTERGROUP CONFLICT

Occurs among members of different teams or groups.

Source- Competition for resources Task interdependence Jurisdiction ambiguity Status struggle

4. ROLE CONFLICTS

This type of conflicts are due to serious professional disagreements between their role in team.

Occur when the communication of task expectations proves inadequate or upsetting.

5. GOAL CONFLICTS

This type of conflicts are goal related. May emerge between - - team members. - between team and organization. - between organization and client.

6. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS

1. Status related - - Between MBBS and MD. - Between Nurse and Doctor.

2. Functional conflicts – - Various dept of hospital.

3. Hierarchical conflicts.

JOHARI WINDOWANALYZING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

This model can be useful in resolving interpersonal conflicts.

It was developed by Joseph Luft and Henry Igham (1955) to analyse the dynamics of interaction between self and others.

Four types of area of behaviour.

JOHARI WINDOWANALYZING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

Open Self

Undiscovered SelfBlind Self

Hidden Self

Known to others

Known to self

Unknown to self

Unknown to others

HOW CAN CONFLICT BE MANAGED SUCCESSFULLY?

1. AVOIDANCE

This method indicates absence of any action.

This also includes withdrawal and suppression.

Strengths: This is perhaps the easiest method to adopt. At time of avoidance can be used for analysis of the problem.

Weaknesses: By this method, one can only temporarily get out of conflict, as conflict is not eliminated.

2. AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND OR IMPOSING A SOLUTION

This method forces the conflicting parties to accept a solution which is devised by the higher-ups in the hierarchy.

This becomes possible by virtue of formal positional hierarchy and authority that exist in organizations.

3. DIFFUSION

This strategy involves postponement or delaying the decisions with a view to cool down the intensity.

This approach involves focusing on unnecessary issues, thereby avoiding the main problem for sometime.

4. ALTERING STRUCTURAL VARIABLES

This approach changes structural variables.

It includes transferring and exchanging group members and expanding the group or organization’s boundaries.

5. NEGOTIATION

This approach requires each party to give up something of value.

Negotiation is an approach where both sides walk towards each other to reach a mutually acceptable position.

6. PROBLEM SOLVING / CONFRONTATION / COLLABORATION

This method seeks resolution through face-to-face confrontation of the conflicting parties.

The conflicting parties seek mutual problem definition, assessment of the problem, and the solution.

In this approach, there is an open expression of feelings as well as exchange of task-related information.

7. REDUCING TASK INTER-DEPENDENCE Reducing task interdependence between

groups and assigning clear work responsibilities to each group is one of the ways of redesigning organizations.

This is an effective method to resolve inter-group conflicts.

8. EXPANSION OF RESOURCES

One of the ways to manage conflicts which are arising due to limited resources, is to expand or increase the availability of resources.

Strengths: This method facilitates each conflicting party to be victorious.

Weaknesses: Resources rarely exist in such quantities that they can be expanded so easily.

9. ALTERING THE HUMAN VARIABLE

This method helps to change the attitudes and behaviour of one or more of the conflicting parties.

This includes use of education, sensitivity and awareness training, and human relations training.

10. ESTABLISHING RULES AND PROCEDURES

This approach calls for establishing, in advance, a set of formalized rules and procedures that will specify how group members are to interact with each other.

Strengths: This approach is most simple and least costly.

Weaknesses: Rules and Procedures minimize the information flow between departments or work groups.

WIN-WIN STRATEGY(CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLUTION)

It is most desirable strategy which aimed at solving problem rather than defeating the other party.

It sublimates antagonistic feelings so both parties receive rewarding outcome.

THANK YOU

THANK YOU