Kroeker 1

Breanne Kroeker

COM 2206

Professor Bozeman

25 July 2019

Conflict Management

Managing conflict is not only necessary, it is important to understand its nature and how

communication patterns help or hinder the process in everyday life. Understanding conflict

begins with analyzing where it comes from and how to manage it. This analysis begins with an

understanding of different conflict management strategies, the communication climate, resulting

defensive behavior and potential supportive communication climate changes.

Conflict is “an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who

perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interfere from the other party in achieving

their goals” (Adler 369). Managing this struggle sometimes means overcoming these

disagreements using one of the five different conflict management strategies: avoidance,

accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration (Adler 371-372). In the given

scenario, the conflict management strategy used by the receptionist is avoidance. Avoidance

“occurs when people ignore or stay away from a conflict” (Adler 372). When I had asked her to

let me know when my prescription would be ready, she avoided my question and brushed me off.

An important aspect of conflict management is an understanding of the communication

climate. Communication climate “refers to the social tone of a relationship” (Adler 338). A

common communication climate is defensiveness. Defensiveness is “the process of protecting

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our presenting self, our face” (Adler 347). Dr. Jack Gibbs identifies six defense causing

behaviors: evaluation, control, strategy, neutrality, superiority, and certainty (Bozeman). The

defense behavior used by the receptionist in this scenario is neutrality. Neutrality is present when

the speaker is indifferent towards the conversation (Bozeman). The receptionist has no interest in

what I was saying and asking her. She did not want to even try to help me.

In contrast, another communication climate is supportiveness. Supportive behaviors can

and should be used in place of the six defensive behaviors. Dr. Jack Gibbs gives six supportive

alternatives to his six defensive behaviors: description, problem orientation, spontaneity,

empathy, equality, and provisionalism (Adler 350). The receptionist, instead of using the

defensive behavior neutrality, should have spoken to me using empathy. Empathy would most

likely reduce the level of threat and defensiveness because if the receptionist would have said

something like “I’m sorry, but we are very busy at the moment and many other prescriptions

need to be filled,” I would have been much more understanding because it alludes that she is

doing everything she can.

The receptionist could have said many other things to create a more supportive climate.

First, she could have said “I’m sorry, but we are very busy at the moment and many other

prescriptions need to be filled.” This verbal statement mixed with nonverbal communication,

such as eye contact and posture, would make the receptionist seem much more inviting. The

receptionist making eye contact while talking to me would make it seem like she cares about my

problem. Also, using inviting posture, such as uncrossed arms, would make her seem more

willing to help me with my issues. Second, she could have said “I’m sorry but I’m only the

receptionist, so I do not know how long it will take to get you your prescription.” Saying this

displays more empathy, rather than neutrality, so it seems that the receptionist genuinely cares
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about my problem. She could use the same nonverbal techniques to display empathy in this

situation too.

If roles were reversed, and I was the receptionist, I might have responded in the same

way she did. If a customer came up to me while I was stressed during a very busy time of day

and asked me questions I did not know the answer to, I would most likely respond using a

neutrality defensive behavior. I would be very short because of the amount of stress I would be

under, and the customer might take it to mean I was being rude and uncaring towards them. In

my view as the receptionist, I would think it would be very unimportant to pay attention to using

supportive behaviors to manage conflict. I would find it unimportant because I would

preoccupied with my own responsibilities and not care about how the customer is perceiving

what I am saying to them.

An understanding of communication climate and conflict management strategies is a vital

part of communication among people who do not always agree. To aid in this, communication

patterns can be analyzed to help manage these interactions in everyday life. This analysis begins

with an understanding of different conflict management strategies, communication climates,

defensive behaviors and potential supportive communication climate changes. Understanding

these aspects of communication and the strategies of managing conflict are important parts of

interacting with others in society today.

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Works Cited

Adler, Ronald, Lawrence Rosenfeld, and Russell Proctor, II. Interplay: The Process of

Interpersonal Communication. 13th ed. Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.

Bozeman, Myra. “Personal Contact - Is this a Supportive Climate?” Sinclair. 25 July 2019.

https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/148529/viewContent/4952871/View.