CONFLICT HANDLING

STYLES
Presented by

Prof. C. N. KUMAR

What is Conflict
Conflict is a situation where two parties
try to out-do or undo each other.
It arises because of conflict of interest
and attitudes.
It represents rivalry among the two to
settle their score.

Negative Outcomes
Decreases productivity.

Relevant information is suppressed.

People engage in unpleasant emotional
experiences.

Negative Outcomes
Creates stress in the work environment.

Consumes everybodys energy and time

unnecessarily.
Decision making process is disrupted
and delayed.

Negative Outcomes
Reduces quality of relationships at
work.
Impairs organizational commitments.

Leads to power struggles.

Positive Outcomes
Increases motivation and creativity.

Stimulates healthy interaction for

increasing productivity.
Improves the scope for searching more
and better alternatives.

Positive Outcomes
People are forced to clarify their ideas
more clearly and effectively.
Feelings when aired out remove
misunderstandings.

Positive Outcomes
Provides opportunity to change after
examining the different view points.
Can result in improved relationships at
work.

When to Compete
When quick, decisive action is needed.
On important issues for which
unpopular courses of action need
implementing.
On issues vital to company welfare

When to Compete
When no one knows what is right.
When protection is needed against
people who take advantage of noncompetitive behaviour.

When to Collaborate
When both sets of concerns are too
important to be compromised.
When the objective is to test ones own
assumptions or better understand the
views of others.
When there is a need to merge insights
from people with different perspectives
on a problem.

When to Collaborate
When commitment can be increased by
incorporating others concerns into a
consensus decision.
When working through hard feelings
that have been interfering with an
interpersonal relationship.

When to Compromise
When goals are moderately important
but not worth the effort of potential
disruption of more assertive modes.
When two opponents with equal power
are strongly committed to mutually
exclusive goals.

When to Compromise
When temporary settlements are needed
on complex issues.
When expedient solutions are necessary
under time pressure.
If a back-up mode is needed when
collaboration or competition fails.

When to Avoid
When the issue is trivial or there is no
chance of getting what you want.
When the potential damage of
confrontation outweighs the benefits of
resolution.
When one needs to cool down, reduce
tensions, and regain perspective and
composure.

When to Avoid
When the need is to gather more
information.
When others can resolve the conflict
more effectively.
When the issue seems symptomatic of
another fundamental issue.

When to Accommodate
When one realizes one is wrong.

When the issue is much more important

to the other person.
When credits need to be accumulated
for issues that are more important.

When to Accommodate
When continued competition would only
damage the cause.
When preserving harmony and avoiding
disruption are especially important.
When subordinates need to develop and
to be allowed to learn from mistakes.