Conflict Management

Overview

Bomb Shelter Exercise

Conflict Sources
Filleys Antecedents
Conflict Management Styles
Situational Considerations
Four Steps of Conflict Management

Bomb Shelter Exercise

15 people are in a nuclear bomb shelter after
a nuclear attack
These 15 are the last on earth
It will take 2 wks for radiation levels to
reach safe levels
Food & supplies can only sustain 7 people
for 2 wks
Pick the 7 who will survive

Bomb Shelter Exercise

1.

Dr. Dane. African-American, 35, married, one child (Bobby), no

religious affiliation, PhD in history, college professor, good health,
active physically, enjoys politics.

2.

Mrs. Dane. White, Jewish, 38, BS and MS in psychology, counselor

in a mental health clinic, good health, one child (Bobby), active in
community activities.

3.

Bobby Dane. Mixed white and African American, Jewish, 10, attended
special education classes for 4 years, mentally retarded, IQ of 70,
good health, enjoys pets.

4.

Mrs. Garcia. Hispanic, 33, raised Catholic, 9th grade education,

exotic dancer, prostitute, good health, in a foster home as a child, was
attacked by foster father at age of 12, ran away from home, returned
to reformatory where she stayed until 16, has a child, 3 weeks old
(Jean).

5.

Jean Garcia. Three weeks old, Hispanic, good health, nursing.

Bomb Shelter Exercise

6.

Mrs. Evans. African-American, 32, Protestant, BA and MA in

elementary education, teacher, divorced with one child (Mary), good
health, outstanding teacher, enjoys working with children.

7.

Mary Evans., African-American , 8, Protestant, 3rd grade, excellent

student, good health.

8.

John Jacobs. Asian, 13, Protestant, 8th grade, honor student, good health.

9.

Mr. Newton. White, 26, atheist, starting last year of medical school,
known to have homosexual tendencies, good health, and wears freaky
clothes.

10. Mrs. Clark. White, 26, Protestant, college graduate in electrical

engineering, married, no children, good health, enjoys outdoors sports,
grew up in the inner-city.
5

Bomb Shelter Exercise

11. Sister Mary Kathleen. A white nun, 35, college graduate, English major,
middle-class American, and in good health.
12. Mr. Black. White, 51, Mormon, high school graduate, mechanic, "Mr
Fix it," married, and in good health.
13. Miss Harris, Hispanic, 21, Protestant, college senior, nursing major,
likes people, good health, enjoys outdoor sports.
14. Father Flanagan. African-American, 37, Catholic, college, seminary
experience, priest, active in civil rights activities, criticized for his
liberal views, good health, former college athlete.
15. Dr. Lee. Asian-American, 66, MD, general practitioner, has had two
heart attacks in the past 5 years, but continues to practice medicine.
6

Conflict Sources
Personal Differences
Daily experiences are not judged on a common set of
values
Conflicts tend to be emotionally charged
People-focused rather than issue-focused

Informational Deficiencies
Instructions may be interpreted differently
More factual & straightforward
Not about values & do not involve emotions

Conflict Sources
Role Incompatibility
Different entities have different goals
A common superior usually has to mediate

Environmental Stress
Shortage of resources
Uncertainty

Filleys Antecedents

Ambiguous jurisdictions
Conflict of interest
Communications barriers
Over-dependency of one party
Differentiation in organization
Association of the parties
Need for consensus
Behavior regulations
Unresolved prior conflicts

Conflict Management Styles

Forcing
Accommodating
Avoiding
Compromising
Collaborating

Forcing

Concern for Self

High
Assertiveness

Forcing

Low
Assertiveness

Concern for Others

Low Cooperation

High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. Conflict and Conflict Management, In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

11

Accommodating

Concern for Self

High
Assertiveness

Forcing

Accommodating

Low
Assertiveness

Concern for Others

Low Cooperation

High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. Conflict and Conflict Management, In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

12

Avoiding

Concern for Self

High
Assertiveness

Low
Assertiveness

Forcing

Avoiding

Accommodating

Concern for Others

Low Cooperation

High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. Conflict and Conflict Management, In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

13

Compromising

Concern for Self

High
Assertiveness

Low
Assertiveness

Forcing

Compromising
Avoiding

Accommodating
Concern for Others

Low Cooperation

High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. Conflict and Conflict Management, In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

14

Collaborating

Concern for Self

High
Assertiveness

Low
Assertiveness

Forcing

Collaborating

Compromising

Avoiding

Accommodating
Concern for Others

Low Cooperation

High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. Conflict and Conflict Management, In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

15

Situational Considerations

How important is the disputed issue?

How important is the relationship?
How large is the power gap?
How quickly should the parties settle the
dispute?

4 Steps of Conflict Management

1. Diagnosing the sources of conflict &
circumstances
2. Selecting the appropriate conflict
management strategy
3. Implementing the strategy
4. Seeing a conflict through to successful
outcome

Summary

Bomb Shelter Exercise

Conflict Sources
Filleys Antecedents
Conflict Management Styles
Situational Considerations
Four Steps of Conflict Management