MANAGING CONFLICT

Dr. Daisy Chauhan

Associate Professor
Management Development Institute
Gurgaon
E-mail: daisy@mdi.ac.in
M: 9818762033
 Different views on Conflict
Research indicates that Managers spend 21% of their time dealing with conflicts.

 Conflict is harmful and should be avoided.

 Is a dysfunctional outcome resulting from poor communication, lack of
openness and trust among people
 Results from failure of managers to be responsive to the needs and
aspirations of employees.
 Conflict is a natural occurrence in groups and organisations and it cannot
be eliminated.
 This approach encourages conflict. No conflict is indicative of a group
being static, apathetic and non-responsive to the needs for change and
innovation.
 A minimum level of conflict keeps a group viable, self-critical and creative
 CAUSES OF CONFLICT
 Clash of interests
 Poor Communication
 Power in the hands of few
 Lack of Openness
 Weak Leadership
 Needs and Wants not being met
 Differences between Individuals on Objectives
 Differences between Individuals on Processes
 Personality Clashes
 Destructive Conflict

When it hinders Group/Team Performance:

 It takes attention away from important activities and
goals to be achieved
 Undermines morale or self-concept of members
 Polarises people and groups, reducing cooperation
and cohesiveness
 Leads to Irresponsible & Harmful Behaviour
 Constructive Conflict

When it adds value & contributes to Group/Team

Performance:
 Improves the Quality of Decisions
 Stimulates Creativity & Innovation
 Fosters an environment of openness
 Helps individuals develop better understanding of
others
 Provides a medium for airing different views and
tensions are released
 TYPES OF CONFLICT
TASK CONFLICT
 Relates to Content & Goals of the Work.
 Low to moderate levels of task conflict is functional.
PROCESS CONFLICT
 Relates to How the work should be done.
 Low levels of Process Conflict is functional.
RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT
 Relates to Interpersonal Relationships
 Almost always dysfunctional as it increases
personality clashes and decreases mutual
understanding.
 CONFLICT HANDLING STYLES

A COMPETING COLLABORATING
S
S
E
R
T COMPROMISING
I
V
E
N
E AVOIDING ACCOMMODATIING
S
S
COOPERATIVENESS (Concern for Others)
 Competing, Avoiding
Competing:
 High Assertiveness & Low Cooperativeness
 Goal is to Win
 Power-oriented, Win/Lose situation
 Adopted when quick decision is to be made and in
case of emergency
Avoiding:
 Low Assertiveness & Low Cooperativeness
 Goal is to delay
 Lose/Lose Situation
 Adopted when issue is Trivial
 Compromising, Accommodating
Compromising:
 Moderate Assertiveness & Moderate Cooperativeness
 Goals moderately important
 Goal is to find a middle ground

 Adopted when Temporary solution is needed to complex issues

 When collaboration or competition is unsuccessful
Accommodating:
 Low Assertiveness & High Cooperativeness
 When harmony and stability are especially important
 Goal is to Yield
 Lose/Win situation
 Adopted when you find yourself weak
 Collaborating
 High Assertiveness & High Cooperativeness
 Concern of both are Important
 Goal is to find a solution beneficial to both
 Win/Win Situation
 Adopted when Workable and Creative solution is
needed
 Adopted when there is need for long-term
relationship between the parties
 Third Party Mediation
 May be internal or external to the organisation
 Both parties must have the desire to resolve the
conflict
 Both parties have equal power
Stages:
1. Opening
2. Information sharing
3. Options generated and one selected
4. Closing
 INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICT
 Occurs within an individual
 May be at the cognitive or affective level
1. Approach-Approach Conflict
 Individual must choose between two or more
alternatives which are expected to give a positive
outcome (a choice between two equally attractive jobs.
2. Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict
 Individual must choose between two or more
alternatives which are expected to give negative
outcomes.
3. Approach-Avoidance Conflict
 Decide on whether to do something which is expected to
have both positive and negative outcomes (good job in a
bad location).
 TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING CONFLICTS

 Conflicts can be resolved if both parties try to

understand each other and jointly search for
alternative solutions
 Conflict Management needs an involved process of
joint exploration
 Convince by providing additional information/data
 TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING CONFLICTS

 Conflict is like a Problem, we have to find the causes

and take steps to find the solution
 Agree to Disagree - understand that healthy
disagreement would result in better decision
 Meet Conflict head on
 Be honest about concerns
 Avoid Ego Clashes
 Conflict Resolution Techniques

Problem Solving: Face-to-face Meeting to identify problem

and resolving through open discussion
Super-ordinate Goal: Creating a shared goal that cannot be
attained without the cooperation of conflicting parties.
Expansion of Resources: When conflict is due to scarcity
of resources.
Smoothing: Playing down differences while emphasising
common interests between conflicting parties.
 Conflict Resolution Techniques (Contd.)

Altering the Human Variable: Using behavioural change

technique such as training to alter attitudes and
behaviours that cause conflict.
Altering Structural Variables: Changing the formal
organisation structure and interaction patterns of
conflicting parties through job re-design, transfers,
creation of coordinating positions.