Response to Conflict Situations |
Description |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Competing |
It is a conflict response where individuals firmly pursue their concerns despite the resistance from the opposing side. Sometimes individuals use their power and positions to win. |
-Provide quick resolution to a conflict. -Increases self-esteem and draws respect when a firm resistance is maintained. -Good for testing assumptions |
-Strained working relationships with the opponent -losing party may bear a grudge leading to another conflict. -Lead to the escalation of conflict in the workplace. -Decreased initiatives and motivation |
|
Accommodating |
Accommodating involves satisfying other party's concerns at the expense of one’s concern |
-Creates a favorable environment -Help protect important interest while giving up on less important. Allow time to reassess the problem from another angle. |
Prone to abuse by the opponent. -Lead to lack of self-esteem within the accommodating party. Negatively affect trust and confidence, especially when responding to aggressive opponents. |
|
Avoiding |
It involves withdrawing, stepping aside, or postponing conflict resolution. |
-It is suitable when the opponent uses aggressive means as it allows an individual to find favorable circumstances to resolve the issue. -It allows time to focus on important and urgent issues. -It gives parties involved the opportunity to prepare and collect information before taking action. |
-Vital decisions may be made default. -Cause a festering of tension Postponing vital decisions may worsen the situation. -Strained working relationships |
|
Collaborating |
Attempt to work with the other party involved to come up with a win-win solution that completely satisfies both concerned parties |
-High-quality decisions- that lead to solving the actual problem. Shared responsibility of the outcome since an atmosphere of respect and mutual trust is established. -Build a strong foundation for effective collaboration in the future. -Strengthening relationships |
-It is not effective when time is crucial, and a quick response is required. A lot of energy and commitment is used to come up with a mutual agreement. -Psychological demand |
|
Compromising |
Involves coming up with a mutually acceptable solution that partly gratifies the parties involved in a conflict. |
-Fast and expediency in solving urgent issues. -Offer a temporary solution as the parties look for a better win-win solution. -Lowers tension and stress level among parties hence maintaining relationships |
-Derail of important values and long-term objectives. -Sub-optimal solutions Does not build trust in the long run. |
Conflict Management
Introduction
Conflict is unavoidable in day to day operation since individuals have opposing ideologies. Conflict in an organization can be destructive, leading to lost productivity, absenteeism, and mental problems and constructive. It motivated a generation of new ideas, innovations, and an understanding of working relationships. Kenneth Thomas and Kilmann Ralph described the conflict as a condition in which two people's concerns are incomparable when a conflict arises from structural factors. Structural changes need to be established to effectively solve the problem and prevent conflict reoccurrence in the future. Thomas and Kilmann developed five modes of conflict management applied by organizations to solve various conflicts. Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument involves competing, accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, and compromising. Each strategy has its benefit and drawbacks; how the conflicting parties approach the situation lead to effective conflict resolution.
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Modes of Conflict Management
Avoiding style is one of the Thomas-Kilmann's Five Response style that involves withdrawing or stepping aside from a conflict. Avoiding style is mainly used when avoiding a party that uses aggressive means and waits until a favorable circumstance for solving the problems itself. Avoiding style allows time for the party to focus on an urgent issue and get adequate time to gather information and prepare to effectively resolve the issue ( Koley & Rao, 2018) . When overused. Avoiding style causes a dysfunctional environment and lack of coordination capabilities ( Shaubhut, 2007) . The other drawbacks of avoiding style are that it leads to a default of vital problems, leads to a strained relationship, and creates tension in the workplace, worsening the situation.
A competing conflict management style discussed in Thomas-Kilmann's occurs when individuals firmly pursue their concerns despite the opposing side's resistance. Sometimes individuals use their power and positions to win. This conflict management style is mainly used when one party does not care about the relationship; they are only concerned with the results. The competing style is effective when a conflict requires immediate resolution ( Schaubhut, 2007 ). When matters of power and authority arise, the style can be used to increase self-esteem and draw respect. However, competing style creates a strained working relationship in an organization, decreases motivation, and creates grudges, leading to escalation of another conflict in the future.
Accommodation is another Thomas-Kilmann style where one party sacrifices their needs, ideas, and concerns to satisfy the other party. Many individuals who use accommodation take advantage of the weak and cause resentment. Accommodation is suitable for creating a favorable environment, protecting important interests by giving up less important and allowing time to reassess the situation from a different angle ( Schaubhut, 2007) . Accommodation aids in maintaining a relationship and can be used to build up social credits for a favor later on or create a harmonious and avoiding disruptions in the work environment ( Leveillee, 2018) . However, managers' excess use of accommodation makes them appear indecisive, lowers the self-esteem of one party, affects trust and confidence, and makes them look unwilling to accept change.
Compromising is the other style that entails finding an acceptable understanding that only partially satisfies both parties' concerns. Compromise is both assertive and cooperative, creating a solution to the conflict and also maintaining a relationship. It involves splitting the differences and find a middle ground issue ( Koley & Rao, 2018) . It is used in complex issues and also where the concerns involve powerful parties. It does not provide an ideal solution. Also, competing, satisfying your concerns at the expense of others. It brings about a better decision-making process at the cost of resentment and hostility created. Finally, the collaborative model tries to find a win-win solution that completely satisfies both party's concerns ( Schaubhut, 2007) . It is a problem-confronting mode that values both relationships and goals. Gains commitment through consensus building. Being assertive and cooperative ensures both parties are satisfied at the expense of time since it is time-consuming (Thomas & Kilmann, 1978).
Conflicts from the Case Scenario
The case involves Jean, the manager, and Carl, a co-manager of the business. The two individuals have a differing stand on implementing a change that would restructure the existing module. While Jen wants to keep the vacation time, Carl does not agree but opt to present her position to HR instead of discussing it with Jen. In this case, the interpersonal conflict arises from the powerful position held by the parties involving their decision-making abilities.
Effective Response Solution for Jen
The most effective conflict response for Jean is the use of the collaborative style. Since the two individuals work together and will be involved in solving other issues in the future, the collaboration style will allow the party to come up with a win-win solution that satisfies them all. The use of collaboration ensures high-quality decision-making since the issue will significantly impact organizational performance ( Leveillee, 2018) . Also, the collaboration will build a strong and healthy working relationship between the manager and co-manager.
Least-Effective Response Solution for Jen
The least effective response for Jean to use is the competing style. Although Jean is the manager with the power and authority to make a policy decision, using his position to pursue self-concern will create a strained working relationship with his colleague. Due to a strained relationship, another conflict might arise in the future.
Conclusion
In summary, Conflict management seeks to reduce, eliminate or terminate all types of conflict and create a healthy working relationship. Thomas-Kilmann’s Five Response of competing, accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, and compromising can be used interchangeably depending on the concerns at hand. Applying a suitable conflict management style transforms the situation, improves the working relationship, and increases productivity.
References
Schaubhut, N. A. (2007). Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument. CPP Research Department . http://www.lig360.com/assessments/tki/smp248248.pdf
Leveillee, M. G. (2018). Exploration of Conflict Management Styles Used by Medical-Surgical Nurses.
Koley, G., & Rao, S. (2018, October). Adaptive human-agent multi-issue bilateral negotiation using the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument. In 2018 IEEE/ACM 22nd International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.
