ORGANIZATIONAL
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Conflict;
“an interactive process manifested in incompatibility, is agreement,
dissonance within or between social entities.”
§ In
simple words conflict may be understood as collision or disagreement.
§ It
may be within an individual when there is incompatibility between his or her
own goals or events.
§ It
may between two individuals, when one does not see eye to eye with another, and
in the process tries to block or frustrate the attempt of another.
§ Sometimes
it may between two groups in an organization
Organizational Conflict
§ The
discord that arises when goals, interests or values
of different individuals or
groups are incompatible and those people block or thwart each other’s efforts
to achieve their objectives.
of different individuals or
groups are incompatible and those people block or thwart each other’s efforts
to achieve their objectives.
§ Conflict
is inevitable given the wide range
of goals for the different stakeholder in the organization.
of goals for the different stakeholder in the organization.
Lack of conflict
signals that management emphasizes conformity and stifles innovation.
Conflict is good for organizational
performance although excessive
conflict causes managers to spend too much time achieving their own ends.
Sources of Conflict
· Facts
– disagreement between the relevant facts.
· Goals
– incompatible goals which is difficult to achieve.
· Methods
– difference of opinion in procedures, strategies etc.,
· Values
– differences in ethical standards, consideration for fairness, justice etc.,
Causes of Conflict
Ø Personal
Differences
Ø Informational
Deficiency
Ø Role
Incompatibility
Ø Environmental
Stress
Scarcity
Uncertainty
Stages of Conflict
v Latent
Conflict
v Perceived
Conflict
v Felt
Conflict
v Manifest
Conflict
v Conflict
Outcome
Conflict Management Styles Integrating style, high concern for self and the others, is characterized by a willingness to exchange information openly, to address differences constructively, and to make every effort to pursue a solution that will be mutually acceptable.
The
Organization is filled with “yes-man”.
Encourage
individualistic thinking.
Conflict Management Styles Integrating style, high concern for self and the others, is characterized by a willingness to exchange information openly, to address differences constructively, and to make every effort to pursue a solution that will be mutually acceptable.
Avoiding
style results from having little concern for either
one’s own or the other’s interests. When the issue of conflict is important and
requires taking over the responsibility of quick decision making, withdrawing
from conflict could generate harmful outcomes for the party.
Obliging
style, low concern for self and high concern for
others, focuses on protecting and maintaining the relationships rather than
pursuing an outcome that only meets an individual’s own concerns.
Compromising
style reflects a moderate concern for one’s own
interests and a moderate concern for the other’s interests. An outcome that is
mutually acceptable for both sides is a desirable strategy to solve conflict.
This style involves give and take.
Dominating
style or labeled as “competing” is identified as
win-lose strategy. Ignoring the needs and expectations of the other party and
pursuing one’s own interests through the use of forceful tactics is suitable,
when the conflict issues involve routine matters or require speedy decision
making .
Managerial Implications on Conflict
The
Organization is filled with “yes-man”. Employees
are afraid to admit ignorance. Compromise
stressed in decision making. Managers
put too much emphasis on harmony and peace. People
are afraid of hurting the feelings of others Popularity
is considered to be more important than technical competence. People
exhibit resistance to change. New
ideas are not forthcoming. There
is usually low rate of employee turnover.
Structural Approach to stimulate Conflict
Encourage
individualistic thinking. Increase
individual competition. Provide
threatening information such as reduction in. profits or the loss of competitive
edge in the market. Create
role conflict. Change
the organizational structure.
Respondent View
I.
Respond appropriately to the
initiator’s emotions. If necessary, let
the person “blow off steam” before addressing substantive issues. If the emotions are inappropriate, interject
ground rules for collaborative problem solving.
II.
Establish a climate for joint
problem solving by showing genuine concern and interest. Respond em pathetically even if you disagree
with the complaint.
III.
Avoid justifying your actions as
your first response.
IV.
Seek additional information about
the problem. Ask questions that channel
the initiator’s remarks from general to specific and evaluative to descriptive
statements.
V.
Focus on one issue, or one part of
an issue, at a time.
VI.
Agree with some aspect of the
complaint (facts, perceptions, feelings, or principles).
VII.
Ask the initiator to suggest more
acceptable behaviors.
VIII.
Agree on a remedial plan of action.
Initiator View
1.
Maintain personal ownership of the
problem.
2.
Succinctly describe your problem in
terms of behaviors, consequences and feelings (“When you do A, B happens, and I
feel C.”) Use a specific incident to
explore the root causes of a problem.
3.
Avoid making accusations and
attributing motives to the respondent.
4.
Specify the expectations or
standards that have been violated.
5.
Persist until understood.
6.
Encourage two-way interaction by
inviting the respondent to express his or her perspective and ask questions.
7.
Don’t “dump” all your issues at
once. Approach multiple issues
incrementally. Proceed from simple to
complex, easy to hard.
8.
Appeal to what you share
(principles, goals, constraints).
Mediator View
1.
Acknowledge that conflict exists
and treat it seriously. Do not belittle
the problem or chide the disputants for not being able to resolve the conflict
on their own.
2.
Construct a manageable agenda by
breaking down complex or multiple issues.
Help disputants distinguish central from peripheral elements. Begin working on one of the easier
components.
3.
Do not take sides. Remain neutral regarding the disputants as
well as the issues as long as violation of policy is not involved.
4.
Focus the discussion on the impact
the conflict is having on performance and the detrimental effect of a continued
conflict.
5.
Keep the interaction issue
oriented, not personality oriented.
Also, make sure that neither disputant dominates the conversation.
6.
Help disputants keep their conflict
in perspective by identifying areas of agreement or common viewpoint.
7.
Help disputants generate multiple
alternatives in a nonjudgmental manner.
8.
Make sure that both parties are
satisfied with the proposed resolution and committed to implementing it.
Finally
ü Conflict
management is the responsibility of all employees
ü Understanding
your style can assist in working with others
ü All
styles have their place, but collaboration is best for most work situations
