Conflict Management
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CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
We live in a social community where we have to interact with lot of peoples and many of them have unfamiliar personality to us. So we cannot eliminate the conflicts.
Conflict is a disagreement between people that may be the result of different: – Idea, Perspectives, Priorities, Preferences, Beliefs, Values, Goals, Organizational structures.
Organization conflicts
Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. For example if there is lack of resources so if everybody think of his own interest that I should be the person whose job should be done first so conflict arises.
The Effect of Conflict on Organization Performance
Conflict has both positive and negative effects on the performance.
Conflict is negative when it
Takes attention away from other activities
Damages the spirit of the team or an individual
Divides people and groups, and makes cooperation difficult
Makes people or group focus on their differences
Leads to harmful behavior, like fighting or name-calling
Conflict is positive when it
Clears up important problems or issues
Brings about solutions to problems
Gets everyone involved in solving issues
Causes real communication
Release emotion, anxiety, and stress in a positive way
Helps people learn more about each other and cooperate
Develops understanding and skills
Conflict can cause organizational distress
* Low morale
* Complaints
* Minimum creativity
* Lack of team spirit
* Absenteeism and turnover
Sources of Conflict
There are many sources but some of them are incompatible goals, overlapping authority, task interdependence, scarce resources etc..
Types of Conflict
Following are the types of conflicts.
Interpersonal Conflict
Conflict between individuals due to differences in their goals or values.
Intra-group Conflict
Conflict within a group or team is known as Intra-group Conflict.
Intergroup Conflict
Conflict between two or more teams or groups is called Intergroup Conflict. Managers play a key role in resolution of these conflicts.
Inter-organizational Conflict
Conflict that arises across organizations is called Inter-organizational Conflict.
Conflict management
Conflict management involves implementing strategies to limit the negative aspects of conflict and to increase the positive aspects of conflict at a level equal to or higher than where the conflict is taking place
The motive is there how to manage your conflicts resolve your conflicts. Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest of the group.
So we can use different methods to resolve our conflicts.
Avoiding
No winners, no losers
Avoidance is one of the most common strategies for coping with conflict. Avoiding a conflict doesnt mean youre a coward–unless, of course, you do it all the time. Avoiding is a legitimate strategy when you need time to cool off, when you stand to gain nothing from confronting a situation, when power is drastically unequal, when you want to put distance between yourself and the other person, or when you need time to prepare. Avoidance buys time. Use the time wisely once you have it. For example, if you postpone a meeting, immediately get to work, prepare yourself and reschedule.
When to use:
When the conflict is small and relationships are at stake
When youre counting to ten to cool off
When more important issues are pressing and you feel you dont have time to deal with this particular one
When you have no power and you see no chance of getting your concerns met
When you are too emotionally involved and others around you can solve the conflict more successfully
When more information is needed
Drawbacks:
Important decisions may be made by default
Postponing may make matters worse
Accommodation
I lose, you win
Accommodation involves giving in to the others wishes or smoothing the choppy waves of a conflict. Accommodation sacrifices ones own goals for the sake of the other person. Accommodators often use phrases like: “Whatever you want is fine with me.” When one party in a conflict genuinely does not care about the outcome of the conflict, accommodation may be the right choice for that situation. However, if accommodation is the only style a person utilizes, he or she is advised to learn more skills.
When to use:
When you know you are right
When time is short and a quick decision is needed
When a strong personality is trying