Conflict
Management
Deepanshu Jharodia
Conflict Management
• Sources of Conflict
• Desirability of Conflict
• Types of Conflict
• Undesirability of Conflict
• Game Theory
• Toward Conflict Management
Sources of Conflict
• Conflict is “an
--expressed struggle
--between at least two
interdependent parties
--who perceive incompatible goals,
scare resources, and
--interference from others in
achieving their goals” (Wilmot and
Hocker, 1998)
• Conflicts exist whenever
incompatible activities occur.
Sources of Conflict
• Conflicts may originate from a
number of different sources,
including:
•Differences in information, beliefs,
values, interests, or desires.
•A scarcity of some resource.
•Rivalries in which one person or
group competes with another.
Desirability of Conflict
• Conflict can be desirable.
• Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the
likelihood of groupthink.
• A moderate level of conflict across tasks
within a group resulted in increased
group performance while conflict among
personalities resulted in lower group
performance (Peterson and Behfar,
2003)
Types of Conflict
• Conflict of ideas
– Dooley and Fryxell (1999) found that conflict
of ideas at the early stage of decision
making (idea formulation) was desirable.
– However, it can cause problems at a later
stage when the ideas have to be
implemented.
• Conflict of feelings are often called
personality conflict
Types of Conflict
• Opposition and Support
Undesirability of Conflict
• Conflicts can be hard to control once
they have begun.
– The trend is toward escalation and
polarization.
– When conflict escalates to the point of being
out of control, it almost always yields
negative results.
Game Theory
• Game theory puts people into the
mixed-motive situation.
– Covey (1990) in The Seven Habits of Highly
Successful People refers to the scarcity
mentality versus the abundance mentality.
• The scarcity mentality leads us to resent the
success of others.
• The abundance mentality allows us to think of
situations in which everybody can win.
Toward Conflict
Management
• Conflict management is defined as “the
opportunity to improve situations and
strengthen relationships” (BCS, 2004).
–proactive conflict management
–collaborative conflict management
Toward Conflict
Management
• Blake and Mouton’s Conflict Grid
Source: Reproduced by permission from Robert R. Blake and Jane Syngley Mouton. “The Fifth
Achievement.” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 6(4), 1970..
Toward Conflict
Management
• Blake and Mouton (1970) proposed a
grid that shows various conflict
approaches.
– The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach,
also called avoidance.
– The 1,9 position, also called
accommodation, is excessively person-
oriented.
Toward Conflict
Management
– The 5,5 position represents a
willingness to compromise.
– The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach,
also called competing.
– The optimum style for reducing
conflict is the 9,9 approach, also
called collaboration.
Toward Conflict
Management
• Borisoff and Victor (1998) argue that
the best strategy for conflict
management (negotiation) depends on
the desired outcome.
Toward Conflict
Management
Unilateral negotiation strategies include:
• The trusting collaboration strategy.
• The open subordination strategy.
• The firm competition strategy.
• The active avoidance strategy.
Toward Conflict
Management
Interactive negotiation strategies
• Trusting collaboration
• Principled negotiation
• Firm competition
• Soft competition
• Open subordination
• Focused subordination
• Active avoidance
• Passive avoidance
• Responsive avoidance
Toward Conflict
Management
• Fisher, Ury, and Patton (1991) outline
four principles that compose principled
negotiation.
– Separate the people from the problem.
– Focus on interests, not positions.
– Invent options for mutual gain.
– Seek objective criteria.
Toward Conflict
Management
• The Continuum of Decision-Making
Behavior has been described as
including four styles of decision making:
• Tells
• Sells
• Consults
• Joins
Toward Conflict
Management
• Diane Yale (1988) outlines three
metaphorical approaches to conflict:
• The competitive, adversarial metaphor
– Often results in a winner and loser in the
resolution process.
• The problem-solving metaphor
– If [conflict] is focused on problem-solving,
everything that comes at you is seen as a
problem or a solution.
• The creative orientation metaphor
- Brings an innovative quality to group conflict
resolution.
Toward Conflict Management—
Practical Tips
Walker and Harris (1995) offer the
following practical tips for implementing
the 9,9 style. Encouraging behavior
occurs when a team member:
1. Avoids feelings or perceptions that imply
the other person is wrong or needs to
change.
2. Communicates a desire to work together to
explore a problem or seek a solution.
3. Exhibits behavior that is spontaneous and
destruction-free.
Toward Conflict Management—
Practical Tips (Cont…)
4. Identifies with another team member’s
problems, shares feelings, and accepts the
team member’s reaction.
5. Treats other team members with respect
and trust.
6. Investigates issues rather than taking sides
on them.
– The same principles can be applied to
negotiating with others outside your
team, or with a supplier or customer.
Toward Conflict
Management
• A Continuum of Decision-Making
Behavior
Source: From Stewart L. Tubbs. Empowerment (Ann Arbor, Mich.: U-Train, Inc., 1993), pp 5-9. Adapted from R. Tannenbaum
and H.W. Schmidt. “How to Choose a Leadership Pattern,” Harvard Business Review March-April, 1958.
Review of the Systems
Approach
• Individuals should understand their own
personal triggers to better deal with
conflict situations in the workplace
(Robin, 2004)
• Group members should think about
other group members early on to
identify privately those individuals and
behaviors that may push their buttons.
Review of the Systems
Approach
• destructive.
• Conflict-producing behaviors are more
likely from those high in aggression,
dominance, and the need for autonomy.
• An important factor related to conflict is
the style of leadership and the resulting
group norms regarding conflict. Conflict
may have some desirable
consequences.
