| Conflict management is an integral part of | | | | Accommodating is an approach which rarely leads |
| successful business administration. Research | | | | to the problem being solved. Although this can |
| shows that managers often spend as much as 20 | | | | help solve the immediate problem, the basic issue |
| percent of their work day trying to resolve | | | | remains. Accommodating and avoidance are similar |
| conflict. Although conflict is a common workplace | | | | techniques. They both come from a fear of |
| issue, it is important to recognize the sources of | | | | addressing and dealing with an issue directly. A |
| conflict and implement strategies to solve | | | | manager who gives in to the conflicting party |
| problems. This can help businesses overcome the | | | | often sacrifices his or her own goals and hurts the |
| harmful aspects of conflict and benefit from the | | | | company in the long run. This is why it is often |
| positive results conflict can produce. | | | | healthier to have conflict out in the open than to |
| There are four basic elements of conflict. These | | | | have people think there is harmony when there |
| include: | | | | really is not. |
| 1. The involvement of two or more parties | | | | Forcing is the opposite of accommodating. The |
| 2. A perception of incompatible goals | | | | manager who forces his or her employees to |
| 3. Differing values or perceptions | | | | accept a solution to a problem or forces them to |
| 4. A continuation of the conflict until both sides | | | | drop the issue will seldom find the best long-term |
| feel satisfied with the results. | | | | solutions. This type of behavior can be |
| Conflict in the workplace can take many forms. | | | | competitive or even aggressive in nature. The |
| However, it always requires at least two parties. | | | | manager (or co-worker) wants to compete to |
| Often, one of the parties is unaware of the | | | | see who's right and who's wrong, so he or she |
| conflict. They are a part of it nonetheless. From | | | | attempts to force an opinion on the opposition to |
| the perspective of management, it is best to | | | | "win" the argument. This hardly ever fixes the |
| identify the two parties and separate them initially. | | | | problem and usually produces more anger. |
| The first step is to accept that there is a problem | | | | Compromise is often seen as the best way to |
| and to define what it is and who is involved. | | | | deal with conflict. However, it can often leave |
| It is often difficult to realize that problems are | | | | both sides feeling like they've lost. This is |
| stemming from a perception of incompatible goals. | | | | especially true when managers are the ones who |
| Individuals may have specific goals for their | | | | decide what the compromise will be. |
| department or the organization as a whole. Those | | | | In order to successfully implement the problem |
| goals may be quite different than the goals that | | | | solving strategy, there must be certain common |
| someone else in another department might have. | | | | beliefs that the two parties can agree on, such as: |
| It is often easier for an individual to see him or | | | | 1. Cooperation is better than competition |
| herself as the "good guy" and see the person | | | | 2. Parties can be trusted |
| who is a threat as the enemy. The important | | | | 3. Status Differences can be minimized |
| thing to keep in mind, however, is that the other | | | | 4. Mutually acceptable solutions can be found |
| person may have goals that have not even been | | | | It is better to get the parties in a conflict involved |
| considered. In many instances, finding a way to | | | | if you are to reach a long term solution to their |
| satisfy both individuals will ultimately be good for | | | | problems. The likelihood of a solution working is |
| the company. | | | | greatest when the parties come up with it than |
| Conflict is normal. That is because each individual in | | | | when it is created by management. However, |
| an organization brings certain values and | | | | such a solution can only be found when the |
| perspectives to the table that are unique to him | | | | parties realize that cooperation is in their best |
| or her. These can enrich the organization by | | | | interest. |
| allowing for a more diverse dialogue and | | | | As values and perspectives differ, it can be easy |
| decision-making process. Unfortunately, they can | | | | for some individuals to distrust each other. This is |
| also spark opposition and contribute to | | | | often the result of a breakdown in communication |
| communication difficulties. Still, they are healthy | | | | or a failure to realize the goals of others. |
| problems to have. In fact, a truly dysfunctional | | | | Managers can increase their ability to gain the |
| operation would be one where everybody gets | | | | trust of their employees by actually trusting them. |
| along. | | | | This will give them the ability to communicate |
| Often conflicts will go on for long periods of time. | | | | successfully and help employees recognize and |
| This is especially true when one or more parties | | | | solve problems together. |
| keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves. | | | | Status differences often prevent communication |
| This can come from a desire to avoid the conflict, | | | | and lead to conflict. When employees feel that |
| or can just be the result of neither side feeling | | | | management is different than them, they often |
| satisfied with the solutions, if any. | | | | decide not to communicate openly and problems |
| It is important for managers to recognize and | | | | can grow over time. This will be especially true if |
| deal with conflict. Sometimes it is best to just let | | | | the manager tends to use the forcing technique |
| things be. If a manager feels that not dealing with | | | | to problem management. |
| the problem would be better than if he or she did, | | | | Believing that solutions can be found which will |
| then perhaps that is the best course of action. | | | | satisfy all parties is the first step toward |
| Unfortunately, most problems don't just go away, | | | | successfully solving a problem. The parties need |
| and festering anger can eat away at morale and | | | | to admit that there is a problem and get it out in |
| get in the way of effective decision-making. | | | | the open. Management should encourage this and |
| There are five main strategies for resolving | | | | let employees know that conflict is normal. The |
| conflict. These are: | | | | problem should be analyzed by both parties, with |
| 1. Avoidance | | | | the manager as the intermediary. By accepting |
| 2. Accommodating | | | | employees' concerns, managers can encourage an |
| 3. Forcing | | | | attitude that will help problem solving. The parties |
| 4. Compromise | | | | can then come up with options for solving the |
| 5. Problem Solving | | | | problem and agree on a final solution. |
| Avoidance is sometimes the best course of | | | | Managing conflict is a normal aspect of business |
| action. Often time will fix whatever problem has | | | | operations. Although managers do have to |
| existed and trying to fix it yourself will just make | | | | dedicate much of their time to conflict |
| it worse. Still this rarely works. More often than | | | | management, successfully doing so can be good |
| not, avoiding conflict is just a sign of an inability to | | | | for the long-term performance of the company. |
| successfully manage problems. The conflict | | | | To effectively solve conflicts, managers need to |
| avoider often develops rationales for the conflict, | | | | recognize the factors that cause it and try to |
| dodges meetings or conversations where conflict | | | | implement strategies for solving problems in a |
| is present, and hopes the conflict will resolve itself | | | | constructive way. |
| on its own. | | | | |