Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Conflict ManagementMGMT 582

Chapter 4 Conflict Styles and Strategic Conflict Interaction

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Individual Styles

• Most people have characteristic conflict handling styles– These are preferences on how they handle conflict

situations• These styles or preferences are formed over

time based on experiences and personality• Humans are adaptive and can change styles or

enact more than one style based on the situation

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Blake and Mouton (1964) The Five Conflict Styles

• The makeup of five Conflict Management Styles

• Competing style is high on assertiveness and low on cooperativeness• Accommodating style is low on assertiveness and high on cooperativeness• Avoiding style is low on assertiveness and low on cooperativeness• Compromising style is high on assertiveness and low on cooperativeness• Problem-Solving style is high on assertiveness and high on cooperativeness

• Competing, Compromising, and Accommodating get one or both parties only partially what they want

• One or both have to give up something important to them

• Only Problem-solving has the potential for both parties to address their full needs and better with creative solutions

PS: Overuse of the competing style implies use of power (chapter 5) to solve conflict in favor of those holding power and at the cost of those with less power

Competing Problem-Solving

Avoiding Accommodating

Compromising

AssertivenessAttempt toSatisfy own

Concerns

CooperativenessAttempt to Satisfy

others Concerns

Hi

Lo

Lo Hi

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Every Conflict Management Approach has a Function: Situational Considerations

(a simplified version of grid from text)

Forcing Accomodating Compromising Collaborating Avoiding

Issue Importance High Low Med High Low

RelationshipImportance

Low High Medium High Low

RelativePower

High Low Equal-High Low-High Equal-High

Time Constraints Med-High Med-High Low Low Med-High

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Conflict Strategy, Style, Tactic• Conflict strategy, style, and tactics are at different levels of

action– Strategy refers to a party’s plan for a conflict

• A strategy may call for select styles and tactics– Style refers to preferred behaviors in response to a conflict

• Some styles are more conducive to some situations than others– Tactics are specific behavior a party engages in

• A party may choose to differentiate using a competitive style to have other party display their cards

• When in conflict party’s have a choice– They should choose their strategy, style, tactics consciously,

based on the situation and some thought about the other party• One has to adapt strategy based on other party’s actions

– Acting in default mode relying on habitual style is not conducive to most conflict situations and could be damaging

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Conflict, Strategy, and Outcomes

Strategy Dept. A Dept. B Organization

Competitive Lose Lose Lose Lose Win Lose Win Lose Lose

Cooperative Win- Win- Win

Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.Primary source: Folger, J., Poole, M., and Stutman, R., (2009 6th ed.). “Working Through Conflict”, Pearson Education Inc.

Summary• There are five conflict management styles• Individuals tend to have a preferred style based

on their makeup and life experiences• Every conflict management style is functional and

should be applied depending on the situation• Individuals should learn to adapt in their conflict

strategy, style, and tactics based on the situation and the goal at hand

• A collaborative strategy is a win-win strategy for all parties