Conflict Management

Introduction

Organizations, by definition, require people to work together and communicate with one another. Ideally; these interpersonal relationships should be productive, cooperative, and satisfying. In reality, managers find that they are not always that way. Almost every working relationship produces some degree of conflict across time. Either the conflicts will be destructive or constructive depends on the attitudes and skills of the participants, as well as on time pressure and resources shortages. So it is important to see why conflict takes place, and what its dynamics are.

THE NATURE OF CONFLICT

Conflict is any situation in which two or more parties feel themselves in opposition. Conflict is an interpersonal process that arises from disagreements over the goals to attain or the methods to be used to accomplish those goals. In general, conflict has been defined as a process in which an individual purposefully makes a concerted effort to offset the efforts of another individual by some form of blockage that causes frustration to the latter in accomplishing his goals or furtherance of his interests. Likewise, it is visualized as the active striving for ones own preferred goal which, if accomplished, precludes the attainment by others of their own preferred goal, thereby causing hostility.

Since people differ in their goals and the methods of achieving them, the conflict may be even more difficult to resolve, but they must find a way.

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K.W. Thomas defined conflict as the process that results when one person or a group perceives that another person or group is frustrating or about to frustrate an important concern.

Conflict is any tension that is experience when one perceives that ones needs or desires are likely to be thwarted or frustrated. Such tensions could arise because the person experiences two incompatible desires within the self (interpersonal conflict) or due to opposite goals with others (interpersonal conflict). Chung and Magginson (1981) described conflict as the struggle between incompatible or opposing needs, wishes, ideas, interests or people.

In other words, we can say conflict can arise due to incongruence in

1. Goals (that is preferred outcomes) 2. Values 3. Cognitions (conflicting ideas or thoughts) 4. Affect (incompatible feelings and emotions) 5. Behaviours (acting in ways that are unacceptable to others)

In organizations, conflict among different interests is inevitable, and sometimes amount of conflict is also substatial.Thomas and Schmidt reported that managers spend as estimated 20%of their time dealing with conflict .They may be either direct participant or mediatory trying to resolve conflict between two or more of their employees. In either case, knowledge and understanding of conflict and the methods of resolving it are important.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF CONFLICT

1. Conflict is inevitable.

2. It is not necessarily good or bad but must be educated in terms of its individual and organizational functions and dysfunctions.

3. It is a matter of perception. A conflict exists only if both the parties perceive it.

4. It involves opposition or incompatibility and some form of interaction.

5. It is an integral part of any change. It is a way of instituting revolutionary change.

6. Conflict is different from competition. Competition exists when both mutual assistance and antagonism are low.

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7. Conflict is determined by both structural factors such as physical shape of a building, the design of a career structure or the nature of a class system.

8. A minimal level of conflict is optimal. Conflict rather than being disruptive and dissociating may indeed be a means of balancing and hence maintaining an organization as a group concern.

LEVELS OF CONFLICT

Conflict can occur within an employee, between individuals or groups and across organizations as they compete.

INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICT-

Although most role conflicts take place when an employees supervisor or peer sends conflicting expectation to him, it is possible for intrapersonal role conflict to take place within an individual, for Egan employee may see himself as both the manager of a team responsible for protecting and enlarging its
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resources and as a member of the executive staff with the task of reducing operating costs.

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT-

Although conflicts are serious problem to many people because they deeply affect a persons emotions. There is a need to protect ones self image and self esteem from damage by others. When self respect is threatened, serious upset occurs and relationships deteriorate. Sometimes the temperaments of two are incompatible and their personalities clash. In other cases, conflicts develop from failure of communication or differences in perception.

INTERGROUP CONFLICT-

Intergroup conflict also causes problems. On a major scale such conflicts are something like the wars between juvenile gangs. Each group sets out to undermine the otter, gain power and improve its image. These conflicts arise from such causes as different viewpoints; group loyalties and competition for resources. Resources are limited in any organization and are increasingly tight as organizations struggle to be competitive. Since most groups feel that they

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need more than they can secure, the seed of intergroup conflict exists wherever there are limited resources.

As mentioned before, some conflicts are constructive, and this is certainly true at the intergroup level. Here, conflict may provide a clue that a critical problem between two departments needs to be resolved rather than allowed to smoulder. Unless issues are brought into the open, they cannot be fully understood or explored. Once intergroup conflict emerges, it creates a motivating force encouraging the two groups to resolve the conflict so as to move the relationship to a new equilibrium.

SOURCES OF CONFLICT
1. Organizational change

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People hold differing views over the direction to go, the routes to take and their likely success, the resources to be used, and the probable outcomes. With the pace of technological, political, and social change increasing and the marketplace hurtling towards a global economy, organizational changes will be ever present.

2. Personality clashes The concept of individual differences is fundamental to organizational behaviour. Not every one thinks, feels, looks, acts alike. Some people rub us the wrong way, and we cannot necessarily explain why. Although personality differences can cause conflict, they are also rich resources for creative problem solving.

3. Different set of values People hold different beliefs and adhere to different value systems. Their philosophies may diverge, or their ethical values may lead them in different directions. The resulting disputes can be can be difficult to resolve, since they are less objective than disagreement over alternative products, inventory levels, or promotional campaigns. 4. Threats to status Status or the social rank of a person in a group is very important to many individuals. When ones status is threatened, face saving becomes powerful driving force as a person struggles to maintain a desired image.

5. Contrasting perception People perceive things differently as a result of their prior experiences. Since their perceptions are very real to them and they
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feel that these perceptions must be equally apparent to others, they sometimes fail to realize that others may hold contrasting perceptions of the same object or event.

6. Lack of trust Every continuing relationship requires some degree of trust, the capacity to depend on each others word and actions. Trust opens up boundaries, provides opportunities in which to act, and enriches the entire social fabric of an organization.

EFFECTS OF CONFLICT

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Conflict can be advantageous as well as disadvantageous. A more positive view is to see that conflict is nearly inevitable and to search ways in which it can result in constructive outcomes.

ADVANTAGES OF CONFLICT
One of the benefits produced by conflict is that people are stimulated to search for improved approaches that lead to better results. It energizes them to be more creative and to experiment with new ideas.

Once hidden problem are brought to the surface where they may be confronted and solved. Just as fermentation is necessary in production of fine wines a certain amount of ferment can create a deeper understanding among the parties involved in a conflict.

Once the conflict is resolved, the individuals may be more committed to the outcome through their involvement in solving it.

Well managed conflict helps workers anticipate and solve problems, feel confident, strengthen their relationships and be committed to the organization.

Conflict increases awareness of what problems exist, who is involved and how to solve the problem.

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DISADVANTAGES OF CONFLICT
Cooperation and team work may deteriorate.

Distrust may grow feel defeated, while self image of others will decline.

Some people may feel defeated, while self image of others will decline.

Personal stress levels will rise.

Motivation level of some employees will reduce.

It yields less cooperation in the future.

It reduces interaction and communication between the conflicting parties.

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CONFLICT OUTCOMES
Conflict may produce four distinct outcomes, depending on the approaches taken by the people involved four possible outcomes are

WIN-WIN

WIN-LOSE

This outcome of conflict is the one in It is a situation in which one person is which both parties perceive that they are victorious while the other one is in better position than they were before defeated. the conflict began. This is the preferred outcome to try to achieve in on going relationships, such as with suppliers, employees and customers.

LOSE-WIN
It is a situation in which one person is defeated while the other one is victorious.

LOSE-LOSE
It is a situation in which a conflict deteriorates to the point that both parties are worse off than they were before.

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RESOLUTION STRATEGIES

Intentions help participants select their strategies. Once they have been chosen, the strategies implemented will have a substantial impact on the outcomes reached. There are various approaches to resolve conflict. They are as follows

AVOIDING
Physical or mental withdrawal from the conflict. This approaches reflects a low concern for either parties outcomes or often results in a lose-lose situation. The avoiding mode is low assertiveness and low cooperation. Many times people will avoid conflicts out of fear of engaging in a conflict or because they do not have confidence in their conflict management skills. Times when the avoiding mode is appropriate are when you have issues of low importance, to reduce tensions, to buy some time, or when you are in a position of lower power. Avoiding Skills Ability to withdraw Ability to sidestep issues Sense of timing

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Ability to leave things unresolved

SMOOTHING
This includes accommodating the other partys interests. This approaches places greatest emphasis on concern for others, usually to ones own detriment, resulting in a lose-win outcome. The accommodating mode is low assertiveness and high cooperation. Times when the accommodating mode is appropriate are to show reasonableness, develop performance, create good will, or keep peace. Some people use the accommodating mode when the issue or outcome is of low importance to them. The smoothing mode can be problematic when one uses the mode to keep a tally or to be a martyr. For example, if you keep a list of the number of times you have accommodated someone and then you expect that person to realize, without your communicating to the person, that she/he should now accommodate you. Smotthing Skills Forgetting your desires Obeying orders Selflessness Ability to yield

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FORCING
It is also referred to as Competing. Using power tactics to achieve a win. This strategy relies on aggressiveness and dominance to achieve personal goals at the expense of the concern for the other party. The likely result is win-lose situation. The competing conflict mode is high assertiveness and low cooperation. Times when the competing mode is appropriate are when quick action needs to be taken, when unpopular decisions need to be made, when vital issues must be handled, or when one is protecting self-interests. Forcing skills Standing your ground Using rank or influence Asserting your opinions and feelings Stating your position clearly Arguing or debating

CONFRONTING

It is also referred to as Collaborating. Facing the conflict directly and working it through to a mutually satisfactory resolution. Also known as problem solving or integrating, this tactics seeks to maximize the achievement of both partys goals, resulting in a win-win outcome. The confronting mode is high assertiveness and high cooperation. Confrontation has been described as putting an idea on top of an idea on top of an ideain order to achieve the best solution to a conflict. The best solution is defined as a creative solution to the conflict that would not have been generated by a single individual. With such a positive outcome for confrontation, some people will profess that the confrontation mode is always the best conflict mode to use. However, collaborating takes a great deal of
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time and energy. Therefore, the confronting mode should be used when the conflict warrants the time and energy. For example, if your team is establishing initial parameters for how to work effectively together, then using the confronting mode could be quite useful. On the other hand, if your team is in conflict about where to go to lunch today, the time and energy necessary to confrontatively resolve the conflict is probably not beneficial. Times when the confrontative mode is appropriate are when the conflict is important to the people who are constructing an integrative solution, when the issues are too important to compromise, when merging perspectives, when gaining commitment, when improving relationships, or when learning. Confronting Skills Active listening Nonthreatening confrontation Analyzing input Identifying concerns

COMPROMISING

Searching for middle ground or being willing to give up something in exchange for gaining something else. This strategy reflects a moderate degree of concern for self and others, with no clear cut outcome. The compromising mode is moderate assertiveness and moderate cooperation. Some people define compromise as giving up more than you want, while others see compromise as both parties winning. Times when the compromising mode is appropriate are when you are dealing with issues of moderate importance, when you have equal power status, or when you have a strong commitment for resolution. Compromising mode can also be used as a temporary solution when there are time constraints.
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Compromising Skills Negotiating Finding a middle ground Making concessions Assessing value

Conclusion
Conflict is a natural phenomenon and is not to be always viewed as a disease to be cured and a disorder to be curbed. To some extent it may even be necessary and desirable to keep the organization alert or induce it to be more innovative, to open up opportunities for learning and impart flexibility to organizational function.

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