The Nature of Conflict

By its very nature, conflict is a process of polarization and receding opportunity. When two people or parties
are in conflict, they characteristically move to opposite sides of an issue. They fortify their position by
overstating their case, creating further distance between themselves. As the conflict escalates, they become
more resolute in defending their position and destroying that of their opponent’s. Conflict is a process of
simplification. We ignore the reasons, justifications, viewpoints and concerns of the other side. We dismiss the
texture and meaning of their statements, and we are blind to the shortcomings of our own. They are wrong
and we are right.

 Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while increasing the
positive aspects of conflict. The aim of conflict management is to enhance learning and group
outcomes, including effectiveness or performance in an organizational setting. With better
enhancements[1] Properly managed conflict can improve group outcomes
 Organizational Conflict or otherwise known as workplace conflict, is described as the state of
disagreement or misunderstanding, resulting from the actual or perceived dissent of needs, beliefs,
resources and relationship between the members of the organization. At the workplace, whenever, two
or more persons interact, conflict occurs when opinions with respect to any task or decision are in
contradiction.

In simple terms, organizational conflict alludes to the result of human interaction, that starts when one
member of the organization discerns that his/her goals, values or attitude are incompatible, with those of
other members of the organization. The incompatibility in opinions can come into being, within a member,
between two members, or between groups of the organization.

Factors Influencing Organizational Conflict

1. Unclear Responsibility: If there is lack of clarity, regarding who is responsible for which section of a task or
project, conflict takes place. And, to avoid this situation, the roles and responsibility of the team members
should be stated clearly and also agreed upon by all.
2. Interpersonal Relationship: Every member of an organization, possesses different personality, which plays a
crucial role in resolving conflict in an organization. Conflicts at the workplace, are often caused by
interpersonal issues between the members of the organization.
3. Scarcity of Resources: One of the main reason for occurence of conflict in an organization is the inadequacy of
resources like time, money, materials etc. due to which members of the organization compete with each other,
leading to conflict between them.
4. Conflict of Interest: When there is a disorientation between the personal goals of the individual and the goals
of the organization, conflict of interest arises, as the individual may fight for his personal goals, which hinders
the overall success of the project.

Conflicts alleviate at the workplace due to individual and inter-individual factors. Individual related causes
entails attitudes, beliefs, personality orientation and human-frailties. Inter-individual conflicts arises when a
manager breaches norms of the organization.

Types of Organizational Conflict

 Relationship Conflict: The conflict arising out of interpersonal tension among employees, which is
concerned with the relationship intrinsically, not the project at hand.
 Task Conflict: When there is a discord, among members regarding nature of work to be performed is task
conflict
 Process Conflict: Clashes among the team members due to the difference in opinions, on how work
should be completed, is called process conflict.

Organizational conflict can also be personal conflict (one that exist between two people because of mutual
dislike), intragroup conflict (one arising out of lack of liberty, resource, etc. in a group) and intergroup conflict
(one that exist between two groups).

Conflict is classified into the following four types:

 Interpersonal conflict refers to a conflict between two individuals. This occurs typically due to how
people are different from one another. We have varied personalities which usually results to
incompatible choices and opinions. Apparently, it is a natural occurrence which can eventually help in
personal growth or developing your relationships with others. In addition, coming up with
adjustments is necessary for managing this type of conflict. However, when interpersonal conflict gets
too destructive, calling in a mediator would help so as to have it resolved.

 Intrapersonal conflict occurs within an individual. The experience takes place in the person’s mind.
Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the individual’s thoughts, values,
principles and emotions. Interpersonal conflict may come in different scales, from the simpler mundane
ones like deciding whether or not to go organic for lunch to ones that can affect major decisions such as
choosing a career path. Furthermore, this type of conflict can be quite difficult to handle if you find it
hard to decipher your inner struggles. It leads to restlessness and uneasiness, or can even cause
depression. In such occasions, it would be best to seek a way to let go of the anxiety through
communicating with other people. Eventually, when you find yourself out of the situation, you can
become more empowered as a person. Thus, the experience evoked a positive change which will help
you in your own personal growth.

 Intragroup conflict is a type of conflict that happens among individuals within a team. The
incompatibilities and misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an intragroup conflict. It is
arises from interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team members have different personalities which may
lead to tension) or differences in views and ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of the team might
find the notions presented by the one presiding to be erroneous due to their differences in opinion).
Within a team, conflict can be helpful in coming up with decisions which will eventually allow them to
reach their objectives as a team. However, if the degree of conflict disrupts harmony among the
members, then some serious guidance from a different party will be needed for it to be settled.

 Intergroup conflict takes place when a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an
organization. For instance, the sales department of an organization can come in conflict with the
customer support department. This is due to the varied sets of goals and interests of these different
groups. In addition, competition also contributes for intergroup conflict to arise. There are other factors
which fuel this type of conflict. Some of these factors may include a rivalry in resources or the
boundaries set by a group to others which establishes their own identity as a team.

Conflict may seem to be a problem to some, but this isn’t how conflict should be perceived. On the other hand,
it is an opportunity for growth and can be an effective means of opening up among groups or individuals.
However, when conflict begins to draws back productivity and gives way to more conflicts, then conflict
management would be needed to come up with a resolution.
 Causes of Organizational Confict
 Managerial Expectations: Every employee is expected to meet the targets, imposed by his/her superior
and when these expectations are misunderstood or not fulfilled within the stipulated time, conflicts arises.
 Communication Disruption: One of the major cause of conflict at the workplace is disruption in the
communication, i.e. if one employee requires certain information from another, who does not respond
properly, conflict sparks in the organization.
 Misunderstanding: Misunderstanding of information, can also alleviate dispute in organization, in the
sense that if one person misinterpret some information, it can lead to series of conflicts.
 Lack of accounhtability: If in a project, responsibilities are not clear and some mistake has arisen, of which
no member of the team wants to take responsibility can also become a cause of conflict in the organization.
The causes of organizational conflict are to be known, to resolve them as early as possible, because it hinders
the efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of the employees and the organization as well, which ultimately
hampers its success.

Ways to Manage Conflicts in Organization

1. Handle the conflict positively.

2. Formation of official grievance procedure for all members.
3. Concentrate on the causes rather than their effect, to assess conflicts.
4. Parties to conflicts should be given an equal voice, irrespective of their position, term or political influence.
5. Active participation of all the parties to conflict can also help to counter it.

In an organization, conflict is inevitable and so various means are to be discovered to resolve them or use them
in a way that can help the organization to increase its productivity

5 Approaches to Conflict Management

Not all conflicts are created equal. Some conflicts you face as a coach will be more difficult to resolve than
others. As a coach, you’ll need to consider how your approach to conflict management might impact the
outcome of the conflict, or to tailor your approach to better suit the situation. This article with help you
determine your preferred approach to managing conflict and help you understand the various approaches,
when to use them, and characteristic behaviours of those who employ them.

Presented below is a short survey that will help you determine your preferred approach to managing conflict.
You will learn more about your preferred approach if your choices reflect how you actually behave, not how
you would like to behave. Write down the question number and the letter of the statement that best describes
your behaviour as a coach in most situations. Use this scoring sheet to find out what approach you prefer (click
here).

There are times when I let others Rather than negotiate the things on which we disagree, I
1 A B
take responsibility for solving problems. try to stress those things upon which we both agree.
 2 A I try to find a compromise solution. B I attempt to deal with all of others’ and my concerns.

I might try to soothe the other’s feelings and preserve our

3 A I am usually firm in pursing my goals. B
relationship.

I sometimes sacrifice my own wishes for the wishes of the

4 A I try to find a compromise solution. B
other person.

I consistently seek the other person’s

5 A B I try to do what is necessary to avoid useless tensions.
help in working out a solution.

I try to avoid creating unpleasantness

6 A B I try to win my position.
for myself.

I try to postpone the issue until I have

7 A B I give up some points in exchange for others.
had some time to think it over.

I attempt to get all concerns and issues immediately out in

8 A I am usually firm in pursing my goals. B
the open.

I feel that differences are not always

9 A B I make some effort to get my way.
worth worrying about.

10 A I am firm in pursing my goals. B I try to find a compromise solution.

I attempt to get all concerns and I might try to soothe the other person’s feelings and
11 A B
issues immediately. preserve our relationship.

Now that you're familiar with the approach you prefer to employ, consider familiarizing yourself with the
other approaches. Being able to understand and employ an approach suited to the situation in which, or
individual with whom the conflict takes place is hugely beneficial. The information and instrument below
describe all five different approaches to managing conflict: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding,
and accommodating.

 COMPETING IS ASSERTIVE AND UNCO-OPERATIVE

 ACCOMMODATING IS UNASSERTIVE AND CO-OPERATIVE
 AVOIDING IS UNASSERTIVE AND UNCO-OPERATIVE
 COLLABORATING IS BOTH ASSERTIVE AND CO-OPERATIVE
 COMPROMISING IS MODERATE IN BOTH ASSERTIVENESS AND CO-OPERATION
When working through conflict with someone, it's important to understand the characteristic behaviours they
might exhibit if they're more prone to a particular conflict management approach. It's also important to
understand when it is more appropriate to use certain approaches. The table below outlines these two
important considerations.

Approach
Avoiding Accommodating Compromising Competing Collaborating
>>>

Accepts outcomes
Places higher
will be partially Open to the
Cautiously emphasis on
Characteristic satisfying for all Takes firm positive
withdraws harmony and
Behaviour but not fully stands. possibilities
from conflict. goodwill than
satisfying to conflict creates.
“winning”.
anyone.

Time is available
A peaceable solution
The issue is Going around in to find a
now will pave the An
unrelated to circles with others consensus
way for future gains, emergency
key issues, e.g., of equal authority solution. E.g., it is
Appropriate e.g., if you leave the or crisis. E.g.,
the videos to and equally strong early in the
Use gym now, you can the safety of
rent for the bus commitment to season and
return to negotiate a your athletes
trip to the mutually exclusive conflict about
better practice is at risk.
competition. goals. team norms has
schedule.
just come up.

Five Approaches to Conflict Resolution

The five established approaches to conflict resolution are:

1. Competing, such as powering your way to a win or defending your position
 A competing style takes a firm stance and refuses to see the perspectives of the other parties. You would keep
pushing your viewpoint at others or keep rejecting their ideas until you get your way.

This style could be appropriate when you have to stand up for your rights or morals, need to make a quick
decision and force others to get on board, need to end a long-term conflict, or have to prevent a terrible,
opposing decision from being made.

Forcing

Also known as competing. An individual firmly pursues his or her own concerns despite resistance from the
other person. This may involve pushing one viewpoint at the expense of another or maintaining firm
resistance to another person’s actions.

Examples of when forcing may be appropriate:

 In certain situations when all other, less forceful methods, don’t work or are ineffective
 When you need to stand up for your own rights, resist aggression or pressure
 When a quick resolution is required and using force is justified (e.g. in a life-threatening situation, to stop
aggression)
 As a last resort to resolve a long-standing conflict

Possible advantages of forcing:

 May provide a quick resolution to a conflict

 Increases self-esteem and draws respect when firm resistance or actions were the response to aggression or
hostility

Some caveats of forcing:

 May negatively affect your relationship with the opponent in the long run
 May cause the opponent to react in the same way, even if the opponent did not intend to be forceful originally
 Cannot take advantage of the strong sides of the other side’s position

Taking this approach may require a lot of energy and be exhausting to some individuals
2. Accommodating (the opposite of competing), by subordinating your own interests to the interests of
others

An accommodating style forsakes your own needs or desires in exchange for those of others. You would be
putting the concerns of others before your own. This style usually takes place when you either simply give in
or are persuaded to give in.

This style could be appropriate to use when you care less about the issue than the others, want to keep the
peace, feel as though you are in the wrong, or feel like you have no choice but to agree to the other point-of-
view.

Smoothing

Also known as accommodating. Smoothing is accommodating the concerns of other people first, rather than
prioritizing one’s own concerns.
 Examples of when smoothing may be appropriate:

 When it is important to provide a temporary relief from conflict or buy time until you are in a better position
to respond or push back
 When the issue is not as important to you as it is to the other person
 When you accept that you are wrong
 When you have no choice or when continued conflict would be detrimental

Possible advantages of smoothing:

 In some cases smoothing will help to protect more important interests while giving up on some less important
ones
 Gives an opportunity to reassess the situation from a different angle
 As a rule, does not require much effort

Some caveats of smoothing:

 The risk of being abused is real, i.e. the opponent may try to constantly take advantage of your tendency
toward smoothing/accommodating. Therefore, it is important to maintain the right balance and this requires
some skill
 May negatively affect your confidence in your ability to respond to an aggressive opponent
 Makes it more difficult to transition to a win-win solution in the future
 Some of your supporters may not like your smoothing response and be turned off

3. Avoiding, by denying the existence of the conflict or withdrawing from it

An avoiding style completely evades the conflict. You would neither pursue your beliefs nor those of the
others involved. Simply, you would continuously postpone or completely dodge the conflict whenever it
comes up.

This style could be appropriate to use when the conflict seems trivial, you don't have the time or need more
time to think, you feel as though you have no chance of winning, or you're afraid of being met with
resentment.

Withdrawing

Also known as avoiding. This is when a person neither pursues their own concerns nor those of their opponent.
He or she does not address the conflict but sidesteps, postpones or simply withdraws.

Examples of when withdrawing may be appropriate:

 When the issue is trivial and not worth the effort

 When more important issues are pressing, and you don't have time to deal with it
 In situations where postponing the response is beneficial to you, for example -
o When it is not the right time or place to confront the issue
o When you need time to think and collect information before you act (e.g. if you are unprepared or taken by
surprise)
 When you see no chance of getting your concerns met or you would have to put forth unreasonable effort
 When you would have to deal with hostility
 When you are unable to handle the conflict (e.g. if you are too emotionally involved or others can handle it
better)

Possible advantages of withdrawing:

 When the opponent is forcing or attempts aggression, you may choose to withdraw and postpone your
response until you are in a more favorable circumstance for you to push back
 Withdrawing is a low stress approach when the conflict is short
 Gives the ability/time to focus on more important or more urgent issues instead
 Gives you time to better prepare and collect information before you act

Some caveats of withdrawing:

 May lead to weakening or losing your position; not acting may be interpreted as an agreement. Using
withdrawing strategies without negatively affecting your own position requires certain skill and experience
 When multiple parties are involved, withdrawing may negatively affect your relationship with a party that
expects your action

4. Collaborating (the opposite of avoiding); engaging and working together toward a solution

A collaborating style attempts to find a solution that will meet the needs of all parties. Rather than trying to
find a middle ground solution, you would aim for a solution that actually satisfies everyone and ends up being
a win-win situation.

This style could be appropriate when multiple perspectives need to be addressed, there is an important
relationship present between the parties, the final solution is too important for anyone to be displeased, or the
beliefs of multiple stakeholders must be represented.

Win-Win (Collaborating)

Also known as confronting the problem or problem solving. Collaboration involves an attempt to work with the
other person to find a win-win solution to the problem at hand - the one that most satisfies the concerns of
both parties. The win-win approach sees conflict resolution as an opportunity to come to a mutually beneficial
result. It includes identifying your opponent’s underlying concerns and finding an alternative which meets
each party's concerns.

Examples of when collaborating may be appropriate:

 When consensus and commitment of other parties is important

 In a collaborative environment
 When addressing the interests of multiple stakeholders is required
 When a high level of trust is present
 When a long-term relationship is important
 When you need to work through hard feelings, animosity, etc.
 When you don't want to take full responsibility

Possible advantages of collaborating:

 Leads to solving the actual problem

 Leads to a win-win outcome
 Reinforces mutual trust and respect
 Builds a foundation for effective collaboration in the future
 Shared responsibility of the outcome
 You earn a reputation as a good negotiator
 For those involved, the outcome of the conflict resolution is less stressful (however, the process of finding and
establishing a win-win solution may be very involved – see the caveats below)

Some caveats of collaborating:

 Requires a commitment from all parties to look for a mutually acceptable solution
 May require more effort and more time than some other methods. A win-win solution may not be evident
 For the same reason, collaborating may not be practical when timing is crucial and a quick solution or fast
response is required
 Once one or more parties lose their trust in an opponent, the relationship falls back to other methods of conflict
resolution. Therefore, all involved parties must continue collaborative efforts to maintain a collaborative
relationship

5. Compromising (the middle ground between competing and avoiding); agreeing on a partially acceptable
solution

A compromising style attempts to find a solution that will at least partially please all parties. You would work
to find a middle ground between all the needs, which would typically leave people unsatisfied or satisfied to a
certain extent.

This style could be appropriate to use when it's more important to reach a solution than for the solution to be
great, a deadline is rapidly approaching, you're at an impasse, or you need a temporary solution for the
moment.

Compromising

Also known as reconciling. Compromising looks for an expedient and mutually acceptable solution which
partially satisfies both parties.

Examples of when compromise may be appropriate:

 When the goals are moderately important and not worth the use of more assertive or more involved
approaches, such as forcing or collaborating
 To reach temporary settlement on complex issues
 To reach expedient solutions on important issues
 As a first step when the involved parties do not know each other well or haven’t yet developed a high level of
mutual trust
 When collaborating or forcing do not work

Possible advantages of compromise:

 Faster issue resolution. Compromising may be more practical when time is a factor
 Can provide a temporary solution while still looking for a win-win solution
 Lowers the levels of tension and stress resulting from the conflict
 Some caveats of using compromise:

 May result in a situation where both parties are not satisfied with the outcome (a lose-lose situation)
 Does not contribute to building trust in the long run
 May require close monitoring and control to ensure the agreements are met

Conflict in the Workplace and Change Management: HR’s Role

Conflict, at some level, is part of the fabric of life in almost any workplace, a function of disparate
personalities, interests, styles and expectations. Keeping it manageable can be a challenge, and it falls on HR
managers to make sure it happens. This requires recognizing the various sources of conflict and mediating
their cause before they erupt into full-blown disputes.

It starts by understanding the two types of conflict that commonly occur in the workplace – interpersonal and
organizational.

Ways to manage interpersonal conflict

Interpersonal conflict occurs between individuals, springing from any number of causes, ranging from office
politics to personality clashes. Mediators can implement a variety of tactics to help defuse the problem. Among
them:

 Encourage people to manage their own responses to the situation. They should figure out why others’
behaviors spark negativity, and then find “stoppers” that will help them avoid reactions that only
exacerbate the situation. They should also be encouraged to stop blaming, as it accomplishes nothing.
 Show the way to collaborative problem solving to offset further deterioration in the relationship.
Conversations that are fueling the fire, for example, should be stopped until people regain their
composure. New behaviors should be practiced in low-risk conversations, not those likely to become
incendiary.
 Work with people on ways to focus their energy where it matters and not focus on the problem.

How to defuse organizational conflict

Organizational conflict is most often characterized by issues surrounding hierarchy and conflicting interests,
and are prevalent in most workplaces. It can spring from resource allocation, workloads, accountability or any
situation where groups of people are not seen to be treated equitably. Several ways to defuse this type of
conflict include:

 Ignore the situation. This is acceptable if the underlying issue is trivial and ignoring it will cause less
damage than addressing it. If it continues, though, other approaches to defuse the situation follow.
 Often, conflicted parties aren’t listening to the other side so the air can be cleared. A mediator can help
by bringing them together and having both sides express their perspectives and try to find a way to
common ground.
 Compromise is a solution if parties can come together on aspects driving the conflict that need to be
changed versus those that are less important. All sides need to participate in the give and take that
compromise means. It’s a means of de-escalating the situation after emotions have been brought under
control.
 Sometimes none of these techniques work, requiring a manager or executive to provide a resolution for
both sides. Sometimes just the prospect of an enforced resolution will help parties compromise.
How change can drive conflict

Change is a fact of life. In a business setting, it can be caused by growth, pursuing new ventures, management
turnover or policy changes. Most people are unsettled by change, however, which gives rise to conflict. The
better change is managed, the easier it is to identify potential sources of conflict and step up with solutions
before an enforced solution becomes necessary.

This means management must be prepared and positioned to see change coming through monitoring of sales
data, marketplace shifts, moves by competitors and relationships with outside organizations. Being on top of
these conditions can lead to a more timely response that can keep confidence and morale high as change
occurs.

Open communication is also essential. Employees should be informed and kept updated on circumstances
causing changes and what is being considered in response. By being transparent and keeping them in the loop,
they’ll be less resistant and conflicted by change.

Conflict, its causes and its cures are among the areas of focus for students in a Master’s degree in Human
Resources program. Advanced degrees in HR span competencies that are tactical as well as strategic. Learning
the latest proven processes and best practices that are driving the HR discipline can position individuals for a
rewarding career in the human resources industry.