What is conflict

1. Helps to raise and address problems.

2. boosts work to be on the most
appropriate
. issues.
3. it motivates them to participate
4. To increase or decrease conflict as
required in situation
Important things to know about
 Difference between competition and conflict
conflict
 Conflict between individuals
 Conflict between groups of people
 Conflict within a groups of people
 Common causes of conflict
1. scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)
2. different attitudes, values or perceptions
3. disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests
4. poor communication
5. poor or inadequate organisational structure
6. lack of teamwork
7. lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities
Signs of conflict between individuals

 colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each

other
 contradicting and bad-mouthing one another
 deliberately undermining or not co-operating with
each other, to the downfall of the team
Signs of conflict between groups of people

 group or factions meeting to discuss issues separately,

when they affect the whole organisation
 one group being left out of organising an event which
should include everybody
 groups using threatening slogans or symbols to show
that their group is right and the others are wrong
How to build teamwork and co-operation
(…and so minimise the possibility of conflict)

 share information by keeping people in the group

up-to-date with current issues
 express positive expectations about each other
 empower each other - publicly crediting colleagues
who have performed well and encouraging each
other to achieve results
 team-build - by promoting good morale and
protecting the group's reputation with outsiders
 resolve potential conflict - by bringing differences
of opinion into the open and facilitating resolution
of conflicts
How to identify stages of conflict

 where potential for conflict exists

 latent conflict
 open conflict
 aftermath conflict
How to manage and resolve conflict
situations

 Collective bargaining
 Conciliation
 The difference between negotiation, mediation,
and arbitration
Conflict Management Techniques
When to use avoiding:
 1. When the stakes aren't that high and you don't have
 anything to lose - "when the issue is trivial."
 2. When you don't have time to deal with it.
 3. When the context isn't suitable - "it isn't the right
 time or place."
 4. When more important issues are pressing.
 5. When you see no chance of getting your concerns met.
 6. When you would have to deal with an angry, hot
headed
 person.
 7. When you are totally unprepared, taken by surprise,
 and you need time to think and collect information.
 8. When you are too emotionally involved and the others
 around you can solve the conflict more successfully.
When to use accommodating:
 1. When the issue is not so important to you but it is
to
 the other person.
 2. When you discover that you are wrong.
 3. When continued competition would be
detrimental - "you
 know you can't win."
 4. When preserving harmony without disruption is
the most
 important - "it's not the right time."
When to use Competing:
 1. When you know you are right.
 2. When you need a quick decision.
 3. When you meet a steamroller type of person and
you
 need to stand up for your own rights
When to use collaboration:
 1. When other's lives are involved.
 2. When you don't want to have full responsibility.
 3. When there is a high level of trust.
 4. When you want to gain commitment from others.
 5. When you need to work through hard feelings,
animosity, etc.
When to use compromise:
 1. When the goals are moderately important and not
worth
 the use of more assertive modes.
 2. When people of equal status are equally
committed.
 3. To reach temporary settlement on complex issues.
 4. To reach expedient solutions on important issues.
 5. As a back-up mode when competition or
collaboration don't work.