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CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
WHY CONFLICT?
Conflicts are part of normal every day life. With too few, life may become
monotonous and boring. With too many, life can become stressful
Clear up misunderstandings with all those you associate in day to day life
Let go off old differences and start building a new, more cooperative relationship
See problems that you never suspected existed
See the dramatic improvement in your teamwork with greater trust and mutual respect.
Feel greater commitment in others to your mutually agreed upon decision
See several creative solutions that are better than any of the individual
approaches come up as a result of meeting and discussing your different
positions
SUMMARY
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4.02 DIAGNOSIS
Before you can respond effectively, you have to investigate the roots of
the conflict
Clarify the important issues
Identify the stakeholders
Identify and assess the likely sources of disagreement
4.03 PLANNING
Be prepared for the winds of conflict
Learn to recognize your own patterns
Try to minimize risks
Develop a strategic plan
PREPARATION
When confronted with conflict, make sure you select the right style of
response
Problem solve
Practice approaches, techniques and responses
4.05 IMPLEMENTATION
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6.0 PLANNING
6.01 IIDENTIFY YOUR OWN PATTERNS
Maintenance
Smoothing
Domination
Decision rule
Coexistence
Bargaining
Non resistance
Support release
Maintenance
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
7.02 Smoothing
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
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7.03 Domination
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
Decision Rule
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
Coexistence
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
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7.06 Bargaining
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
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Describe the nature and limits of your some body who may be capable
support but lacks confidence
Collaboration
CHARACTERISITCS APPLICATION
Disclose your interests and concerns An appropriate strategy when all the
Listen without defending your position issues are of equal importance and
Avoid converging too quickly on one should not be compromised
alternative The various parties should be capable,
Problem solve to develop alternatives that trust worthy, good communications and
satisfy all interests and concerns willing to allow sufficient time to fully
discuss the problem
Good style to use when participating
individuals desire a closer working
relation ship or when a success full
resolution of the problem depends on all
parties agreeing and supporting solution
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8.4 Decision Rule You appear distant and You waste valuable time
unwilling to meet discussing unimportant
M S =12.30 confrontation. differences
O U >15.30 You are perceived as always
U U < 9.30 relying on impersonal
methods of resolving
conflict
8.5 Co-Existence You waste time and tie up You are perceived as
resources by allowing too unwilling to accept
M S =11.90 many different approaches ambiguity and unable to
O U >14.90 /methods to co-exist manage multiple
U U < 8.90 generating dissatisfaction and approaches
confusion You are unwilling to be
proven wrong by allowing
parallel experiences
8.6 Bargaining Your habit of making Other parties take
M S =13.70 concessions encourages advantage of your tendency
O U >16.70 others to begin their not to bargain hard enough to
U U < 10.70 negotiations with you by secure the best deal
overstating or inflating their
demands or needs
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Stumbling Blocks
9.1 What is it?
The nine management styles discussed above are based on-
Flexibility point of view
Personal interaction
9.4 Implementation
Before implementation consider the following factors
A productive emotional atmosphere
Strategies that work
Developing implementation skills
Blending different styles and closing constructively
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In collaboration strategy,
The parties must be willing to consider alternative positions and ideas
Collaboration strategy is not compatible with
Domination
Smoothing
Maintenance strategies
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Pre requisites:
Based on mutual trust and a willingness to disclose one’s true positions
The parties resolve their differences when an agreement is reached that
addresses all of the needs and wishes expressed
Steps to be followed
Pre requisites
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Steps to be followed
Have clear, articulated objectives and any relevant supporting information
Look for a zone of benefit
Reluctant negotiators may relay more readily on an impartial intermediary. In
these cases you may consider an out side mediator
Your goal is to strike a favorable bargain:
Make concessions reluctantly
Make concessions to get concessions
Keep issues separate
Determine the needs of the party and relate your bargaining position to
them
Place limits on authority
DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE “BLENDS”
12.01 Why Blends?
While each style has been described as if it were separate and distinct, in
reality the various styles are often combined. Two frequently used “blends” are-
Domination-Smoothing
Bargaining-Collaboration
Domination-Smoothing
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16.02 Summary
Refer regularly the two key charts
The four step approach
The nine conflict management styles
ANNEXURE 1
Case study 1
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Subha and her parents accepted to these proposals. Soon after their marriage
Sivakumar got himself transferred to Nagercoil. Now they have two children –
one boy six years old and one girl just eight months old. In 2003, Sivakumar on
his promotion was transferred to a village near Vedaranyam. Though Sivakumar
used to come to Nagercoil from his present station, for one-day weekend he
found it difficult to travel all the way for one-day weekend. The Headmistress of
the school where Subha working, retired and the correspondent of the school
wanted Subha to take up the post but asked an assurance that she would serve
at least 10 years as Headmistress in the school. Sivakumar on the request of the
correspondent met him and told that Subha may have to leave the job, if he could
not get the transfer within one year or in the event of his posting out side the
state. Due to this, another staff, junior to Subha was promoted as Headmistress,
over which Subha is upset.
Assume your self as Sivakumar, how will you manage this Conflict?
ANNEXURE 2
CASE STUDY 2
Sl Case description Strategic style
no
1 Mr. Raman, the good old typist is back to his old pattern of doing
typing for his friends and favorite staff in the polytechnic first. He
has good record of service and no blemishes as to his job
performance. He is due to retire with in two months. Staff are
complaining about this and asking you to take action. As principal
of the polytechnic your strategy to resolve the conflict is
2 You have been assigned to facilitate the orientation workshop of
principals of newly selected CIICP Polytechnics to be held at the
Directorate of Technical Education, Chennai. You have accepted
the assignment and have prepared materials for the workshop.
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Just two das before the workshop, there was acute water problem
in the company where you work as Director. The problem is to be
sorted out, other wise the production will hamper. Though not the
managing director explicitly spelt out your presence to solve the
issue, you have decided to skip the orientation program and
decided to stay. You have contacted one of your ex-colleagues to
facilitate the workshop. He has also agreed. What style will you
adopt to inform your intent to the Coordinator of SPCU?
3 Mr. Muthu Sankar has ordered furniture for his newly built house
at Madurai, from Chennai. The furniture was delivered at home
through a transporting agency, which do not include unloading
charges. The local load man should do the unloading. The
material arrived when Mr. Muthu sankar was in his office. When
Mrs.Muthu Sankar contacted the transporting agency, as to the
loading charges, they said it is to be negotiated with the load man
only and they have no say in that. The load man who has
accompanied the van, is demanding Rs. 150/= which sounds to be
highly exorbitant. When contacted by Mrs. Muthu over phone, Mr.
Muthu has said not to pay more than Rs.50/=. What should be the
style to be adopted by Mrs. Muthu sankar in this case?
4 You are working in a company as Director, with a work force of
eighty that includes operators, supervisors and administrative
staff. Two of your suppliers have give five wristwatches worth of
Rs. 250/= and eight T-shirts worth of Rs. 100/= for distribution to
the staff. The company is just two years old and you know almost
all staff personally. What strategy will you adopt for the
distribution?
5 For your examination administration system, you want to switch
over to computerized automation system from the existing manual
written document system. You have developed software for this
and trained staff also to use the automotive process. But the
departmental heads feel that the both the systems may be
continued for at least next few semesters, to enable them to get
the feed back and then to decide the appropriate system. You as
principal have agreed to the suggestions. What type of strategy
that followed to prevent the conflict in the event of following the
new system?
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ANNEXURE 2 CONTD….
6 Dalits of Chokkadevanpatti hamlet in Madurai District have been
waging a battle since 1981 against powerful caste Hindus who
refuse to vacate the land assigned by the Government for
constructing houses for Adi Dravidars.
To register their protest against the district administration’s
“failure” to secure land, 51 Dalits families, identified as
beneficiaries of the scheme, have announced their intention to
embrace Islam. They set December 6, as dead line.
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3 6 9
DOMINATION BARGAINING COLLABORATION
You unilaterally You jointly look for You jointly work out a
force, persuade, compromise, trade means of integrating
influence or resist offs or take returns opposing views
INTENSITY OF INTERACTION
8
2
5 SUPPORT
SMOOTHING
COEXISTENCE RELEASE
You unilaterally
You jointly find You unilaterally
emphasize
means for both release ( to others)
similarities and
parties to maintain the issue, set the
down play
their differences limits and provide
differences
necessary support
7
4
1 NON-RESISTANCE
IMPERSONAL
DECISION RULE
MAINTENANCE You give no
You jointly establish
You unilaterally resistance to the
objective rules that
avoid confrontation other party’s view
will govern how
or delay action or point and integrate
differences will be
response your efforts with
handled
theirs
MODERATELY
FIRM FLEXIBLE
FLEXIBLE
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