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Understandingand Managing Workplace Conflict

SCWHE

IR Workshop

October 17, 2014

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Is Conflict Good or Bad?

Negative Outcomes• Less information sharing• Higher stress/dissatisfaction/turnover• More organizational politics• Wasted resources• Lower team cohesion when conflict is internal

Positive Outcomes• Better decision making• More responsive• Stronger team cohesion when conflict is external

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Is Conflict Good or Bad?:Emerging View

Two types of conflict• Constructive conflict -- Conflict is aimed at issue,

not parties• Relationship conflict -- Conflict is aimed at

undermining the other party Goal: encourage constructive conflict with

common goals and a cohesive team; minimize relationship conflict

Problem: difficult to separate the two conflicts

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The Conflict Process

Sources ofConflict

ManifestConflict

ConflictOutcomes

ConflictPerceptions

ConflictEmotions

Conflict Escalation Cycle

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Differentiation

Task Interdependence

• Different values/beliefs• Explains cross-cultural and generational

conflict

• Conflict increases with interdependence• Parties more likely to interfere with each

other

IncompatibleGoals

• One party’s goals perceived to interfere with other’s goals

more

Structural Sources of Conflict

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Ambiguous Rules

Communication Problems

• Creates uncertainty, threatens goals• Without rules, people rely on politics

• Increases stereotyping • Reduces motivation to communicate• Escalates conflict when arrogant

Scarce Resources

• Motivates competition for the resource

Structural Sources of Conflict

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Ass

erti

ven

ess

Cooperativeness

Forcing Problem-solving

Compromising

Avoiding Yielding

High

Low High

Five Conflict Handling Styles

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Conflict Handling Contingencies

Problem solving• Best when:

- Interests are not perfectly opposing- Parties have trust/openness- Issues are complex

• Problem: other party can take advantage of information

Forcing• Best when:

- you have a deep conviction about your position- quick resolution required- other party would take advantage of cooperation

• Problems: relationship conflict, long-term relations

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Conflict Handling Contingencies

Avoiding• Best when:- relationship conflict is high- conflict resolution cost is higher than benefits

• Problems: doesn’t resolve conflict, frustration

Yielding• Best when:- other party has much more power- issue is much less important to you than other party- value/logic of your position is imperfect

• Problem: Increases other party’s expectations

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Conflict Handling Contingencies

Compromising• Best when…- Parties have equal power- Quick solution is required- Parties lack trust/openness

• Problem: Sub-optimal solution if mutual gains had been possible

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Structural Approaches to Conflict Resolution

1. Emphasizing superordinate goals• Emphasize common objectives rather than

conflicting sub-goals• Reduces goal incompatibility and differentiation

2. Reducing differentiation• Remove sources of different values and beliefs- e.g. Move employees around to different jobs

3. Improving communication/understanding• Employees understand and appreciate each other’s

views through communication

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Structural Approaches to Conflict Resolution (con’t)

4. Reduce Task Interdependence• Dividing shared resources• Combine tasks• Use buffers

5. Increase Resources• May be difficult to accomplish

6. Clarify Rules and Procedures• Clarify resource distribution• Change interdependence