Definition of Conflict Management

Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly, fairly, and efficiently. Since
conflicts in a business are a natural part of the workplace, it is important that there are people who understand conflicts
and know how to resolve them. This is important in today's market more than ever.

5 Conflict Management Strategies

Accommodating

The accommodating strategy essentially entails giving the opposing side what it wants. The use of accommodation often
occurs when one of the parties wishes to keep the peace or perceives the issue as minor.

Avoiding

The avoidance strategy seeks to put off conflict indefinitely. By delaying or ignoring the conflict, the avoider hopes the
problem resolves itself without a confrontation. Those who actively avoid conflict frequently have low esteem or hold a
position of low power.

Collaborating

Collaboration works by integrating ideas set out by multiple people. The object is to find a creative solution acceptable to
everyone. Collaboration, though useful, calls for a significant time commitment not appropriate to all conflicts.

Compromising

The compromising strategy typically calls for both sides of a conflict to give up elements of their position in order to
establish an acceptable, if not agreeable, solution. This strategy prevails most often in conflicts where the parties hold
approximately equivalent power.

Competing

Competition operates as a zero-sum game, in which one side wins and other loses. Highly assertive personalities often fall
back on competition as a conflict management strategy. The competitive strategy works best in a limited number of
conflicts, such as emergency situations.

The Five Steps to Conflict Resolution

Step 1: Identify the source of the conflict. The more information you have about the cause of the conflict, the more
easily you can help to resolve it.

Step 2: Look beyond the incident. Often, it is not the situation but the perspective on the situation that causes anger to
fester and ultimately leads to a shouting match or other visible and disruptive evidence of a conflict.

Step 3: Request solutions. After getting each party’s viewpoint on the conflict, the next step is to get each to identify
how the situation could be changed.

Step 4: Identify solutions both disputants can support. You are listening for the most acceptable course of action. Point
out the merits of various ideas, not only from each other’s perspective, but in terms of the benefits to the organization.

Step 5: Agreement. The mediator needs to get the two parties to shake hands and agree to one of the alternatives.
Negotiation is a method by which people settle differences. It is a process by which
compromise or agreement is reached while avoiding argument and dispute. In any
disagreement, individuals understandably aim to achieve the best possible outcome
for their position

 Avoid being provoked into an emotional response.

Here are a few examples. First, a negotiator may challenge your competence or expertise—for example, by saying you
don’t have the experience to perform a particular task. Second, someone might demean your ideas in a way that it makes it
difficult for you to respond, perhaps by saying, “You can’t be serious!” Finally, a coworker might criticize your style with
a line such as “Stop being so sensitive.”
By challenging, demeaning, and criticizing you, the other party (whether consciously or not) may be attempting to
provoke you into an emotional response that will shift the balance of power in their favor.

 Don’t abandon value-creating strategies.

By contrast, you should be able to find the same set of value-creation opportunities in disputes as you do in deals. For
example, try to capitalize on shared interests, or noncompetitive similarities

 Use time to your advantage.

The perceptions we hold about the dispute resolution process may change over time as a result of our experiences dealing
with the conflict and with the other party. For example, a couple that endures a rancorous divorce might grow more
cooperative over time for the sake of their children. Rather than viewing your dispute as permanently intractable, try to
view it as being constantly in flux.