Introduction

This group assignment is about conflict and conflict resolution

skills. It basically deals with: the meaning of conflict to help the readers
understand what conflict means, the different types of conflicts which
helps to see conflict in various dimensions, the basic causes of both
internal and external conflicts, the different phases of conflict, the
various conflict resolution skills, alternate conflict resolution methods
and finally the benefit or the importance of resolving conflict.

1
2
 Conflict and conflict resolution skills

Meaning of conflict
Conflict can be defined as a clash between individuals arising out of a difference in
thought process, attitude, understanding, interests, requirements and even
sometimes perception. Or it is a clash of interest with in an individual when his or
her own goals, values or roles diverge.
Conflict is simply differing ideas or actions, often related to selfish pursuit of needs
(known or unknown) that end in a sate of unrest. The important ting to remember is
that conflict is all natural

Types of conflict
There are four different but interrelated types of conflict
1. Intrapersonal conflict
Intrapersonal conflict is a disagreement with in an individual, which is caused
by one’s own actions, emotions, beliefs and values. It is a psychological involvement
that occurs with in you. Sometimes it is a conflict between should and wants, here
should is driven by values and beliefs while wan is driven by the environment. This
type of conflict mainly happen at the stage of decision making.
This might be when a student is in conflict with her self, when she is unable to decide
if she wants to go to a club or stay home and finish her assignment.
Intrapersonal conflicts might arise due to:
Approach- approach conflicts: exist when we must choose only one of the two
desirable activities
Avoidance-avoidance conflict: arise when we must select one of the two undesirable
alternatives
Approach- avoidance conflicts: happen when a particular event or activity has both
attractive and unattractive features
Multiple approach-avoidance conflict: exist when two or more alternatives each
have both positive and negative features.

2. Interpersonal conflict

3
 This refers to the disagreement between two peoples due differences in
attitude, belief, culture and values. Furthermore, they have their set of
goals,expectations, personalities and perception which leads to conflict. They may
occur between coworkers, siblings, neighbors or friends. This type of conflict often
occur when individuals have opposite ideas about the same thing. It might be a rude
behavior or may on the other hand be respectful antagonistic disagreements.
For example: one individual might argue that vegan is a good thing for health while
another individual might opine that a non-vegan diet is better for health and here
both ideas contrast with one another.

3. Intragroup conflict
This type of conflict refers to a disagreement with in a group or team, where
members conflict over goals or procedures. For instance, a board of directors may
want to take a risk to launch a set of products on behalf f their organizations, in spite
of dissenting opinions among several members. Intragroup conflict takes place
among them as they argue the pros and cons of taking such a risk.

4. Intergroup conflict
Intergroup conflict refers to the conflict between groups inside and outside
an organization as they disagree on various issues.it can also be between two groups
with in the same organization. With in those types of conflicts one can experience
horizontal conflicts, which is conflict with others that are at the same peer level as
you or vertical conflict, which is conflict with a manager or subordinate.

Intrapersonal conflicts are internal conflicts while interpersonal, intragroup and

intergroup conflicts are external conflicts. Those two conflicts are interrelated in a
way that if one of them occur the other is possible to follow.

Causes of conflicts
Internal conflicts are mainly caused by:
 Clash between real and ideal self
 Disagreement between wants and needs
 Goal conflicts
 Psychological conditions
External conflicts are caused by:

4
 Poor communication: the more limited the communication skill a person has,
the greater the possibility of physical violence.
 Perceived differences : humans form groups naturally and so they need to
distinguish their group from the outsiders. This can lead to possible conflict
between races, religion, political systems and teams at work.
 Spatial relationships: individuals seem to need their own space. Consequently
when there is overcrowding conflict usually increases.
 Grievances: unless it is dealt quickly it will fester, and may spread quickly
causing unnecessary pain and suffering.
 Discipline
 The desire for power

Phases of conflicts
A conflict has five phases
 Prelude to conflict: it includes all he factors which possibly arise a conflict
among individuals. Lack of coordination, differences in interests, dissimilarity in
cultural, religion, educational backgrounds all are instrumental in arising a
conflict.
 Triggering events: no conflict can arise on its own.there has to be an event
which riggers the conflict. Forinstance, two people never getting along with each
other very well with a very strong factor of conflict between them and if one
criticizes the other while presenting, this might be a triggering event.
 Initiation phase: the phase when the conflict has already begun. Heatred
arguments, abuses, verbal disagreements are all warning alarms which indicate
that the fight is already on.
 Differentiation phase: it is the phase when the individuals voice out their
differences against each other. The reasons for the conflict are raised in the
differentiation phase.
 Resolution phase: this phase explores the various options to resolve the
conflict.

Conflict resolution skills

Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a
disagreement among them. The issue negatively affects one party or multiple and

5
has escalated to the point where it needs to be addressed. Participants are then
required to work together to produce a common agreement that resolves the issue.

1. Don't jump to the defense.

In any conflict, whether it be professional or personal, it's easy to jump to the
defense. Your banter might include a series of "no's" and "yes, but" statements that
show that you're unable to see another perspective.
Rather than getting defensive about an attack on your argument, take it as an
opportunity to see things from a different point-of-view. You don't have to agree
with that person, but you can try to understand where they're coming from. Just as
you have your opinion, they have theirs, and refusing to hear their point of view
creates an impossible scenario to navigate.
Instead, change those "yes, but" statements into "I understand, and"
statements that build off one another, rather than tearing each other down.

2. Don't point fingers.

Jumping on the offensive is also disrespectful and creates a negative
foundation where a final solution is often hopeless. Don't put blame on others or
create a space in which someone feels unsafe to voice their opinion. The best way to
solve a conflict is by allowing each person to frame their argument without being
blamed or shut down. After all, you wouldn't appreciate the same being done to you,
either.

3. Let the person explain themselves, and actively listen.

Listening is a huge aspect of conflict resolution that's typically overlooked.
Your goal is often to get your voice in as much as possible so you can explain every
little detail of your argument and try as hard as you can to get the opposing party to
see your side.
Instead, let the other person explain themselves, uninterrupted. You may find
that you misinterpreted their original argument and you'll be more equipped to
handle compromising or collaborating on a new solution when you've taken the time
to listen, think, and plan.

4. Use "I" statements.

6
 Similarly to pointing fingers, a series of statements that begin with "you"
clearly come off as blaming. Conflict isn't about what the other person is doing
wrong; it's about what you believe you're doing right.
Thus, using "I" statements, such as "I feel like I'm not getting the chance to
explain myself" rather than "You're not listening to me" can totally transform your
conversation. These sentences will make your argument more about your emotions,
opinions, personal beliefs, and morals, rather than about all the things you don't like
about the opposing party. No one can disagree with something you believe or
standby, and it makes for a more respectful debate.

5. Maintain a calm tone.

You're allowed to yell, cry, vent, or whatever else you need, but do it on your
own time. When you enter the conflict resolution meeting, you should be calm and
ready to debate with consideration for differing perspectives.

6. Show a willingness to compromise or collaborate.

An accommodating style may work when the other party seems to care much
more about the solution than you do. And, a competing style could be the choice
when there is limited time to make a decision and you simply need to put your foot
down. However, in most other significant conflicts, it's essential to come to some
sort of agreement between both parties. Thus, you sometimes need to let go of your
pride and your grip on your argument. Show the opposing party that, as much as you
care about the conflict and about your side, you care more about coming to a
solution that pleases everyone and has the necessary impact.

7. Don't talk behind people's backs.

What happens between you and the opposing party should stay between you
and them, unless its absolutely necessary to divulge the details of your conflict.
Conflict resolution should always be built on honesty with one another and trust that
what was said will remain secret.

8. Don't take anything personally.

A conflict with a customer or team member is typically not a conflict with you,
personally. It usually involves your professional role or something that occurred to or
with you. Thus, a conflict that emerges is never an attack on you.

7
9. Pay close attention to nonverbal communication.
Not everyone is great at handling conflict head-on. These are the people who
might typically lean toward avoiding or accommodating as their conflict
management styles. Basically, these people don't like conflict and won't always be
transparent with you about what they want or need. In these situations, it's
important to pay attention to their nonverbal communication like body languages.

10. Prioritize resolving the conflict over being right.

when you're trying to resolve the conflict, you might need to take a step back
and assess the situation in such a way. Recognize that, even if you have a strong
opinion on one end of the spectrum, it might be beneficial to wave the white flag if it
ultimately improves the conditions for everyone else. Conflict resolution is
occasionally about making those sacrifices.

11. Know when to apologize and forgive.

Two of the hardest words to say are, "I'm sorry." It's not easy to apologize
when you feel like you were right at all along. Don't let your stubborn attitude and
pride deter you from making amends with the opposing party.

12. Focus on the conflict at hand and not past ones.

In attempting to resolve a conflict, you may start getting frustrated with the
other person. This can bring up memories of past conflicts you've had with that
person. And, in the heat of the moment, it can feel like the perfect time to bring
those up, too.

13. Remember the importance of the relationship.

At the end of the day, a conflict is usually one small roadblock in an,
otherwise, healthy relationship. While you may not necessarily be friends with that
person, you probably aren't usually butting heads.

Alternate conflict resolution methods

In order to resolve conflict one can use one of the following alternatives

8
 Negotiation: involves direct discussion between the parties with out the
involvement of a third party.this is one of the peaceful way of setting dispute.
 Mediation: is a method of non-binding dispute resolution involving neutral third
party who tries to help the disputing parties reach mutually agreeable solution
 Arbitration: involves applying legal principle created by either a spherical
agreement of the parties or by existing mutual treaty. The disputants also agree
in advance to be bounded by the decision.
 Litigation: is a process of carrying on a suit before the court. This means it is
proceeding by a party or parties in conflict against another in court of law.

It is important to note that the first three( negotiation, mediation and arbitration )
enable a matter to be settled with less anger and bitterness and also they are
cheaper and quicker than formal law case.

Benefits of conflict resolution

 Builds relationship: conflict resolution allows for constructive change to occur

and helps every one involved in the conflict to work through the problem while
developing stronger relations
 Leads to goal achievement: this is true in terms of the specific life ,individual
academic and career goals, as well as the overall goal of becoming more unified
with the conflict partner.
 Enhances commitment: working through the conflict with others unites the
conflict parties as they face problems and deal with challenges together. It
gets those involved in the conflict thinking “us” versus “me”. this enhances
the commitment of the parties to the conflict resolution process.

 Generates new insight: this enables every one to consider other perspectives
and practice being open minded and flexible.

9
 Conclusion

Conflict can be defined as a clash between individuals arising out of a

difference in thought process, attitude, understanding, interests, requirements and
even sometimes perception. Or it is a clash of interest with in an individual when his
or her own goals, values or roles diverge.
Conflict can be a disagreement with in an individual (Intrapersonal conflict),
disagreement between two peoples( interpersonal conflict), a disagreement with in
a group or team(intragroup conflict) or Intergroup conflict which refers to the
conflict between groups inside and outside an organization as they disagree on
various issues.
Internal conflicts are mainly caused by : Clash between real and ideal self,
Disagreement between wants and needs, Goal conflicts or Psychological conditions.
External conflicts are caused by: Poor communication, Perceived differences,
Spatial relationships, Grievances, Discipline, or the desire for power.
A conflict has five phases namely Prelude to conflict, Triggering events,
Initiation phase, Differentiation phase, and Resolution phase.
Not jumping in to defense, showing good attitude, active listening,
maintaining calm tone, compromising, paying attention to nonverbal
communication,prioritizing resolving the conflict, knowing when to forgive and
apologize, focusing on the conflict at hand and remembering the importance of the
relation are some of the conflict resolution skills.
In order to resolve conflict one can use Negotiation, Mediation, Arbitration,
or litigation alternatives.
Conflict resolution allows to build relationship, leads to goal achievement,
enhances commitment, and generates new insight.

10
References

11