Sources of Conflict

Conflict is an expressed struggle between at least

two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals (Wilmot and Hocker, 1998) Conflicts exist whenever incompatible activities occur.

Sources of Conflict
Conflicts may originate from a number of different

sources, including:
Differences in information, beliefs, values, interests, or desires. A scarcity of some resource. Rivalries in which one person or group competes with another.

Desirability of Conflict
Many writers believe that conflict in a group is

desirable. Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the likelihood of groupthink. A moderate level of conflict across tasks within a group resulted in increased group performance while conflict among personalities resulted in lower group performance (Peterson and Behfar, 2003)

Types of Conflict
Conflict of ideas Dooley and Fryxell (1999) found that conflict of ideas at the early stage of decision making (idea formulation) was desirable. That same conflict sometimes caused problems at a later stage when the ideas actually had to implemented. Conflict of feelings (often called personality conflict)

Types of Conflict
Opposition and Support

Undesirability of Conflict
Conflicts are often hard to keep under control once

they have begun.

There is a definite trend toward escalation and polarization. Once conflict escalates to a point at which it is no longer under control, it almost always yields negative results.

Game Theory
Game theory puts people into the mixed-motive

situation.

Covey (1990) in The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People refers to the scarcity mentality versus the abundance mentality.
The scarcity mentality leads us to resent the success of others. The abundance mentality allows us to think of situations in which everybody can win.

Toward Conflict Management

Blake and Mouton (1970) have proposed a scheme

whereby we can try to avoid win-lose situations and, when possible, apply a win-win approach.

The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach, also called avoidance. The 1,9 position, also called accommodation, is excessively person-oriented.

Toward Conflict Management

The 5,5 position represents a willingness to compromise. The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach, also called competing. The optimum style for reducing conflict is the 9,9 approach, also called collaboration.

Toward Conflict Management

Unilateral negotiation strategies

They include: The trusting collaboration strategy. The open subordination strategy. The firm competition strategy. The active avoidance strategy.

Toward Conflict Management

Interactive negotiation strategies

Trusting collaboration Principled negotiation Firm competition Soft competition Open subordination Focused subordination Active avoidance Passive avoidance Responsive avoidance

Toward Conflict Management

Fisher, Ury, and Patton (1991) outline four principles

that compose principled negotiation.

Separate the people from the problem. Focus on interests, not positions. Invent options for mutual gain. Seek objective criteria.

Toward Conflict Management

Blake and Moutons Conflict Grid

Source: Reproduced by permission from Robert R. Blake and Jane Syngley Mouton. The Fifth Achievement. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 6(4), 1970..

Toward Conflict ManagementPractical Tips

Walker and Harris (1995) offer the following practical tips for implementing the 9,9 style. Encouraging behavior occurs when a team member:
1. Avoids feelings or perceptions that imply the other person is wrong or needs to change. 2. Communicates a desire to work together to explore a problem or seek a solution. 3. Exhibits behavior that is spontaneous and destructionfree.

Toward Conflict ManagementPractical Tips

4. Identifies with another team members problems, shares feelings, and accepts the team members reaction. 5. Treats other team members with respect and trust. 6. Investigates issues rather than taking sides on them.

The same principles can be applied to negotiating with others outside your team, or with a supplier or customer.

Toward Conflict Management

Tubbs, Kryska, and Cooper (1997) propose that one

frequent source of conflict is the leadership struggle between superior and subordinate in decision making.

The Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior has been described as including four styles of decision making:
Tells Sells Consults Joins

Toward Conflict Management

A Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior

Source: From Stewart L. Tubbs. Empowerment (Ann Arbor, Mich.: U-Train, Inc., 1993), pp 5-9. Adapted from R. Tannenbaum and H.W. Schmidt. How to Choose a Leadership Pattern, Harvard Business Review March-April, 1958.