Chapter 10: Conflict

avoiding

Avoiding tries to smooth over or evade conflict situations altogether.

positive consequences of conflict

Better decision making —Tests logic of arguments —Questions assumptions More responsive to changing environment Stronger team cohesion (conflict between the team and outside opponents)

negative consequences of conflict

Lower performance Higher stress, dissatisfaction, and turnover Less information sharing and coordination Increased organizational politics Wasted resources Weakened team cohesion (conflict among team members)

forcing

Win-lose orientation - tries to win the conflict at the other's expense Consequently, this style relies on assertiveness

yielding

Yielding involves giving in completely to the other side's wishes, or at least cooperating with little or no attention to your own interests.

relationship conflict

focuses on characteristics of the people in the dispute. This type of conflict occurs when someone tries to dismiss an idea by questioning the competence of the people who introduce or support that idea

task conflict

healthy conflict occurs when people focus their discussion around the issue (i.e., the "task") while showing respect for people with other points of view.

The 6 main conditions that cause conflict in organizational settings:

incompatible goals differentiation interdependence scarce resources ambiguous roles bad communication

compromising

involves looking for a position in which your losses are offset by equally valued gains It involves actively searching for a middle ground between the interests of the two parties

Interpersonal Conflict-Handling Styles

problem solving, forcing, avoiding, yielding, compromising

conflict

process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party Conflict is ultimately based on perceptions it exists whenever one party believes that another might obstruct its efforts, regardless of whether the other party actually intends to do so.

problem solving

win -win orientation tries to find a solution that is beneficial for both parties. Information sharing is an important feature of this style because both parties collaborate to identify common ground and potential solutions that satisfy everyone involved.