When it comes to ‘conflict’, the bad news is that: ‘an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind’, so, huge efforts are made by many to sidestep, resolve and eliminate conflict, whether it be in the home, the workplace, the Ukraine or elsewhere. Despite these efforts, ‘conflict’ remains – and will continue to be - an ongoing feature of human interactions. For example, the latest available Workplace Relations Commission Annual Report for 2000 records that 19,000 specific and separate complaints were received during the year. And we can be sure that this is only a small fraction of the number of actual conflicts at work in this period.
The problem with conflict at work is that it gives rise to stress and anxiety that decreases productivity and satisfaction; it creates feelings of being demeaned and defeated in a way that damages mental health and lowers morale, whilst raising labour turnover levels and creating a climate of distrust that undermines all-important workplace teamwork and co-operation. The cost of resolving the conflict can also be hefty, when ‘a stitch in time’ could have saved everybody a lot of heartache.
Of course, in an ideal world, conflict can be positive. That is, if managed correctly it can focus attention on issues warranting attention, give rise to some good ideas/results/changes and positively stimulate and challenge people. However, too often (avoidable) conflict wreaks extensive and costly damage. Hence, it’s important when handling conflict to understand the influences at play and to use the right methods to resolve the issues at hand.
In this article, the sources and issues associated with workplace conflict are outlined, the influential behavioural styles explained, together with the most effective means of managing and minimising conflict at work.
1. Causes of Conflict ⚓︎
Conflict can be described as any situation in which individuals or groups have incompatible aims or emotions and as a result their behaviour towards each other becomes hostile. In practice, this can create and is sourced in:
- Frustration: when one’s needs, aims or ambitions are not fulfilled.
- Inflexible Behaviour: when people become competitive and entrenched in their positions and unwilling to be flexible to accommodate the needs, aims or ambitions of others.
- Misperception: when one sees things only from one’s own point of view and as a result view the conflict situation as a win : lose scenario, with no scope for compromise or middle ground. This is akin to situations where people have incompatible aims, views or emotions, so their behaviour towards each other becomes hostile.
Associated with this frustration, inflexibility and misperception, the issues that commonly give rise to workplace conflict include:
- Disagreements over the allocation of tasks and workloads.
- Differing interpretations of contractual provisions and workplace policies, practices and rules.
- Poor communication, often effected without consultation on sensitive issues.
- Differences in expectations about and approaches to work and the associated reward package.
- Emotional confrontations, commonly linked to an ego or personality clash or the abuse of power (e.g. discrimination, bullying).
2. Standard Responses To Conflict ⚓︎
According to the renowned Kilmann model, when involved in conflict situations people typically tend to behave in one of the following ways:
- Avoid: Side-step the issue and withdraw from the situation.
- Accommodate: Concede to the other person’s point of view/demands.
- Compromise: Seek a middle ground.
- Compete: Pursue one’s needs/wants/concerns at the other person’s expense.
- Collaborate: Adopt a joint problem-solving approach to find a solution that is satisfactory for both parties.
With regard to this classification, it may help to clarify that ‘compromising’ pertains when both sides make concessions, so that each person is somewhat (but not entirely) satisfied with the end result. That is, both parties surrender some of what they want to make progress. In contrast, ‘collaborating’ means that both parties get all of their needs met.
The key factors that determine the style of behaviour that one uses in a conflict scenario tend to be influenced by:
- One’s problem-solving ability.
- The historical relationship between those in conflict.
- The level and type of power held by the person that one is in conflict with (e.g. one’s subordinate or one’s manager).
- The pressure(s) being put on parties from outside (e.g. from the manager’s boss or the staff representative’s colleagues).
- The level of interdependence in the ongoing relationship and the importance of co-operation for both parties.
- The rules, procedures and norms or customs and practices related to the issue(s) in dispute.
3. Match Your Response to The Conflict Situation ⚓︎
Effective conflict management entails an understanding of the aforementioned causes, together with the factors that influence our behaviour or response in such scenarios. That is, Kilmann’s model advises that you should choose the most appropriate response, as outlined at a. to e. above (i.e. to avoid, accommodate, compromise, compete or collaborate). Put plainly, each of these response types has its time, place and uses. The real ‘trick’ is knowing when, where and how to use the ‘right’ response or type of behaviour.
The right choice can help to minimise and eliminate conflict and the all-too-common short-sighted approach of winning battles but losing the war (e.g. staff comply with management’s directives, but their ‘hearts and minds’ or commitment is lost). Whilst each of the aforementioned responses or types of behaviour are useful, those deemed most appropriate to specific conflict scenarios are as follows:
- Avoid: This ‘withdrawal’ or ‘sidestepping’ approach is deemed appropriate when the matter in contention is trivial, in scenarios where you have little power; where difficulties associated with addressing the issue outweigh the benefits and when it’s best to cool down (i.e. to apply a ‘cooling off’ period, allowing emotions to subside and careful consideration and reflection to prevail).
- Accommodate: This ‘conceding’ approach is deemed appropriate if you’re in the wrong; if the issue is more important to the other person than it is to you; to gain favours/concessions to be redeemed at a later time/date (i.e. building credit with the other party) or where you deem it best to let the other person learn from their own mistakes.
- Compromise: This ‘compromising’ or ‘give and take’ approach is deemed appropriate with goals/aspirations that are moderately important to you; when dealing with people of equal power or to secure a temporary settlement under pressure.
- Compete: This ‘competing’ approach – where your position/demands must prevail - is deemed appropriate in situations where quick, decisive action is essential; when you must take unpopular but necessary action and to avoid exploitation.
- Collaborate: This ‘collaborative’ approach – in search of a mutually satisfactory solution – is deemed appropriate where there are two sets of important or vital concerns or interests at play; where there are different but entirely valid outlooks or perspectives involved on both sides; to gain commitment; where you must work through determined or hard feelings to reach a shared solution that will endure (i.e. joint problem solving).
4. What Should I Do to Effectively Manage Conflict? ⚓︎
Together with an understanding of the causes of conflict and the factors that influence our response(s) thereto, it is also clear that conflict can be minimised via some practical ploys. So, to help minimise or avoid conflict, or to turn conflict situations into an eventual win: win, the following options have much merit:
- Apply the Kilmann analysis (see above) to determine your preferred mode of behaviour in conflict situations. That is, everyone is capable of using all five of the aforementioned conflict management modes. No one can be said to have a single rigid style of dealing with conflict in all situations. However, due to personality traits and habit, we tend to use one or two modes with a greater frequency than others. The problem with such standard or knee-jerk responses is that damage is done via the wrong choice, causing conflict where co-operation might have prevailed (see the Kilmann questionnaire for your self-assessment at: https://psycho-tests.com/test/conflict-mode).
This self-assessment empowers you to choose the best approach for the situation you find yourself in. It is also designed to help you to understand how using different styles of conflict management can beneficially affect interpersonal and group dynamics. So, armed with knowledge about the different conflict resolution styles (as listed at a. to e. above) and how and when to use them, one can choose to reframe and defuse the conflict, ultimately enabling the best results for all.
- Ask questions instead of making statements. This is a key skill for effective conflict managers. Statements tend to invite counterstatements and resistance. Whereas, questions can generate insightful answers. Having asked the question, it’s best to wait for the answer, as ‘silence’ – whilst observing the associated body language - is a valuable negotiating technique allowing parties to ‘get to yes’.
- Good working relationships depend on the legitimate interests of both parties being satisfied. So, avoid sticking to a negotiating position that doesn’t reflect or obscures what’s really important to you (e.g. winning the argument but losing people’s commitment to deliver what you’ll really need/want in the medium to long term). To enable this approach, it’s more effective to keep calm (or use a ‘cooling off’ period), allowing one to review the real or underlying interests of both sides. As a consequence, one may discover that - despite having apparently opposing positions – there are shared interests (e.g. keeping the enterprise afloat and its jobs secure in challenging economic times). Both parties’ interests can be better served by talking about where you would like to go and what you would like to happen or achieve, rather than rowing about where you have come from and whose fault it was. So, avoid the blame game – look forward to resolve the issue/problem, as opposed to backwards to apportion blame for the past and its problems.
- Know your ‘Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement’ (BATNA). This protects parties from accepting a bad agreement that may well cause further conflict down the road. The prospect of this conflict can gainfully prompt parties to persist in the search for a successful solution. So, it’s important to carefully consider what happens if there’s a failure to reach agreement. And if all else fails, the issue in conflict can be referred to an appropriate third party (e.g. mediation. See an article on how to mediate here.
- Avoid words or tactics that you would consider offensive, wrong or unhelpful if used against you (i.e. as the good book says: ‘do unto others as you would have them do to you’). The solution to the conflict should leave people’s self-esteem intact, together with the prospect of a good working relationship for the future (i.e. leave your negotiating partner with the bus fare home!).
- Separate the person from the problem (i.e. focus on the issue, not the person). Hence, whatever negative feelings you may have toward the other person are ‘parked’, as you both focus on resolving the issue(s) at hand, as opposed to using the issue(s) to confirm those pre-conceived feelings that only serve to aggravate issues.
- Feel and show some empathy for the other person’s point of view (i.e. put yourself in their shoes).
- Encourage staff to express their views openly on work-related issues/problems.
- Define the authority and responsibility of staff (e.g. via job descriptions/role profiles).
- Define the standards of work and behaviour expected of team members (e.g. via performance management).
Of course, it would be remiss not to note that saying (and really being) ‘sorry’, when appropriate, is adjudged to be the best conflict buster of them all. So, maybe it would help to try parking your ego and giving it a shot!
Continue reading
We help hundreds of people like you understand how the latest changes in employment law impact your business.
Please log in to view the full article.
What you'll get:
- Help understand the ramifications of each important case from NI, GB and Europe
- Ensure your organisation's policies and procedures are fully compliant with NI law
- 24/7 access to all the content in the Legal Island Vault for research case law and HR issues
- Receive free preliminary advice on workplace issues from the employment team
Already a subscriber? Log in now or start a free trial