Conflict Resolution

Conflict Resolution What is Conflict?  A process which involves opposing forces and differing objectives What kinds of conflicts have you experienced in student groups that you belong to?     Unmotivated members Unreliable members Unable to set goals Unable to follow through on goals     Monopolizers Over-functioning members Power hungry members Argumentative members How do you know when conflict is occurring?  What behaviors, emotions, and thinking do you see in yourself and other people?  How do you feel about the behaviors, emotions, and thinking that go on with you and others?  What feels helpful, right, and appropriate?  What feels unhelpful, destructive, and inappropriate? Identifying the Causes, Sources, and Types of Conflict  Lack of information; misunderstandings, different interpretations of the same information  Role incompatibility; role ambiguity Stressful working conditions  Identifying the Causes, Sources, and Types of Conflict  Unresolved prior conflicts  Personal differences in values, goals, or styles Power structure within the organization  Activity: What is your conflict resolution style?  Which of the following statements best describes how you handle conflicts? 1. I don’t like conflicts, and I try to avoid them. 2. To me, conflicts are challenging. They’re like contests or competitions— opportunities for me to come up with solutions. 3. I try to see conflicts from both sides. What do I need? What does the other person need? What are the issues involved? 4. When faced with a conflict or even a potential conflict, I tend to back down or give in, rather than cause problems. 5. I want to resolve the conflict as quickly as possible, I give up something I want or need and I expect the other person to do the same. Ways of Dealing with Conflict  Avoidance – Does not deal with issues at hand – Lose-lose strategy  Accommodation – Agreement through yielding or conforming to the positions of others – Lose-win strategy Ways of Dealing with Conflict  Compromise – Involves a search for a solution which is mutually acceptable – Lose-lose strategy  Competition – Offensive aggressive approach – Win-lose/lose-win strategy  Collaboration – Total-membership approach, generates creative solution – Win-win strategy Effective leadership is leadership which is adaptive!