gd…

• Conflict


  An expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties, who perceive that incompatible goals, scarce resources, or interference from others are preventing them from achieving their goals
• General causes of conflicts

  • Scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)
  • Different attitudes, values or perceptions
  • Disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests
  • Poor communication
  • Poor or inadequate organizational structure
  • Lack of teamwork
  • Lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities
• Intrapersonal conflict


  Conflict that occurs within an individual in situations in which he or she must choose between two alternatives
• Interpersonal conflict


  Conflict between two or more individuals. The person experiencing this conflict may experience opposition in upward, downward, horizontal, or diagonal communication
• Intergroup conflict


  Disagreements or differences between the members of two or more groups or their representatives over authority, territory, and resources
• Organizational conflicts


  Conflict that occurs in organizations because of differing perceptions or goals. Role ambiguity occurs when employees do not know what to do, how to do it, or what the outcomes must be. Role conflict occurs when two or more individuals in different positions within the organization believe that certain actions or responsibilities belong exclusively to them
• The conflict process


  1. Latent conflict (also called antecedent conditions)

  2. Perceived conflict

  3. Felt conflict

  4. Manifest conflict

  5. Conflict resolution or conflict management

  6. Conflict aftermath
• Effects of conflict in organizations

  • Destructive effects: Stress, Absenteeism, Staff turnover, De-motivation, Non-productivity
  • Constructive effects: Improves decision quality, Stimulates creativity, Encourages interest
• Signs of conflict between individuals

  • Colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each other
  • Deliberately undermining or not co-operating with each other, to the downfall of the team
• Outcomes of conflict


  • Win-lose outcome: One person obtains their desired ends and the other fails to obtain what is desired
  • Lose-lose outcome: There is no winner
  • Win-win outcome: The most desirable
• Conflict management


  1. Identify the boundaries of the conflict, the areas of agreement and disagreement, and the extent of each person's aims

  2. Understand the factors that limit the possibilities of managing the conflict constructively

  3. Be aware of whether more than one issue is involved

  4. Be open to the ideas, feelings, and attitudes expressed by the people involved

  5. Be willing to accept outside help to mediate the conflict
• Handling conflict situations


  1. Determine the person or group with whom there is a conflict

  2. Analyze the causes of the conflict

  3. Consider alternative strategies for conflict management

  4. Choose the strategy/strategies that will produce the best results

  5. Implement the decision

  6. Evaluate the decision
• Conflict management strategies


  • Defensive mode
  • Compromise
  • Creative problem-solving mode
• Defensive mode


  Produces feelings of winning in some and loss in others. Strategies include: Separating the contending parties, Suppressing the conflict, Restricting or isolating the conflict, Smoothing it over or finessing it through an organizational change, Avoiding the conflict to diminish the destructive effects
• Compromise


  Each party wins something and loses something
• Creative problem solving


  Produces feelings of gain and no feelings of loss for all conflict participants
• Creative problem-solving process for conflict management


  1. Initiate a discussion, timed sensitively and held in an environment conducive to private discussion

  2. Respect individual differences

  3. Be empathic with all involved parties

  4. Agree on a solution that balances the power and satisfies all parties, so that a consensus on a win-win solution is reached

  5. Have an assertive dialogue that consists of separating facts from feelings, clearly defining the central issue, differentiating viewpoints, making sure that each person clearly states their intentions, framing the main issue based on common principles, and being an attentive listener consciously focused on what the other person is saying
• Conflict handling intentions


  Forcing, withdrawing, smoothing, sharing, and problem solving. Conflict has two dimensions: Assertiveness (satisfying one's own concerns) and Cooperativeness (attempting to satisfy another's concerns)
• Conflict resolution strategies


  • Avoiding
  • Withholding or withdrawing
  • Accommodating
  • Smoothing over or reassuring
  • Forcing
  • Competing
  • Compromising
  • Confronting
  • Collaborating
  • Bargaining and negotiating
  • Problem solving
• Avoiding


  The strategy of avoiding conflict at all costs. Some people never acknowledge that a conflict exists.
• Withholding or withdrawing


  One party opts out of participation. They remove themselves from the situation. This does not resolve the conflict, but gives individuals a chance to calm.
• Accommodating


  Used when there is a large power differential. The more powerful party is accommodated to preserve harmony or build up social credits. The party of lesser power gives up their position in deference to the more powerful party.
• Smoothing over or reassuring

  The strategy of saying "Everything will be OK." By maintaining surface harmony, parties do not withdraw but simply attempt to make everyone feel good.
• Forcing


  A dominance move and an arbitrary way to manage conflict. An issue may be forced on the table by issuing orders or by putting it to a majority-rules vote. The hallmark phrase is "Let's vote on it." Forcing is an all-out power strategy to win while the other party loses.
• Competing


  An assertive strategy where one party's needs are satisfied at the other's expense. Competing is an all-out effort to win at any cost.
• Compromising


  Each party gives up something it wants. It is useful when goals or values are markedly different. It is a staple of conflict management.
• Confronting


  Called assertive problem solving and is focused on the issues. Individuals speak for themselves, but in a way that decreases defensiveness and allows another person to hear the message. It is a staple of conflict management but requires courage.
• Collaborating


  An assertive and cooperative means of conflict resolution that results in a win-win solution. The parties work together to find a mutually satisfying solution. It requires mutual respect, open and honest communication, and equitable, shared decision-making powers.
• Bargaining and negotiating


  Attempts to divide the rewards, power, or benefits so that everyone gets something. They involve both parties in a back-and-forth effort at some level of agreement. The process may be formal or informal.
• Problem solving


  The goal is to try to find an acceptable, workable solution for all parties. It is designed to generate feelings of gain by all parties. The problem-solving process is employed to reach a mutually agreeable solution to the conflict.
• How to prevent conflicts in medical professionals

  • Frequent meeting of your team
  • Allow your team to express openly
  • Sharing objectives
  • Having a clear and detailed job description
  • Distributing task fairly
  • Never criticize team members publicly
  • Always be fair and just with your team
  • Being a role model
• Negotiation


  In its most creative form is similar to collaboration and in its most poorly managed form may resemble a competing approach. Negotiation frequently resembles compromise when it is used as a conflict resolution strategy. During negotiation, each party gives up something, and the emphasis is on accommodating differences between the parties.
• Pre-preparation for negotiation


  1. Be adequately prepared

  2. Be able to use appropriate negotiation strategies

  3. Apply appropriate closure and follow-up
• Steps in negotiation process


  1. Before the Negotiation: Gather as much information as possible regarding the issue to be negotiated. Seek a bigger pie instead of dividing the pie up.

  2. During the Negotiation: Use only factual statements, listen carefully and watch nonverbal communication, keep an open mind, try to understand where the other party is coming from, always discuss the conflict, be honest, never tell the other party what you are willing to negotiate totally.

  3. Closure and Follow-Up to Negotiation: State what has been agreed to, close on a friendly note, send a memo regarding what has been agreed to
• Consensus


  Negotiating parties are able to reach an agreement that all parties can support, even though it does not represent everyone's first priorities. Consensus decision making does not provide complete satisfaction for everyone involved, but it indicates willingness by all parties to accept the agreed-upon conditions.
• Problem solving


  A process of working through the details of a problem to reach a solution
• Problem solving process


  1. Thoughts

  2. Discussions

  3. Actions

  4. Decisions from first consideration of a problematic situation to the goal
• Problems groups face


  • Budgeting funds
  • Raising funds
  • Planning events
  • Addressing customer or citizen complaints
  • Creating or adapting products or services to fit needs
  • Supporting members
  • Raising awareness about issues or causes
• Common components of problems

  • An undesirable situation
  • A desired situation
  • Obstacles between undesirable and desirable situation
• Characteristics of problems


  • Task difficulty
  • Number of possible solutions
  • Group member interest in problem
  • Group familiarity with problem
  • Need for solution acceptance