In%20Mixed%20Company%20Chapter%20Ten

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In Mixed Company Chapter Ten

• Conflict Management In Groups

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Conflict Defined

• Conflict is the expressed struggle between two
  interconnected parties who perceive incompatible
  goals and interference from each other in
  attaining those goals.

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Destructive and Constructive Conflict

• Moderate amounts of conflict can be a
  constructive force in groups if the conflict is
  managed competently.
• The principal difference is how competent the
  communication is when transacting the conflict.
• Destructive conflict is characterized by
  dominating, escalating, retaliating, competing,
  defensive, and inflexible communication patterns.
• Constructive conflict is characterized by
  communication that is We oriented, de-escalating,
  cooperative, supportive, and flexible.
• The principle focus is on trying to achieve a
  solution between struggling parties that is
  mutually satisfactory to everyone.

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Styles of Conflict

• A communication style of conflict management is
  oriented toward conflict.
• Since conflict can be an essential catalyst for
  growth in a system, increasing conflict may be
  required to evoke change.

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Collaborating Problem Solving

• The collaborating style is a win-win cooperative
  approach to conflict. It attempts to satisfy all
  parties. Someone employing this style has a high
  concern for both task and social relationships in
  groups.
• A collaborating style has three key components
  confrontation, integration, and smoothing.

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Confrontation Addressing the Problem

• The overt recognition that conflict exists in a
  group and the direct to manage it effectively is
  confrontation.
• Not all issues are worth confronting, members who
  confront even trivial differences of opinion or
  cant let a momentary flash of pique go
  unattended.
• Groups have to decide which issues and concerns
  are priorities and which are tangential.

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Confrontation Addressing the Problem

• Integration, a collaborative technique that
  devises creative solutions that are mutually
  satisfactory for all parties in conflict.
• The act of calming the agitated feelings of group
  members during a conflict episode is called
  smoothing.
• Since collaborating is such an effective
  communication style for solving conflicts of
  interests, why isnt it always used in the
  solutions.
• Collaborating usually requires a significant
  investment of time and effort along with
  greater-than-ordinary communication skills.
• Collaboration is based on trust.
• Parties in a conflict sometimes do not share the
  same emotional investment in finding an agreeable
  solution for all involved.

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Accommodating

• Accommodating style yields to the concerns and
  desires of others.
• Someone using this style shows a high concern for
  social relationships but low concern for task
  accomplishment.
• Yielding on issues of incidental concern to your
  group but of major concern to other parties while
  holding firm on issues of importance to your
  group usually achieves mutually advantageous
  outcomes.

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Compromising

• We give up something to get something. Someone
  using this style shows a moderate concern for
  both task and social relationships in groups.
• When an integrative solution cant be achieved,
  when a temporary settlement is the only feasible
  alternative or when the issues involved are not
  considered critical to the group, comprising can
  be useful.

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Avoiding

• A communication style of withdrawing from
  potentially contentious and unpleasant struggles.
  
• Someone using the avoiding conflict style shows
  little concern for both task and social
  relationships in groups.

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Competing

• Someone using a competing or forcing style shows
  high concern for take but low concern for
  relationships in groups.
• Someone using a competing or forcing style shows
  as a means of furthering personal more than group
  goals (Me-Not-We-Orientation)
• Making friends and developing a positive social
  climate are secondary and expendable.

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Communication Styles of Conflict Management
Style Task-Social Dimension
Collaborating (Problem Solving) High task, high social
Accommodating (Yielding) Low task, high social
Compromising Moderate task, moderate social
Avoiding (Withdrawing) Low task, low social
Competing (Power-forcing) High task, low social
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Task Conflict Routine or Non Routine

• A routine task is one in which the group performs
  processes and procedures that have little
  variability and little likelihood of change.
• A non-routine task is one that requires problem
  solving, has a few set procedures, and has a high
  level of uncertainty.
• Conflicts about routine tasks often have a
  negative effect on group performance, while
  conflicts about non-routine task often have a
  positive effect.

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Relationship Conflict

• If a relationship is one of trust and
  cooperation, regardless of the power disparities,
  then collaborating has real potential.

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Interconnectedness of Task and Relationship
Conflict

• Recognizing the interconnectedness of task and
  relationship dimensions of groups can be critical
  arises.

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Values Conflict

• Values are the most deeply felt views of what is
  deemed good, worthwhile, and right.
• Beliefs are what we think is true and probable.
• Values conflicts are especially difficult to
  manage when members of different cultures clash
  over divergent worldviews.

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Negotiation

• Negotiating strategies are the ways we transact
  these joint decisions when conflict arise.
• Conflict spirals- the escalating cycle of
  negative communication that produces destructive
  conflict.
• Reformed sinner strategy initially competes or
  acts though, then cooperatives and relaxes
  demands.

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Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension
Reduction (GRIT)

1. Issue a sincere public statement expressing a
   desire to de-escalate the conflict.
2. Specify the concession to be made, clarifying
   what, when, how, the action will be undertaken.
3. Follow through and complete the concession, but
   do not make this contingent on reciprocation by
   the other parties.
4. Encourage, but do not demand, reciprocation from
   the other parties.
5. Make no high-risk concessions that leave you
   vulnerable or in an indefensible position. Dont
   give away the store.

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The Four Principled Negotiation

• Principled negotiations changes the rules from
  competitive to cooperative. The four basic
  elements to this approach with corresponding
  principles for each element.
• Separating the people from the problem.
• Negotiating interests first, not arguing
  positions, is critical.
• Positions are the concrete things one party
  wants. Interests are the intangible motivations
  needs, desires, concerns, fears, aspirations-that
  lead a party in the conflict to take a position.
• Generating a variety of options is another aspect
  of principled negotiation which rests on
  establishing objective standards for weighing the
  merits and demerits of any proposal.

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Anger Management

• The difference between constructive and
  destructive anger depends on tow conditions the
  intensity and duration.
• Intensity of anger can very from mild irration to
  outright rage.
• Duration or how long it lasts determines whether
  anger is constructive or destructive.

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Managing Your Anger

1. Reframe self-talk
2. Listen non-defensively
3. Deliberately calm yourself
4. Find distractions

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Managing The Anger of Others

1. Be asymmetrical- do not strike back in kind
2. Validate the other person
3. Probe
4. Distract (Shifting the other persons focus)
5. Assume a problem orientation
6. Refuse to be abused
7. Disengage