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Chapter 13 Conflict at Work Nelson & Quick
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Nature of Organizational Conflict
Conflict - any situation in which incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions, or behaviors lead to disagreement or opposition between two or more parties Functional conflict - a healthy, constructive disagreement between two or more people Dysfunctional conflict - an unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people 2
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Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Emotional intelligence - the ability to manage conflict. It is the power to control one’s emotions perceive emotions in others adapt to change manage adversity 3
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Consequences of Conflict
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Causes of Conflict in Organizations
Structural Factors Specialization Interdependence Common resources Goal differences Authority relationships Status inconsistencies Jurisdictional ambiguities Personal Factors Skills & abilities Personalities Perceptions Values & ethics Emotions Communication barriers Cultural differences 5
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Globalization & Conflict
Cultural differences & individual differences increase the potential for conflict Individualism/ Collectivism Masculinity/ Femininity Uncertainty/ Avoidance Long-term/ Short-term orientation Power/ Distance 6
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Forms of Conflict in Organizations
Interorganizational conflict - conflict that occurs between two or more organizations Intergroup conflict - conflict that occurs between groups or teams in an organization Interpersonal conflict - conflict that occurs between two or more individuals 7
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Forms of Conflict in Organizations
Intrapersonal conflict - conflict that occurs within an individual Interrole conflict - a person’s experience of conflict among the multiple roles in his/her life Intrarole conflict - conflict that occurs within a single role, such as when a person receives conflicting messages from role senders about how to perform a certain role Person-role conflict - conflict that occurs when an individual is expected to perform behaviors in a certain role that conflict with his/her personal values 8
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An Organizational Member’s Role Set
Inside the organization Superior role senders Super visor Client Superior Peer role senders Outside the organization Focal Role Supplier Colleague Employee role senders Potential employee Employee’s colleagues Employee 1 Employee 2 Employee 3 Boundary of the organization J. C. Quick and J. D. Quick, Organizational Stress and Preventive Management, 1997. Reprinted by permission. 9
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Power Relationships in Organizations
From W. F. G. Mastenbroek, Conflict Management and Organizational Development, Copyright John Wiley & Sons Limited. Reproduced with permission. 10
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Aggressive Mechanisms
That won’t work! Defense Mechanisms Aggressive Mechanisms Fixation - an aggressive mechanism in which an individual keeps up a dysfunctional behavior that obviously will not solve the conflict Displacement - An aggressive mechanism in which an individual directs his/her anger toward someone who is not the source of the conflict Negativism - an aggressive mechanism in which a person responds with pessimism to any attempt at solving a problem. 11
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Compromise Mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms Compromise Mechanisms Compensation - a compromise mechanism in which an individual attempts to make up for a negative situation by devoting himself/herself to another pursuit with increased vigor Identification - a compromise mechanism whereby an individual patterns his or her behavior after another’s Rationalization - a compromise mechanism characterized by trying to justify one’s behavior by constructing bogus reasons for it 12
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Withdrawal Mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms Withdrawal Mechanisms Flight/withdrawal - a withdrawal mechanism that entails physically escaping a conflict (flight) or psychologically escaping (withdrawal) Conversion - a withdrawal mechanism in which emotional conflicts are expressed in physical symptoms Fantasy - a withdrawal mechanism that provides an escape from a conflict through daydreaming 13
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Coping with Difficult Behavior
Hostile/ Aggressive Superagreeables Indecisive stallers Stand up for yourself Allow run-down time Avoid direct confrontation Raise the issue of the hesitancy If you are the problem, ask for help Keep action steps in own hands Value them as people Compromise & negotiate Discern their humor’s hidden meaning 14
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Coping with Difficult Behavior
Complainers Clams Negativists Listen attentively Acknowledge feelings Use problem-solving Ask open-ended questions Wait patiently for a response Ask more open-ended questions Discuss problems; don’t offer solutions Be ready to take action alone Stay out of their despair 15
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Coping with Difficult Behavior
Know-It-Alls Bulldozers Balloons Prepare yourself Listen & paraphrase main points Question State facts as your own perception Help them save face Confront when they are alone Information on slides adapted from Table From Coping with Difficult People by Robert Bramson. Copyright© 1981 by Robert Bramson. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House and Carol Mann Literary Agency on behalf of author. 16
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Managing Intrapersonal Conflict
Person-role conflicts Intrarole or interrole conflicts Find out as much as you can about the company’s values Ask role senders what they expect of you 17
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Win-Lose versus Win-Win Strategies
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Ineffective Techniques for Dealing with Conflict
Nonaction - doing nothing in hopes that a conflict will disappear Secrecy - attempting to hide a conflict or an issue that has the potential to create conflict Administrative orbiting - delaying action on a conflict by buying time Due process nonaction - a procedure set up to address conflicts that is so costly, time-consuming, or personally risky that no one will use it Character assassination - an attempt to label or discredit an opponent 19
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Effective Techniques for Dealing with Conflict
Subordinate Goals Confronting & Negotiating Expanding Resources X Conflict Changing Structure Changing Personnel 20
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Conflict Management Styles
Avoiding - deliberate decision to take no action on a conflict or to stay out of a conflict Accommodating - concern that the other party’s goals be met but relatively unconcerned with getting own way Competing - satisfying own interests; willing to do so at other party’s expense Compromising - each party gives up something to reach a solution Collaborating - arriving at a solution agreeable to all through open & thorough discussion 21
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Conflict Management Styles
Assertive Competing Collaborating Assertiveness (Desire to satisfy one’s own concerns) Compromising Avoiding Unassertive Accommodating K. W. Thomas, “Conflict and Conflict Management,” in M. D. Dunnette, Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 900, (Chicago, IL; Rand McNally, 1976). Uncooperative Cooperative Cooperativeness (Desire to satisfy another’s concerns) 22
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Negotiation Negotiation - a joint process of finding a mutually acceptable solution to a complex conflict Useful under these conditions Two or more parties Conflict of interest between the parties Parties are willing to negotiate Parties prefer to work together rather than to fight openly, give in, break off contact, or take the dispute to a higher authority 23
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2 Negotiating Approaches
Integrative Negotiation - focuses on the merits of the issues & seeks a win-win solution Distributive Bargaining - the goals of the parties are in conflict, & each party seeks to maximize its resources 24
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3 Organization Views of Conflict
Competitive conflict Avoidance of conflict Positive conflict Belittle differences Blame Seek win-lose situation Suspect Evade differences Withdraw Reduce risks Despair Value diversity Empower Seek mutual benefit Take Stock D. Tjosvold, The Conflict-Positive Organization (pages 41/42). Copyright© 1991 by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. Reprinted by permission of Addison Wesley Longman. 25
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