Nepal Administrative Staff College conflict management (Discussion Note) Binod Kumar Bista Anita Poudel Nepal Administrative Staff College NASC April, 2019

BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

DEFINITION OF CONFLICT Negative ? Harmful ? BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

seen as dysfunctional outcome Views on Conflict TRADITIONAL seen as dysfunctional outcome BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Views on Conflict Contd…. HUMANISTIC Seen as natural & inevitable outcome in any group. BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Views on Conflict Contd…. INTERACTIONISTIC a positive force that is necessary for a group effectiveness, self critical & creative. BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

PROCESS in which Perception of one party being negatively affected… On an issue of importance to the perceiver BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Types of conflict 1.Personal or individual conflict 2. Interpersonal conflict 3. Organizational conflict/Inter-group conflict 4. Inter organisational conflict BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

CONFLICT PROCESS FIVE STAGES I. POTENTIAL OPPOSITION OR INCOMPATIBILITY II. COGNITION & PERSONALIZATION III. INTENTION IV. BEHAVIOR V. OUTCOMES BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

STAGE I: POTENTIAL OPPOSITION/INCOMPATIBILITY Conditions Ambiguous Communication. Structure in terms of size, degree of specialization, role clarity & centralization of authority, degree of dependence between groups. Personal variables. {This stage indicates presence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise.} BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Stage II: PERCEPTION & AWARENESS PERCEIVED CONFLICT awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise. Not personalized. FELT CONFLICT getting emotionally involved in a conflict creating anxiety, frustration or hostility. {This is the stage where conflict issues get defined & parties decide what the conflict is all about. It also brings forth the emotional linkages to the issue.} BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Self-Assessment Tool

Calculate the total under each category: Collaborating: 1, 5, 7 _______ Competing: 4, 9, 12 _______ Avoiding: 6, 10, 15 _______ Accommodating: 3, 11, 14 _______ Compromising: 2, 8, 13 _______ Result: My dominant style is...( your HIGHEST Score)

Conflict Handling Intentions Stage III: INTENTIONS Conflict Handling Intentions COMPETING: Desire to satisfy one’s interest regardless of impact of other party to the conflict. COLLABORATING: Desire to satisfy fully concerns of all parties. AVOIDING: Desire to withdraw or suppress a conflict. ACCOMODATING: willingness to place opponent’s interests above own. COMPROMISING: Willingness to give up something. BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICT HANDLING INTENTIONS ASSERTIVE COLLABORATING COMPETING COMPROMISING AVOIDING ACCOMODATING UNASSERTIVE COOPERATIVE UNCOOPERATIVE BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Stage IV: BEHAVIOUR Minor Disagreement or misunderstanding Overt questioning or challenging of others Legitimate verbal attacks Threats & ultimatums Aggressive physical attacks BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

ANTECEDENTS CONDITIONS STAGE I STAGE II STAGE III STAGE IV STAGE V PERCEIVED CONFLICT CONFLICT HANDLING INTENTIONS COMPETING COLLABORATING COMPROMISING AVOIDING ACCOMODATING INCREASED GROUP PERFORMANCE OVERT CONFLICT BEHAVIOR REACTION ANTECEDENTS CONDITIONS COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE PERSONAL VARIABLES DECREASED GROUP PERFORMANCE FELT CONFLICT POTENTIAL OPPOSITION COGNITION INTENTIONS BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES OR INCOMPATIBILITY & PERSONALIZATION BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Video BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT USE OF RESOLUTION , PREVENTION AND STIMULATION TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED LEVEL OF CONFLICT BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

CONFLICT RESOLUTION TECHNIQUES PROBLEM SOLVING EXPANSION OF RESOURCES AVOIDANCE SMOOTHING COMPROMISE AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND ALTERING THE HUMAN VARIABLE ALTERING THE STRUCTURAL VARIABLES Face to face open discussions Create win-win situations Withdraw or suppress Playing down differences Giving up something of value Using formal authority Training for attitudinal change Changing formal structure& interaction patterns BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

WHEN TO USE DIFFERENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES APPROACH WHEN DOMINATING IMPORTANT ISSUES, SURE OF BEING RIGHT. ACCOMODATING DISPUTES THAT ARE OF FAR GREATER IMPORTANCE TO THE OTHER GROUP THAN THEY ARE TO YOUR GROUP. PROBLEM SOLVING WHEN BOTH GROUPS ARE WILLING TO INVEST TIME & EFFORT TO REACH A RESOLUTION THAT MAXIMIES OUTCOME AVOIDING TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT TO BUY MORE TIME COMPROMISING MIDDLE GROUND –BACK UP APPROACH WHEN ALL APPROACHES FAIL TO RESOLVE ISSUE BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

Conflict Prevention Techniques Reducing interdependence Exchange of personnel Liaison group or integrators Appeal to higher authority Adopting conflict sensitive approach. BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

CONFLICT STIMULATION TECHNIQUES COMMUNICATION BRINGING IN OUTSIDERS RESTRUCTURING ORGANIZATION APPOINTING DEVIL’S ADVOCATE Using ambiguous or threatening messages With values conflicting with group Realigning work groups, altering rules , interdependence Designating a critic to argue against majority positions BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019

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Thank you. BKB/NASC/Advance Course on Management and Development/2019