Conflict and Collaboration: The Individual’s Role Team 7: Timothy Dowd Michael Kachin Alexis Lehman Andrew Rose Kimberly Roskiewicz Anthony Tessein

Power and Conflict: 2 Concepts Power Over – an ability to get another person to do something that he or she would not otherwise have done. Usually Win-Lose Usually Win-Lose Power With – an ability to develop power jointly, which is coactive and noncoercive. Usually Win-Win Usually Win-Win

Looking more closely at “Power With” Conflict is framed as a mutual problem to be solved by both parties. This tends to minimize power differences between disputants and mutually enhance each other’s power in order to work together effectively to achieve their shared goals.

Personality and Conflict Management Myers-Briggs Model of Personality

Myers-Briggs Has four dimensions based on certain preferences... Where is your source of energy? (Extravert vs. Introvert) Where is your source of energy? (Extravert vs. Introvert) How do you prefer to perceive information? (Sensing vs. Intuition) How do you prefer to perceive information? (Sensing vs. Intuition) How do you prefer to make decisions? (Thinking vs. Feeling) How do you prefer to make decisions? (Thinking vs. Feeling) How do you prefer to organize your life? (Judging vs. Perception) How do you prefer to organize your life? (Judging vs. Perception) Leads to 16 different personality types. Leads to 16 different personality types.

Extravert vs. Introvert Extraverted Characteristics Act first, think/reflect later. Act first, think/reflect later. Feel deprived when cutoff from interaction with the outside world. Feel deprived when cutoff from interaction with the outside world. Usually open to and motivated by social aspects of life. Usually open to and motivated by social aspects of life. Enjoy wide variety and change in personal relationships. Enjoy wide variety and change in personal relationships. Tend to address conflict, but often initiate conflict as well. Tend to address conflict, but often initiate conflict as well. Introverted Characteristics Think/reflect first, then act. Regularly require "private time”. Motivated internally, mind is sometimes so active it is "closed" to outside world. Prefer one-to-one communication and relationships. Tend not to address or engage in conflict.

Sensing vs. Intuition Sensing Characteristics Mentally live in the now. Mentally live in the now. Use common sense and create practical solutions. Use common sense and create practical solutions. Memory recall is rich in detail. Memory recall is rich in detail. improvise from past experience. improvise from past experience. Like clear and concrete information; dislike guessing when facts are "fuzzy”. Like clear and concrete information; dislike guessing when facts are "fuzzy”. Tend to focus on pragmatics during conflict resolution. Tend to focus on pragmatics during conflict resolution. Intuitive Characteristics Mentally live in the future. Use imagination and create/invent new possibilities. Memory recall emphasizes patterns and context. Improvise from theoretical understanding. Comfortable with ambiguous, fuzzy data and guessing. Tend to focus on ideals and the “big picture” during conflict resolution.

Thinking vs. Feeling Thinking Characteristics Instinctively search for facts and logic when making decisions. Instinctively search for facts and logic when making decisions. Naturally notice tasks and work to be accomplished. Naturally notice tasks and work to be accomplished. Easily able to provide objectives and analysis critically. Easily able to provide objectives and analysis critically. Accept conflict as a natural, normal part of relationships with people. Accept conflict as a natural, normal part of relationships with people. Focus on the origin and of the conflict and tend to analyze its source. Focus on the origin and of the conflict and tend to analyze its source. Feeling Characteristics Employ personal feelings and impact on people in decision situations. Sensitive to peoples’ needs and reactions. Seek consensus and popular opinions. Unsettled by conflict. Focus on needs and values of individuals during conflict.

Judgment vs. Perception Judging Characteristics Plan in advance Plan in advance Focus on task-related action; complete meaningful segments before moving on. Focus on task-related action; complete meaningful segments before moving on. Work best and avoid stress when their ahead of deadlines. Work best and avoid stress when their ahead of deadlines. Use targets, dates, and standard routines to manage life. Use targets, dates, and standard routines to manage life. Seek resolution, and are primarily concerned with the outcome of the conflict. Seek resolution, and are primarily concerned with the outcome of the conflict. Perceiving Characteristics Comfortable moving into action without a plan Like to multitask, have variety, mix work and play. Naturally tolerant of time pressure; work best close to the deadlines. Instinctively avoid commitments which interfere with flexibility. Focus on the process of conflict resolution and are primarily concerned with the input of group members.

Personality and Conflict Management Reactions to Interpersonal Conflict

Interpersonal Conflict Conflict with others may lead individuals to… destructive or evil impulses destructive or evil impulses a sense of helplessness or vulnerability a sense of helplessness or vulnerability anxiety anxiety use of defense mechanisms use of defense mechanisms

Reactions People develop tactics and strategies to control their impulses, thoughts, actions, and realities so that they won’t feel anxious, guilty, or ashamed. (Self-Regulation) If their controls are ineffective, they develop defense mechanisms to keep from feeling those disturbing emotions

Defense Mechanisms Denial – do not recognize that conflict exists. Avoidance – recognize the conflict, but don’t face it. Projection – attribute your own faults onto others. Reaction Formation – take on the characteristics of others with whom you have conflict.

Defense Mechanisms (continued) Displacement – change the topic or the person with whom you have conflict. Counterphobic – actively seek out conflict, confrontational, contentious. Escalation – focus on your own needs and ignore other person’s; narcissistic. Minimization – focus on details and side issues; show little emotion to main issue.

Self-Regulation Inhibits impulsive, automatic, “hot” emotional responses, which threaten to undo the goals one is trying to pursue.

Why it is important to self- regulate? Ineffective self-regulation predicts many negative outcomes: school failure school failure poor academic and social competence poor academic and social competence conduct disorders conduct disorders addictive and anti-social behavior addictive and anti-social behavior

The Self-Regulatory Process The motivation to self-regulate is directly related to how meaningful a situation is to a particular individual. The belief that one is able to exert control and successfully execute appropriate action is essential.

Hot system vs. Cold system Hot system = “go” system Emotional Emotional Simple Simple Reflexive Reflexive Fast Fast Cool system = “know” system Cognitive Complex Contemplative Slow Rational Strategic Emotionally neutral

Self regulation in Interpersonal Conflict The conflict situation creates a level of stress that may shift the balance of power from cool-system to hot-system dominance. Things said and done in conflict situations trigger “hot”, emotional reactions. Failure to exert control can intensify the conflict by instigating “hot” responses from the other party or parties involved.

Strategies for Self-Regulation Coping with stress taking time-out taking time-out communicating in writing rather than face-to-face. communicating in writing rather than face-to-face. Create specific strategies for cooling off and reacting to hot stimuli. Self-instruction messages things they can tell themselves to better control impulses. things they can tell themselves to better control impulses.Modeling learn from observing others. learn from observing others. Rehearsal and Role Playing “train the brain” “train the brain” Performance feedback

Problem Solving Focus on issues, not people Arguing over positions can produce unwise agreements produce unwise agreements be inefficient be inefficient endanger an on-going relationship endanger an on-going relationship Separate “people” from “problem” Three categories of “people” problems Three categories of “people” problems 1.perception 2.emotion 3.communication

Focus on interests What does each side want? generally based on needs, desires, concerns and fears generally based on needs, desires, concerns and fears Identify shared and compatible interests Ask “why” and “why not”?

Invent options for mutual gain Choices can often seem limited – why? Four obstacles in a negotiation 1. rejecting new ideas 2. searching for a single answer 3. assuming situation is “either/or” 4. thinking “my problem” and “their problem”

Insist on using objective criteria “No negotiation is likely to be efficient or amicable if you pit your will against theirs, and either you have to back down or they do” (Fisher, Ury and Patton, 1991, 81-82).

Final Thoughts …the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly. From “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine

Works Cited Baker, Shawn (2006). MBTI Intrument and Conflict Management. Pychometrics Direct. Coleman, P.T. (2000). Power and Conflict. In P. Coleman & M. Deutsch (Eds.), The Handbook of Conflict Resolution ( ). San Fransico: Jossey-Bass. Myers Briggs Personality Types. TeamTechnology. Personality Pathways: Exploring Personality Type and its Applications. Personality Pathways. Ross Reinhold & Reinhold Development.