MANAGING CONFLICT (Discussion Note) 2015 BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

DEFINITION OF CONFLICT Negative ? Harmful ? BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Views on Conflict TRADITIONAL seen as dysfunctional outcome resulting from poor communication, lack of openness & trust between people, failure of managers to be responsive to needs & aspirations of employees. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Views on Conflict Contd…. HUMANISTIC Seen as natural & inevitable outcome in any group. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Views on Conflict Contd…. INTERACTIONISTIC a positive force that is necessary for a group effectiveness, self critical & creative. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

PROCESS in which Perception of one party being negatively affected… On an issue of importance to the perceiver BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

CONFLICT PROCESS FIVE STAGES I. POTENTIAL OPPOSITION OR INCOMPATIBILITY II. COGNITION & PERSONALIZATION III. INTENTION IV. BEHAVIOR V. OUTCOMES BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

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/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

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/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

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/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICT HANDLING INTENTIONS ASSERTIVE UNASSERTIVE UNCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVE COMPROMISING COMPETING AVOIDING ACCOMODATING COLLABORATING BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Stage IV: BEHAVIOUR Minor Disagreement or misunderstanding Overt questioning or challenging of others Assertive verbal attacks Threats & ultimatums Aggressive physical attacks Overt efforts to destroy the other party BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Stage V: OUTCOMES FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IMPROVES QUALITY OF DECISIONS, STIMULATES CREATIVITY & INNOVATION, ENCOURAGES INTEREST & CURIOSITY, OPEN COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY, FOSTERS ENVIRONMENT OF SELF EVALUATION & CHANGE. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

OUTCOMES Contd…. DYSFUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES DISSOLVE COMMON TIES, DISCONTENT, DESTRUCTION OF GROUP. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

ANTECEDENTS CONDITIONS COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE PERSONAL VARIABLES PERCEIVED CONFLICT FELT CONFLICT HANDLING INTENTIONS COMPETING COLLABORATING COMPROMISING AVOIDING ACCOMODATING OVERT CONFLICT BEHAVIOR REACTION INCREASED GROUP PERFORMANCE DECREASED GROUP PERFORMANCE STAGE I STAGE II STAGE III STAGE IV STAGE V POTENTIAL OPPOSITION COGNITION INTENTIONS BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES OR INCOMPATIBILITY & PERSONALIZATION BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT USE OF RESOLUTION, PREVENTION AND STIMULATION TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED LEVEL OF CONFLICT BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

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 authorit Training for attitudinal change Changing formal structure& interaction patterns BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Conflict Prevention Techniques Reducing interdependence Exchange of personnel Liaison group or integrators Appeal to higher authority Adopting conflict sensitive approach in relation to employee and employment condition. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

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/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Four Assertive Response to Conflict 1. Preparation (concentrating on CIRCLE OF VALUE)(concentrating on CIRCLE OF VALUE) - Explore INTEREST (hopes, fears, aspirations, concerns, goals etc. of each party) - Develop OPTIONS for joint gain (explore a broad range of potential solutions or options through creative thinking) - Use objective standards to establish LEGITIMACY (using objective standards, evidence-based arguments, precedents, law, or principles) BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

2.Appropriateness of the environment 3.Active listening - Putting yourself in a position where you can hear clearly. - Inquiry into INTEREST, OPTIONS, and LEGITIMACY. - Concentrating on the speaker and the content of what they are saying. - Acknowledging that you have heard. - Clarifying points to check that you have understood. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Contd… Assertive Response 4. Expressing yourself Saying what you would like to happen or how you would like things to be focusing on INTEREST, OPTIONS, and LEGITIMACY. BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015

Thanks and Good day BKB/NASC/Professional Course (PACT)/2015