Conflict Management deals with sorting out the issues or problems between two people or two different groups of people. People often face the issues of conflict due to differences in their opinion or due to personal ego or due to any other issues at their respective workplaces inside the organization (Daft, 2013). However, to solve such conflicting issues, it is recommended to adapt to a particular strategy that will help in identifying the root cause of a given issue. It will then recommend a solution that will end the current conflict. There are various styles of conflict management available that will help in solving the issues of conflict at a given workplace.
For solving conflicting issues, it is important to learn the skills of assertiveness and cooperation. It will help in satisfying one's own concerns and will also satisfy the other individual's concerns. On the basis of two parameters, we can form a 2×2 matrix, which will create four different conflict management styles to overcome conflicts. These include competing style, problem-solving style, avoiding style, and accommodating style. Competing style weighs high on assertiveness, but provides less importance to cooperation. Accommodating style weighs high in cooperation, but provides less importance to assertiveness. On the other hand, avoiding styles does not provide any importance to both these parameters. However, problem-solving style weighs high on both cooperation as well as assertiveness. We can find solutions more in the approach of collaborating or problem-solving style.
In the first reading, the conflict management styles adapted by Tim and Jay are different. They seem to be different in their views, and different in their approaches to solve a given problem. They do not understand each other, and hence, are not even ready to listen to each other. As a result, we can observe conflict between the two people. Jay could, thereby, have adapted a different problem-solving approach through mutual communication and understanding. In such cases, it is important to listen to the problems of the other individual, and then opt for the solution. Sometimes, it might happen that, a solution recommended will not be applicable to a given issue. In addition, they need to work in a collaborative fashion so as to support each other till the end.
In some of the cases, it might happen that, people will pair the conflict styles so as to solve a given problem inside the organization in a different way. Such problems will not be solved by one conflict style alone, and hence, people pair them to overcome their respective issues. In some of the other cases, people will shift their styles in their conflicting episodes, depending upon the environment and the demands of the situation. We have even got evidences of the influence of the culture and gender while adapting to a specific conflict style. People tend to follow the norms and values associated with their culture, and accordingly try to resolve the problem (Heifetz & Linsky, 2002). A conflict resolution style will be always different for a man and a woman. Hence, there is also gender bias issue observed in the conflict style.
In the case of Joan and Mary, we even need to provide importance to the behavior of an individual while solving conflicts. Alone, applying the concepts and tactics of conflict management will not help in such cases. We need to understand the behavior and accordingly, apply the strategies to overcome a given conflict. Otherwise, the problem will spread more due to lack of understanding and mutual cooperation. Collaboration style is the best style to solve a given problem. But, still it might happen that, we shall not be able to receive the desired responses. Hence, under such cases, we would like to modify our style by either shifting it to a different style or combining two or more styles to solve a given conflicting issue. So, if Joan and Mary would have chosen different approaches or combination of conflict style approaches, they would have been able to resolve a given issue.
We need to consider several factors while adapting to any given conflict style. It is important to determine the internal and external parameters before finally selecting one of the styles. We need to assume the consequences of adapting to a given style. However, mutual understanding, effective communication and trust are the foundation pillars for any of the conflict resolution styles. It is therefore, important to weigh all the parameters equally and then select the right style as per the demands of a given scenario.
References
Daft, R.L. (2013). Management. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Heifetz, R.A., and Linsky, M. (2002). A survival guide for leaders. Harvard Business Review, 80(6), 65-72.
