Essay On Types of Conflict

1. Conflict has a number of definitions. For the context of this question, I would select this definition from Dictionary.com: “discord of action, feeling or effect; antagonism or opposition, as of interests or principles: a conflict of ideas.”
2. Functional conflicts happen between the low and middle levels of an organization and end up being positive for the organization as a whole. They generally arise as an effect of a flaw in the system and serve to highlight that flaw. When the conflict is over, the organization should have improved.
3. Dysfunctional conflict will create flaws within an organization, leaving things worse than they were before. They can also arise out of flaws in your organization’s system, but they ultimately lead to breakdowns in overall communication, performance, or both.
4. Functional dyads are pairings that end up working out well together. One partner has strengths in areas in which the other has some weaknesses, which ends up evening each other out and creating a stronger group that is capable of producing at a high level. Their personalities can also be complementary; one might be a Type A personality, while the other might be more reticent, willing to accept staying out of the limelight in exchange for results.
5. A dysfunctional dyad will fight tooth and nail throughout the entire work process. They will both want to take on the same parts of the task, they will both want all of the credit – or they will both be reticent and avoid the challenges of the task. Either way, the group will not function effectively and will not produce optimal results.
6. There are several different styles of conflict that can occur between individuals or within an organization as a whole. Competition involves the advocating of one’s individual needs over the needs of others. It is focused on the advancement of the self and the use of coercion. The opposite of competition is accommodation, in which people yield their own needs to be diplomatic to the rest of the group. Avoidance has to do with trying to wait out the conflict rather than confronting it, hoping that it will blow over by itself. Compromise involves using a series of tradeoffs to help all parties in a conflict get at least part of what they want. Collaboration has to do with finding ways to gather all of a group’s individual goals and pull them toward a common goal.
7. In the case of accommodation, winning involves getting the results you want by accommodating others. Losing refers to having your own needs overwhelmed by the group.
8. Gender conflict is based on the different roles that society has constructed for men and women to fulfill. Even in an era in which the “glass ceiling” has been allegedly shattered, there are still differences between the societal expectations placed on both men and women, and these differences lead to conflict within organizations.
9. The notion of life positions refers to the way in which we see the world. “I’m OK, you’re OK” means that I am fine with myself and with others too. “I’m OK, you’re not OK” means that I like myself, but I do not trust those around me. “I’m not OK, you’re OK” means that I trust everyone around me – but not myself. “I’m not OK, you’re not OK” refers to a belief that something is fundamentally wrong with me, and with those around me as well.
10. The more accepting we are of ourselves and others in our life position, the less likely we are to run into conflicts.