KEEP IT FUNCTIONAL
Conflict in the workplace is unavoidable, especially when people share a working space or resources.
Not all conflict is unhealthy, though. If managed effectively, conflict serves as a stimulus for new thinking, enables change, and encourages creativity, problem solving and innovation.
Unfortunately, research into workplace conflict paints a gloomy picture:1
- 85% of employees experience conflict
- For 29%, conflict is frequent
- The top 3 causes of conflict are personality clashes and warring egos (49%), and heavy workloads (33%)
- 31% of managers think they handle conflict well, but 43% of their employees disagree
- 54% think managers need to address underlying tensions before matters escalate
The ability to manage conflict is therefore one of the key foundational skills of leadership.
UNDERSTAND TO MANAGE
As with any problem, breaking conflict down into its component parts is the first step to effective resolution.
One of the most comprehensive and practical approaches to conflict diagnosis is The Circle of Conflict model developed by conflict mediator Christopher Moore, adapted by Gary Furlong in The Conflict Resolution Toolbox.2,3
This helps us to identify the ‘what’, to enable us to figure out the ‘how’.
They defined conflict by one or more of six typologies:
1. RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships are nearly always compromised to some degree in conflict situations. However, it’s important to distinguish between strained relationships being as a result of the conflict, or the primary cause.
2. VALUES
Values conflicts are caused by perceived or actual incompatible belief systems: our values!
Our values point to what we believe is good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust. Value disputes arise when one party attempts to force their set of values on another, or when one party has a value system that does not allow for divergent beliefs.
3. EXTERNAL/MOODS
This segment of the circle covers anything not directly involved in the dispute, but leads to or drives the conflict. For example, poor sales performance, company restructuring etc.
In other words, any external force that puts stress on working relationships that function normally under usual circumstances.
4. DATA
Data is information that tells a story. It can create or escalate conflict if there are differing views on which information is required, or if information is missing, incomplete, incorrect, withheld, or misinterpreted.
5. STRUCTURE
Structure considers all organisational factors that could contribute to conflict – e.g. procedures, process, ownership – together with geographical, physical, or environmental factors that limit cooperation
6. INTERESTS
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘conflict of interest’. Here, conflict is caused by competition over perceived incompatible needs.
UNDERSTAND SELF
Once we have diagnosed, we need to actively manage to resolve.
We all have our own individual and preferred way of managing conflict. Our approach is influenced by our upbringing, life experiences, where we are in our career, and the specifics of the situation – especially a difference in power or position.
The way we resolve conflict is also largely influenced by our personality.
By understanding our preferred conflict management style, and how our personality influences our approach to conflict situations, we can modify – adapt – our behaviour according to the situation, and choose the most appropriate conflict resolution style.
Resolving conflict is rarely about who is right. It is about acknowledgment and appreciation of differences.
UNDERSTAND STYLE
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) was introduced in 1974 by Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann, and is the most widely used model for understanding – and developing – conflict management capability.4
It’s based on a model of management styles originally developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in the 1960s called the The Managerial Grid.5
The TKI assesses behaviour in situations where the conflict between two people appears to be totally incompatible, ranging from a simple disagreement to full‑blown conflict, describing behaviour along two basic dimensions:
Assertiveness: the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy their own concerns.
Cooperativeness: the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy the other person’s concerns.
These two dimensions are then used to define the five main styles – or modes – of dealing with conflict. No one style is better than another; how effective they are depends on the context of the situation, and how skilfully they are used… and we’re all capable of using all five conflict‑handling styles.
However, most people use some more readily than others, develop more skills in using them, and therefore tend to rely on them more heavily.
UNDERSTAND WITH INSIGHT
Our cognitive preferences play a significant role in our preferred conflict management style.
Studies show the influence of Jung’s Attitudes (Introversion or Extraversion) and the Rational Functions (Thinking or Feeling) in the way we handle conflict.6,7,8,9
In 1977, Thomas and Kilmann looked at the results of their conflict style model in relation to personality and preference, using Jung’s Attitudes and Rational Functions.6
We have taken their research and developed a four colour conflict management approach, based on the Insights Discovery model, which underpins our YourBrand™ framework.
Our CONNECTING WITHOUT CONFLICT workshop, takes Insights uniquely into conflict, in an enjoyable, relevant, and motivating learning experience.
Whether you’re experienced with conflict, or perhaps avoid it like the plague, you’ll walk away with more tools in your conflict management toolbox. Guaranteed!
REFERENCES:
- CPP Inc. (2008). Global Human Capital Report: Workplace conflict and how businesses can harness it to thrive. (download).
- Moore, G.W. (1986). The mediation process: practical strategies for resolving conflict. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.
- Furlong, G.T. (2005). The conflict resolution toolbox: Models & maps for analyzing, diagnosing, and resolving conflict. Mississauga, Ontario: J. Wiley & Sons Canada.
- Kilmann, R.H., Thomas, K.W. (1977). Developing a forced-choice measure of conflict-handling behavior. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 37(2).
- Blake, R. R., Moulton, J. S. (1964). The managerial grid: The key to leadership excellence. Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing Co.
- Kilmann, R.H., Thomas, K.W. (1975). Interpersonal conflict-handling behavior as reflections of Jungian personality dimensions. Psychological Reports, 37(3).
- Johnson, A.K. (1997). Conflict-handling intentions and the MBTI: A construct validity study. Journal of Psychological Type, 43.
- Marion, L.A. (1995). Conflict management and personality type among community college executives. Dissertation Abstracts International, 56(5-A).
- Gupta, S. (2014). A study on the relationships between MBTI psychological types and MODE conflict styles. Asian Journal of Management Research, 5(1).
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