University of Petru MaiorTrgu MureDepartment of Sciences and Letters

Dealing with conflicts

Student:Pasc Vlad-AlexandruCoordinator:Nicolae Cristina

LMA 1

Table of Contents

1. Clarifying confusion about conflict2. Four types of conflict 3. 10 tips and tactics for dealing with conflict4. Bibliography

Dealing with conflicts

My aim in this study is to raise some awareness, about how to resolve a conflict, within my colleagues. To do so, using the information from three articles I've found online, I am going to briefly describe what a conflict is, the kinds of conflicts that can occur in one person's life and how to succeed in solving them.In this first part, as Mr. Carter McNamara[footnoteRef:2] says in his article, How to Deal With Conflict, let's see what is the exact meaning of conflict. [2: Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, How to Deal With Conflict, available online at: managementhelp.org/interpersonal/conflict.htm.]

1.Clarifying confusion about conflictConflict occurs with two or more people who, despite their first attempts at agreement, do not yet have agreement on a course of action, usually because their values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature. Conflict can occur:1. Within yourself when you are not living according to your values.2. When your values and perspectives are threatened.3. When there is discomfort from fear of the unknown or from lack of fulfillment.Conflict is inevitable and often necessary when forming high-performing teams because they evolve through form, storm, norm and perform periods. Getting the most out of diversity often means addressing contradictory values, perspectives and opinions. Conflict is often needed. It: Helps to raise and address problems. Energizes work to be focused on the most important priorities. Helps people be real and motivates them to fully participate. Helps people learn how to recognize and benefit from their differences.Conflict is not the same as discomfort. The conflict is not the problem poor management of the conflict is the problem. Conflict is a problem when it: Hampers productivity. Lowers morale. Causes more and continued conflicts. Causes inappropriate behaviors.Types of Managerial Actions That Cause Workplace Conflicts:1. Poor communications Employees experience continual surprises, for example, they are not informed of major decisions that affect their workplaces and lives. Employees do not understand the reasons for the decisions they are not involved in the decision-making. As a result, they trust the rumor mill more than their management.2. The alignment or the amount of resources is insufficient. There is: Disagreement about who does what. Stress from working with inadequate resources.3.Personal chemistry, including conflicting values or actions, for example: Strong interpersonal natures among workers do not seem to match. We do not like others because they seem too much like ourselves (we often do not like in others what we do not like in ourselves).4. Leadership problemsFor example, inconsistent, missing, too-strong or uninformed leadership (at any level in the organization), evidenced by: Avoiding conflict, passing the buck with little follow-through on decisions. Employees see the same continued issues in the workplace. Supervisors do not understand the jobs of their subordinates.

As you can see, there can be different situations in which conflict can arise. Now, to go further we will see what Brad Evans[footnoteRef:3] has to say, in his article Types of Conflict Four Classifications, about conflict types. [3: Brad Evans , Types of Conflict Four Classifications, August 16, 2013, available online at: http://www.typesofconflict.org/types-of-conflict.]

2.Four types of conflict When you think of the differenttypes of conflict, you might instantly think of the ones referred to in literature, especially in fiction. They can be applied to real life, of course. However, there aretypes of conflictwhich are easily identifiable in our contemporary times.Before going any further, let us first give a brief description of whatconflictis. There are actually a lot of ways to define conflict due to how it is used in many areas. Hence, to keep it simple for the layman, conflict pertains to the opposing ideas and actions of different entities, thus resulting in an antagonistic state. Conflict is an inevitable part of life. Each of us possesses our own opinions, ideas and sets of beliefs. We have our own ways of looking at things and we act according to what we think is proper. Hence, we often find ourselves in conflict in different scenarios; may it involve other individuals, groups of people, or a struggle within our own selves. Consequently, conflict influences our actions and decisions in one way or another.Conflict is classified into the following four types: Interpersonal conflictrefers to a conflict between two individuals. This occurs typically due to how people are different from one another. We have varied personalities which usually results to incompatible choices and opinions. Apparently, it is a natural occurrence which can eventually help in personal growth or developing your relationships with others. In addition, coming up with adjustments is necessary for managing this type of conflict. However, when interpersonal conflict gets too destructive, calling in amediatorwould help so as to have it resolved. Intrapersonal conflictoccurs within an individual. The experience takes place in the persons mind. Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the individuals thoughts, values, principles and emotions. Interpersonal conflict may come in different scales, from the simpler mundane ones like deciding whether or not to go organic for lunch to ones that can affect major decisions such as choosing a career path. Furthermore, this type of conflict can be quite difficult to handle if you find it hard to decipher your inner struggles. It leads to restlessness and uneasiness, or can even cause depression. In such occasions, it would be best to seek a way to let go of the anxiety through communicating with other people. Eventually, when you find yourself out of the situation, you can become more empowered as a person. Thus, the experience evoked a positive change which will help you in your own personal growth. Intragroup conflictis a type of conflict that happens among individuals within a team. The incompatibilities and misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an intragroup conflict. It is arises from interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team members have different personalities which may lead to tension) or differences in views and ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of the team might find the notions presented by the one presiding to be erroneous due to their differences in opinion). Within a team, conflict can be helpful in coming up with decisions which will eventually allow them to reach their objectives as a team. However, if the degree of conflict disrupts harmony among the members, then some serious guidance from a different party will be needed for it to be settled. Intergroup conflicttakes place when a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an organization. For instance, the sales department of an organization can come in conflict with the customer support department. This is due to the varied sets of goals and interests of these different groups. In addition, competition also contributes for intergroup conflict to arise. There are other factors which fuel this type of conflict. Some of these factors may include a rivalry in resources or the boundaries set by a group to others which establishes their own identity as a team.Conflict may seem to be a problem to some, but this isnt how conflict should be perceived. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for growth and can be an effective means of opening up among groups or individuals. However, when conflict begins to draws back productivity and gives way to more conflicts, then conflict management would be needed to come up with a resolution.Moving on, let us learn how John M. McKee[footnoteRef:4], the founder and CEO ofBusinessSuccessCoach.net, an international consulting and coaching practice with subscribers in 43 countries, proposes to act during some difficult situations, as the ones described above, in his article from the 10Tips blog. [4: John McKee,10 Things,September 3, 2009, available online at: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-tips-and-tactics-for-dealing-with-conflict.]

3. 10 tips and tactics for dealing with conflictA little common sense and preemptive action can defuse conflicts before they get out of hand. These tips will help you manage and resolve touchy situations.

One of the most important skills you can learn and develop is how to deal successfully with conflict. Successful individuals seem to have an inherent understanding of what causes conflicts and how to resolve them quickly. For others, however, it's much harder.During his 30 years in executive suites and boardrooms, he has worked with people at all levels, in a wide swath of industries and across many countries. During those periods, he has learned that the best conflict managers often employ a few common approaches to prevent or overcome potential issues before they become major obstacles.Use the following tips and tactics in your professional as well as your personal life. It could help you to become one those great "conflict resolution experts" that others may call on for help.1: Ask questionsConflict can arise due topoor communication-- someone didn't say what they meant to say or perhaps misstated what was intended. Before you allow an escalation, ask questions. It won't cause any loss of face, and may result in a quick resolution.2: Analyze expectationsOften, conflicts develop as a result ofunmet expectationson one side. If the other party -- expected something they didn't get or something that didn't happen, the whole conversation can become negative and closed. If a conversation seems to be getting rocky, take a step back and review together with the other person to try to uncover what just occurred.3: Recognize differing perspectivesKeep in mind that conflict may arise due to people havingdifferent perceptions. You, or the other person, saw things differently. This happens most frequently when one is dealing with someone from another organization, background, or culture. It's easy to believe that we all see things the same way and then get derailed unexpectedly.4. Identify mistakesHonest and unintended mistakesfrequently result in conflict. Before you let temperatures rise, do a reality check of your understanding with the other person(s). Mistakes, even small ones, can erode one's credibility -- someone made a mistake.5: Watch out for emotional triggersBeware of emotions. Fear of someone or somebody, loss of face, whether real or perceived, anger, and surprisingly even excitement can all result in unintended conflict, which may cause your interaction to go downhill.

6: Focus on preventing escalationConflict resolutions always start with one or both parties makingan honest attempt at avoiding further escalation. This recognition, even if only by one of those involved, often causes a more objective review to occur.7: Take action to control the situationEscalation-avoidance tactics may involve one of more key steps including separating the parties, changing the location of the discussion, signaling empathy to the other involved.8: Commit to working it outTake charge of the processby committing to reach a resolution. A powerful impact occurs when one person makes this statement. It can turn down the temperature immediately.9: De-escalate the conflictDe-escalation is next: This can be accomplished with a joint statement of the facts at hand, always eliminating exaggerations, embellishments or personalities, which may inadvertently apply judgments and re-created the cycle of escalation.10: Stay calmCooler heads prevail in even the most difficult conflicts. Whether you're in a business or personal situation, you can take control of it by keeping cool. And when you're maintaining your calm, it will be easier for others involved to get back to the task at hand.In the end, to conclude what has been said above, we just have to keep in mind that every conflict can reach a resolution, if we just take the right steps in resolving it, keep our calm and commit to reaching a common end.

Bibliography:

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, How to Deal With Conflict, available online at: managementhelp.org/interpersonal/conflict.htm. Brad Evans , Types of Conflict Four Classifications, August 16, 2013, available online at: http://www.typesofconflict.org/types-of-conflict. John McKee,10 Things,September 3, 2009, available online at: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-tips-and-tactics-for-dealing-with-conflict.