MANAGING CONFLICT

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INTRODUCTION-
 Conflict is generally defined as the internal or external discord that results from differences
in ideas, values, or feelings between two or more people. Because managers have
interpersonal relationships with people having a variety of different values, beliefs,
backgrounds, and goals, conflict is an expected outcome.
 Conflict is having different meanings to different persons. Some say conflict is a
disagreement between individuals/groups or may be viewed as a perception of disagreement
in the individuals.
 Conflict is also created when there are differences in economic and professional values and
when there is competition among professionals.
 Conflict occurs when a party in that conflict has a need and that need is not met. In conflicts
at least two parties are involved (individuals, groups, states, etc.). It seems that meeting the
need of one party is incompatible to meeting the need of the other party.
 Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while
increasing the positive aspects of conflict. The aim of conflict management is to enhance
learning and group outcomes, including effectiveness or performance in organizational
setting.
 Conflict is when two or more parties have opposing interests or goals and cannot reach a
mutually acceptable solution. Conflict can occur in various forms and settings, including
interpersonal relationships, organizational dynamics, and larger-scale political or
international relations.
DEFINITION OF CONFLICT-
 “Conflict is the appearance of difference, difference of opinions, of interests.”
“According to Follett”
 “Conflict is defined as opposition or dispute between persons, groups or ideas. Conflict is a
psychological state of mind when people are in a dilemma whether to do or not to do a thing,
is a state of conflict.”
“According to Joe Kelly”

 “Conflict can be defined as an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties,
who perceive that incompatible goals, scarce resources, or interference from others are
preventing them from achieving their goals.”
“According to Wilmot & Hocker, 2001”
 “A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or
is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.”
“According to Thomas”

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 “Conflict is any situation which two or more parties feel themselves in opposition. It is an
interpersonal process that arises from disagreements over the goals or the methods to
accomplish those goals.”
“According to Newstrom & Davis”

DEFINITION OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT-

 “Conflict management is the process of planning to avoid conflict where possible and
organizing to resolve conflict where it does happen, as rapidly and smoothly as possible.”
 “Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly,
fairly, and efficiently.”
 “Conflict Management is defined as “the opportunity to improve situations and strengthen
relationships”
 goals.
 “Conflict Management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while
increasing the positive ones. The aim to enhance learning and group outcomes, including
effectiveness or performance in an organizational setting.”

HISTORY OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

 Early 20th century, conflict was considered to be an indication of poor organizational

management, destructive & avoided at all costs.

 The theorists of this era believed conflict could be avoided if employee were taught the right
way to do things and if expressed employee dissatisfaction was disapproval.

 In the mid-20th century organizations recognized worker satisfaction &feedback were

important &accepted passively.so teaching focus on how to solve conflict rather than prevent
it.

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 The interactionist theorists of 1970s recognized necessity &actively encourage organizations
to promote conflict as producing growth.

 Nursing managers can no longer afford to respond to conflict traditionally (avoid, suppress),
because this is non-productive. In an era of shrinking healthcare dollars, it’s important for
managers to confront and manage conflict appropriately & have the ability to understand &
deal with it as a critical leadership skill.
CHANGING VIEWS OF CONFLICT -there are three views of conflict-
 Traditional View of Conflict-
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided.
 Human Relations View of Conflict-
The belief that conflicts is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group
 Interactionist View (modern view) of Conflict-
The belief that conflicts is not only a positive force in a group but that it is absolutely
necessary for a group to perform effectively
CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT-
1. Functional Conflict
2. Dysfunctional Conflict

1. Functional Conflict-(Positive) +
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its performance
Functional conflict outcomes
 Increased group performance
 Improved quality of decisions
 Stimulation of creativity and innovation
 Encouragement of interest and curiosity
 Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change
2. Dysfunctional Conflict-(Negative) -
Conflict that hinders group performance

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Dysfunctional Conflict Outcome
 Development of discontent
 Reduced group effectiveness
 Retarded communication
 Reduced group cohesiveness
 Infighting among group members overcomes group goals
CHARACTER OF CONFLICT –
 Conflict occurs when individuals are not able to choose among the available alternative
courses of action.
 Conflict between two individuals implies that they have conflicting perception, values and
goals.
 Conflict is a dynamic process as it indicates a series of events.
 Conflict must be perceived by the parties to it. If no one is aware of a conflict, then it is
generally agreed that no conflict exists.
COMMON CAUSES OF CONFLICT
1. Vertical conflict: Occurs between hierarchical levels
2. Horizontal conflict: Occurs between persons or groups at the same hierarchical level.
3. Line-staff conflict: Involves disagreements over who has authority and control over specific
matters
4. Role conflict: Occurs when the communication of task expectations proves inadequate or
upsetting
5. Work-flow interdependencies: Occur when people or units are required to cooperate to meet
challenging goals.
6. Domain ambiguities: Occurs when individuals or groups are placed in ambiguous situations
where it difficult to determine who is responsible for what.
7. Recourse scarcity: When resources are scarce, working relationships are likely to suffer.
8. Power or value asymmetries: Occurs when interdependent people or groups differ
substantially from one another in status and influence or in values.
SIGNS OF CONFLICT BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS
1. Colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each other
2. Contradicting and bad-mouthing one another
3. Deliberately undermining or not co-operating with each other, to the downfall of the team
LEVEL/TYPES OF CONFLICT-

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Conflict has been described and studied from the standpoint of its context, or where it occurs. 3
types of conflicts are-
1. Intrapersonal conflict
2. Interpersonal conflict
3. Organization conflict
1. Intrapersonal conflict:

An intrapersonal conflict occurs within an individual in situations in which he or she must

choose between two alternatives. Choosing one alternative means that he or she cannot have the
other, they are mutually exclusive.
E.g. we might internally debate whether to complete an assignment that is due the next day or
watch a favorite television programme.

2. Interpersonal conflict:

Conflict between two or more individuals. It occurs because of differing values, goals, action,
or perceptions.
For e.g. when you want to go to a science fiction movie, but your partner may prefer to attend
an opera. Interpersonal conflict becomes more difficult when we are involved in issues relating
to racial, ethnic and life style values and norms.

3.Organizational conflicts:

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Conflict also occurs in organization because of differing perceptions or goals. Organizational
conflicts may be intrapersonal or interpersonal, but they originate in the structure and function of
the organization. Typically, aspects of the organizations style of management, rules, policies and
procedures give rise to conflict.
Two areas responsible for conflict in organizations are role ambiguity and role conflict.

Role ambiguity
occurs when employees do not know what to do, how to do it, or what the outcomes must be.
This frequently occurs when policies and rules are ambiguous and unclear.

Role conflict
occurs when two or more individuals in different positions within the organization believe that
certain actions or responsibilities belong exclusively to them. The conflict could relate to
competition. E.g. In some hospitals, conflict have existed between the nurse and the social
workers about the responsibility for providing discharge planning. Both groups see discharge
planning as an important aspect of their own care of the patients.

STAGES OF CONFLICT-

1.Latent Conflict
 Latent means something exist, but not yet very noticeable,
 Participants in conflict not yet aware of conflict

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  the situation where there are differences of viewpoint and things, but these are not great
enough to upset the existing state
2.Perceived Conflict
 to notice or realize something, become aware or conscious
 Participants aware a conflict exists
3.Felt Conflict
Emotional involvement in conflict
Stress, anxiety, frustration
4.Manifest Conflict
 Manifest means to show something or to be shown clearly
 Conflict is open and can be observed
 Aggression, destroy, damage, obstruct, withdrawal etc.
 Conflict resolution mechanism should be adopted
5.Conflict Aftermath
 Aftermath means a situation that is the result of an important or unpleasant event
 Outcome of conflict, resolution or dissolution

OUTCOMES OF CONFLICT-

1. Win-Lose: We insist on getting our way without any regard to the other person.
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2. Lose-Win: We just give in to the other person even though we are very unhappy
with outcome.

3. Lose-Lose: Both people are unwilling to change their position and, in the end, this
results in an outcome that no one is happy with

4. Win-Win: Both people work to come up with a solution that they both feel good

TECHNIQUES OR SKILLS FOR MANAGING CONFLICT

The Thomas-Kilmann model suggests five modes that guide individuals in resolving conflicts.
Everyone handles conflict differently. Dealing with conflict effectively is a key management skill. The
5 conflict management styles are:

1. Competing (I win, you lose)

2. Accommodating (I lose, you win)

3. Avoiding (no winner, no looser)

4. Collaborating (We both “win”)

5. Compromising (I bend, you bend)

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1. Competition

This is a win/lose situation. One party attempt to win the conflict through dominance and power.

This approach is best used: -

 When all other methods have been tried (and failed).
 In emergency situations when quick, immediate and decisive action is called for.
 In situations where, unpopular changes need to be applied and discussion is not appropriate.
2.Accommodation

This is a lose/win situation. The accommodation approach is generally used when one party is willing to
forfeit their position.

It is best used in situations where:

One party wishes to indicate a degree of fairness.

People wish to encourage others to express their own opinion.
The issue or problem is more important to the other party concerned.
It is more important to safeguard the relationship rather than argue about the issue.
3.Avoidance

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This is a lose/lose situation. Neither party takes action to address the issues involved in the conflict,
meaning that it will remain unresolved.

This approach is best used: -

 If all concerned feel that the issue is a minor one and will be resolved in time without any fuss
 When the parties need a chance to cool down and spend time apart.
 If other people are able to resolve the conflict more effectively than the parties concerned.
 When more time is needed before thinking about dealing with the issues
 If the impact of dealing with the situation may be damaging to all parties involve.

4. Collaboration

This is a win/win situation. It is the most effective but most difficult way of managing differences. It
requires trust and commitment on all sides to reach a resolution by getting to the heart of the
problem. All parties need to be willing to empathize and try to understand each other’s situation.

Collaboration is most appropriate used: -

 When all parties are willing to investigate alternative solutions together that they may not
necessarily have thought of on their own.
 When trying to get to the source of problems that have continued for a long time.
 When upholding objectives that cannot be compromised on any side while still preserving the
relationship
 When parties from different backgrounds and experiences are involved.

5.Compromise

This is a win/lose – win/lose situation, i.e., everyone involved gains and losses through negotiation and
flexibility. Each will win some of what they desire while at the same time giving something up. The main
goal of this approach is to find common ground and maintain the relationship.

Compromise is best used: -

 To achieve an agreement when all parties have equal power.

 To reach a temporary resolution in more complicated matters.

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  To achieve a settlement when time or other circumstances are constrained
THE WAYS/POINTS FOR CONFLICT MANAGEMENT -

 Discipline-
In using discipline to manage or prevent conflict, the nurse manager must know and
understand the organization's rules and regulations on discipline. If they are not clear, the
nurse manager should seek help to clarify them.
 Consider life stage-
Most organizations will have nurses at all life stages in their employ. Conflict can be
managed by supporting individual nurses in attaining goals that pertain to their life stages.
Three developmental stages are as follow."
1. In general, in the young adult stage, nurses are establishing careers. Nurses at this stage
may be pursuing knowledge, skills, and upward mobility. Conflict may be prevented or
managed by facilitating career advancement.
2. In general, during middle age, nurses become reconciled with achievement of their life
goals. These nurses often help develop the careers of younger nurses.
3. In general, after age 55 years, nurses think in terms of completing their work and retiring.
Egos and ideals are integrated with accomplishments.

 Communication-
Communication is an art that is essential to maintaining a therapeutic environment. It is
necessary in accomplishing work and resolving emotional and social issues. Supervisors
prevent conflict with effective communication and should make it a way of life.

 Active listening-

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 Active or assertive listening is essential to managing conflict. In order to be sure that their
perceptions are correct, nurse managers can paraphrase what the angry or defiant employee is
saying. Paraphrasing clarifies the message for both.
 Assertiveness training-
Assertiveness training is a type of behavioral therapy or skills development program that
teaches individuals how to behave more boldly and self-confidently. An assertive person is a
strong advocate for their rights and the rights of others but avoids embodying abrasive
qualities, such as aggression, cockiness and ego.
 Assessing the dimensions of the conflict-
Greenhalgh's Conflict Diagnostic Model has seven dimensions, each with a continuum from
"difficult to resolve" to "easy to resolve." Once the dimensions of the conflict have been
assessed, those should be shifted to the easy-to-resolve domain.
 Issues in Question

 Size of the Stakes

 Interdependence of the Parties

 Continuity of Interaction

 . Structure of the Parities

 Involvement of Third Parties

 Perceived result of the conflict

CONCLUSION
 Conflict is a struggle or challenge between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs,
values or goals.
 Because managers have variety of interpersonal relationships with people with different
values, beliefs, backgrounds, and goals, conflict is an expected outcome
 Conflict theory has changed dramatically during the last 100years. Currently conflict is
viewed as neither good nor bad because it can produce growth or be destructive
depending on how to manage it
 Individuals should understand their own personal triggers to better deal with conflict
situation in the work place. Group members should think about other group member
early on to identify privately those individual and behaviors that may push their buttons.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. American Nurses Association. 600 Maryland Avenue, SW Suite 100 West Washington, D.
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2. Ashwill, Jean Weiler & Droske, Susan Colvert. (1997). Nursing Care of Children
Principles and Practice. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company. 

3.  Bettmann, E. H., & Moore, P. (1994). Conflict Resolution Programs and Social Justice.
Education and Urban Society, 27 (1), 11 -21. 
4. Rahim, M.A. (2002) Toward a theory of managing organizational conflict. The
International journal of conflict management,13,206-235.
5. http://foundationcoalition.org/publications/brochures/conflict.pdf
6. http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Comp-De/Conflict- Management-
and-Negotiation.html
7. http://www.scribd.com/doc/25304585/Functional-and-Dysfunctional-Conflicts
8. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_81.htm

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