Conflict Management

1. Conflict Management

2. Overview • Bomb Shelter Exercise • Conflict Sources • Filley’s Antecedents • Conflict Management Styles • Situational Considerations • Four Steps of Conflict Management

3. Bomb Shelter Exercise • 15 people are in a nuclear bomb shelter after a nuclear attack • These 15 are the last on earth • It will take 2 wks for radiation levels to reach safe levels • Food & supplies can only sustain 7 people for 2 wks • Pick the 7 who will survive

4. Bomb Shelter Exercise • Dr. Dane. African-American, 35, married, one child (Bobby), no religious affiliation, PhD in history, college professor, good health, active physically, enjoys politics. • Mrs. Dane. White, Jewish, 38, BS and MS in psychology, counselor in a mental health clinic, good health, one child (Bobby), active in community activities. • Bobby Dane. Mixed white and African American, Jewish, 10, attended special education classes for 4 years, mentally retarded, IQ of 70, good health, enjoys pets. • Mrs. Garcia. Hispanic, 33, raised Catholic, 9th grade education, exotic dancer, prostitute, good health, in a foster home as a child, was attacked by foster father at age of 12, ran away from home, returned to reformatory where she stayed until 16, has a child, 3 weeks old (Jean). • Jean Garcia. Three weeks old, Hispanic, good health, nursing.

5. Bomb Shelter Exercise • Mrs. Evans. African-American, 32, Protestant, BA and MA in elementary education, teacher, divorced with one child (Mary), good health, outstanding teacher, enjoys working with children. • Mary Evans., African-American , 8, Protestant, 3rd grade, excellent student, good health. • John Jacobs. Asian, 13, Protestant, 8th grade, honor student, good health. • Mr. Newton. White, 26, atheist, starting last year of medical school, known to have homosexual tendencies, good health, and wears “freaky” clothes. • Mrs. Clark. White, 26, Protestant, college graduate in electrical engineering, married, no children, good health, enjoys outdoors sports, grew up in the inner-city.

6. Bomb Shelter Exercise • Sister Mary Kathleen. A white nun, 35, college graduate, English major, middle-class American, and in good health. • Mr. Black. White, 51, Mormon, high school graduate, mechanic, "Mr Fix it," married, and in good health. • Miss Harris, Hispanic, 21, Protestant, college senior, nursing major, likes people, good health, enjoys outdoor sports. • Father Flanagan. African-American, 37, Catholic, college, seminary experience, priest, active in civil rights activities, criticized for his liberal views, good health, former college athlete. • Dr. Lee. Asian-American, 66, MD, general practitioner, has had two heart attacks in the past 5 years, but continues to practice medicine.

7. Conflict Sources • Personal Differences • Daily experiences are not judged on a common set of values • Conflicts tend to be emotionally charged • “People-focused” rather than “issue-focused” • Informational Deficiencies • Instructions may be interpreted differently • More factual & straightforward • Not about values & do not involve emotions

8. Conflict Sources • Role Incompatibility • Different entities have different goals • A common superior usually has to mediate • Environmental Stress • Shortage of resources • Uncertainty

9. Filley’s Antecedents • Ambiguous jurisdictions • Conflict of interest • Communications barriers • Over-dependency of one party • Differentiation in organization • Association of the parties • Need for consensus • Behavior regulations • Unresolved prior conflicts

10. Conflict Management Styles • Forcing • Accommodating • Avoiding • Compromising • Collaborating

11. Forcing High Assertiveness Low Assertiveness Forcing Concern for Self Concern for Others Low Cooperation High Cooperation Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

12. Accommodating High Assertiveness Low Assertiveness Forcing Concern for Self Accommodating Concern for Others Low Cooperation High Cooperation Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

13. Avoiding High Assertiveness Low Assertiveness Forcing Concern for Self Avoiding Accommodating Concern for Others Low Cooperation High Cooperation Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

14. Compromising High Assertiveness Low Assertiveness Forcing Concern for Self Compromising Avoiding Accommodating Concern for Others Low Cooperation High Cooperation Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

15. Collaborating High Assertiveness Low Assertiveness Forcing Collaborating Concern for Self Compromising Avoiding Accommodating Concern for Others Low Cooperation High Cooperation Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

16. Situational Considerations • How important is the disputed issue? • How important is the relationship? • How large is the power gap? • How quickly should the parties settle the dispute?

17. 4 Steps of Conflict Management • Diagnosing the sources of conflict & circumstances • Selecting the appropriate conflict management strategy • Implementing the strategy • Seeing a conflict through to successful outcome

18. Summary • Bomb Shelter Exercise • Conflict Sources • Filley’s Antecedents • Conflict Management Styles • Situational Considerations • Four Steps of Conflict Management