Conflicts are inevitable in any organization because there can be cultural and philosophical differences among members, as well as divergent goals. And if these conflicts are mismanaged, it can lead to loss of trust and productivity.
There are five commonly practiced techniques in dealing with conflicts, and below is a brief explanation of each strategy:
Accommodating/Smoothing
The accommodating strategy aims to acquiesce to the concerns or desires of the opposing side. However, this is only recommended when either of the parties is willing to give up on his own interests.
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Avoiding/Withdrawing
This is done when one party decides to not address the conflict by withdrawing from it or postponing his involvement in the hope that the problem would be resolved by such a decision.
Collaborating/Win-Win
Most often the best alternative, collaborating seeks to satisfy the concerns of opposing parties through working on the conflict together. Multiple ideas are integrated, and the decisions implemented should be mutually beneficial.
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Compromising
If an optimal solution to the conflict cannot be achieved within the time constraint, a compromise can instead be reached through the formulation of a mutually acceptable, if not agreeable, decision. This strategy works best whenever the conflicting parties hold similar power or authority in the organization.
Competing/Forcing
This strategy is considered a zero-sum game because one of the parties gets what he wants, while the other “loses.” This technique is typically applied when there are crisis situations and company decisions that would inevitably generate ill-will among some people.
Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch has been in the business world long enough to know that learning new skills and concepts is never a waste of time for leaders. Follow this Facebook page for more similar articles.
