Interpersonal Interpersonal Conflict Analysis Conflict Analysis and Resolutionand Resolution

Arumit Kayastha

Saurav Raj Shashank

Trivedi Gokul Raj

IntroductionIntroductionAn expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive:•Incompatible goals•Scarce resources •Interference from the other party in achieving their goals.

Interpersonal Interpersonal ConflictConflict• Conflict between two or more

people.

• Individual differences create interpersonal conflicts.

• Wide differences are noticed between people in terms of personalities, values and attitudes.

Sources of interpersonal Sources of interpersonal conflicts:conflicts:

• Personal differencesBecause of different background, education, experience and values.

• Information deficiencyDue to communication

break down.

• Role incompatibilityIn interfunctional organizations,

due to interdependency of various functions and tasks given to different persons.

• Environmental StressCaused by scarce or shrinking resources, downsizing, competitive pressures and high degrees of uncertainty.

Analysis:Analysis:

Confrontation analysis is done through the response categories of:•Forcing •Avoiding •Accommodating•Compromising •Collaborating

Johari WindowJohari Window• Based on four types of interactive

forms of interpersonal behaviour. • The term ‘Self’ refers to ‘Me’ and

‘Others’ to ‘You’.

•Open Self: In this form of interactive cell, the person knows both about oneself and other.

•Hidden Self: This is the situation in which person knows about oneself but does not know about the other one.

•Blind Self: This situation is opposite of hidden self. Person knows about other person but does not know about himself or herself.

•Undiscovered Self: In this situation, the person neither knows himself or herself nor the other person.

Strategies for Strategies for interpersonal conflict interpersonal conflict resolutionsresolutions

• Lose-lose• Win-lose• Win-win

WIN

-LOSE

WIN

-WIN

LOSE-LOSE

LOSE-LOSELOSE-LOSE• In a lose-lose approach to conflict

resolution, both parties lose.• Less desirable strategy. • It has been pointed out that this

approach can take several forms:• Compromise• Pay-Off• Arbitrator• Bureaucratic Rules

• Less desirable strategy.

WIN-LOSEWIN-LOSE• One party marshal its forces to

win and the other loses.• There is a clear we-they

distinction between the parties.• The emphasis is on solutions

rather than on the attainment of goals, values, or objectives.

• The parties take a short-run view of the issues.

WIN-WINWIN-WIN

• Needs of both parties are met and both win.

• Energies and creativity are aimed at solving the problems rather than beating the other party.

• Associated with better judgments, favourable organization experience and more favourable bargains.

Personal styles for Personal styles for conflict managementconflict management

• Avoidance• Accommodation• Domination• Compromise• Integration

AvoidanceAvoidance• Avoidance is a deliberate

decision to sidestep a conflictful issue, postpone or withdraw from a conflict situation.

• In certain situations, it may be appropriate to avoid a conflict.

• Avoidance conflict can be very functional when the issue involved in the conflict is trivial.

AccommodationAccommodation• In this style, one party is willing

to self-sacrifice in the interest of the other party.

• Over-reliance on accommodation is dangerous.

• May lead to frustration and in turn loss of self-esteem.

DominationDomination• This style is characterized by high

assertion and low co-operation.

• One tries to meet one’s goals at the cost of other party’s expense.

• May cause reluctance in admitting even in false decisions.

• He may find himself surrounded by people who are afraid to disagree with him.

CompromiseCompromise• It is intermediate on both the

assertiveness and co-operativeness.

• Each party is willing to give up something to reach a solution to the conflict.

• “Give and take” policy dominates the behaviour of the conflicting parties.

• Compromising becomes an effective style when efforts toward collaboration have failed.

IntegrationIntegration• This style is marked by both high

assertiveness and cooperativeness.

• It attempts to satisfy the needs of both the parties.

• It is based on “win-win” style thus results in emergence of a creative solution of the joint efforts of both the parties.

Guidelines to be Guidelines to be followedfollowed• Model the attitude.• Identify the sources of conflict.• Focus on task not on

personalities.• Address conflict in timely way.• Learn from conflict.• Avoid fight or flight response.• Be cool and analyze the situation.

BibliographyBibliography• Organizational Behaviour

J W Newstrom• Organizational Behaviour

Fred Luthans• http://www.introtoob.com/textboo

k/introtoob/chapter7/

• http://www.theglobeandmail.com/