Conflict management

Conflict Management Dr. Ghaiath M. Abas , MBBS FMOH-DGHPD

Conflict
“ You have to transform the conflict, not let it explode into violence nor suppress it”. "Gandhi:
“ Give the conflict back to the people - they are the best ones to solve it”
Niels Christie:

In this presentation
Conflict philosophy
definition of conflict
The differences between "competition" and "conflict"
Common causes of conflict
How to identify signs and stages of conflict
How to manage and resolve conflict situations
Conflict prevention

Conflict philosophy:
Conflicts exist always, and everywhere
Conflicts are a socially constructed reality
The destructive element of a conflict is not inevitable

What’s Conflict?
Conflicts are disagreements between two (or more) individuals that create tension in one or more individuals

"competition" or "conflict”?
"Competition" usually brings out the best in people, as they strive to be top in their field, whether in sport, community affairs, politics or work.
When competition becomes unfriendly or bitter, though, conflict can begin - and this can bring out the worst in people

Common causes of conflict
scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)
different attitudes, values or perceptions
disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests
poor communication
poor or inadequate organisational structure
lack of teamwork
lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities

Conflicts come in three main types:
intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Iinter-group
Each of the three conflict types builds upon one another to create the final problem

Conflict between individual
People have differing styles of communication, ambitions, political or religious views and different cultural backgrounds

Conflict between groups of people
Whenever people form groups, they tend to emphasise the things that make their group "better than" or "different from" other groups

Conflict within a group of people
Even within one organisation or team, conflict can arise from the individual differences or ambitions mentioned earlier; or from rivalry between sub-groups or factions.

Team development stages Forming Storming Norming Performing Closing

Factors influencing team building/effectiveness Task Individual Team

"Disputes of right" and "disputes of interest“…
"disputes of right", where people or groups are entitled by law, by contract, by previous agreement or by established practice to certain rights.
A dispute of rights is, therefore, usually settled by legal decision or arbitration and not by negotiation

"Disputes of right" and "disputes of interest“…cont.
"disputes of interest", where the conflict may be a matter of opinion, such as where a person or group is entitled to some resources or privileges (such as access to property, better working conditions, etc).
Because there is no established law or right, a dispute of interest will usually be solved through collective bargaining or negotiation

Signs of conflict between individuals
colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each other
contradicting and bad-mouthing one another
deliberately undermining or not co-operating with each other, to the downfall of the team

Signs of conflict between groups of people
cliques or factions meeting to discuss issues separately, when they affect the whole organisation
one group being left out of organising an event which should include everybody
groups using threatening slogans or symbols to show that their group is right and the others are wrong

The four steps to conflict resolution

How to manage and resolve conflict situations?
Collective bargaining :
it is necessary to have agreed mechanisms to collectively discuss and resolve issues
that this is far better than avoidance or withdrawal, and puts democratic processes in place to achieve "integrative problem solving"

How to manage and resolve conflict situations…cont.
Conciliation
"the act of procuring good will or inducing a friendly feeling"
This is usually attempted before the more serious step of a strike by workers or a lock-out by management is taken

GROUND RULES FOR EFFECTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Keep interactions respectful, even when feeling frustrated or hurt.
Maintain emotional control, even when feeling angry.
Keep interactions on "hot topics" within a structured process.
Using formalized process, e.g. a planned negotiation, or mediation
Show a willingness to understand. If others feel understood and acknowledged, they are more likely to collaborate

GROUND RULES FOR EFFECTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Communicate honestly and openly.
Be as objective as possible. Avoid speculation, rumors, and assumptions.
Express concerns in a constructive manner.
Focus on future solutions rather than past blame.
Look for solutions that meet everyone's needs; find common ground or shared interests.

Conflict prevention
Avoid confrontation sometimes
Force your opinion sometimes in order to move forward
Bend off sometimes
Compromise
Assess level of satisfaction in the group with a decision
Put your self in others place
Be including – as for other peoples input

Conflict prevention …cont.
Listen actively
Let people finish talking – don’t interrupt
Be respectful to other people and other opinions
Be aware of your body language – what are you signalling
Demonstrate good will
Have a positive attitude
Be flexible
Give constructive critic / feedback

Ways to hurt people:
Refuse to listen
Refuse to realise that the other has more information to base her opinion on than you
Rude or aggressive behaviour leading to a “fight or flight” situation
Intentional attempts to hurt, blame, threaten, mock or otherwise offend

References & Suggested Readings
Presentation on Conflict Management. CBS by Dr. Maysoon Altigani.
http://www.crnhq.org/
http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/onlinetraining/resolution/index.asp
http://www.conflictresolution.com/

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION
Any Questions Please!

Conflict management

by Ghaiath Hussein on Oct 16, 2010

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Conflict management — Presentation Transcript