The document discusses different styles for handling conflicts: avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration. It provides examples of each style using scenarios from the TV show Top Gear. Avoidance is ignoring the conflict, accommodation is allowing others to have their way, competition is trying to control the situation, compromise involves all parties sacrificing something, and collaboration finds a win-win solution. The best approach depends on the specific situation.

1. Conflict Styles By Michael Rheaume

2. Conflict Styles Most people have a default style of handling conflicts, but it may not work in all situations Avoidance (Lose-Lose) Accommodation (Lose-Win) Competition (Win-Lose) Compromise (Negotiated Lose-Lose) Collaboration (Win-Win)

3. Avoidance Ignoring and staying away from conflict Physical avoidance Staying away from argument Conversational Changing topics or believing that there is no problem

4. Avoidance Media Top Gear Cool Wall Top Gear is a show about cars and strictly about cars. Presenter Richard Hammond wants to add a motorcycle to the Cool Wall, which displays the cars they think are cool, and the other presenter Jeremy Clarkson decides that instead of negotiating where it should go, that it should be cut in half with a chainsaw. He is avoiding the issue because he thinks of it as having no importance.

5. Accommodation Allow others to have their way rather than asserting thier own Can enhance relationship if it is an act of kindness, love, or generosity

6. Competition Opposite of accommodation The need to control a situation Often breeds aggression Passive Aggression Expression of dissatisfaction in a disguised manner No direct confrontation (Ex. Sigh, facial expression, sarcasm) Direct Aggression Attacks source of displeasure Direct confrontation (Ex. Teasing, threats, verbal attacks)

7. Competition Media Top Gear Cool Wall The cool wall again displays a conflict where Richard Hammond thinks a car should be on the cool side, but Jeremy Clarkson disagrees. It shifts from cool to uncool several times and Hammonds determinability made Clarkson stop arguing. If the would have opposite happened and Hammond let it be uncool, then it would be accommodation.

8. Compromise Both get some of what they want, but both sacrifice part of what they want A good compromise will leave nobody unhappy

9. Collaboration Solution that satisfies every ones needs Find a solution without any compromises Not always possible Happens rarely

10. Which To Use? There is no one best way or a single style that would work for all situations If your boss tells you to do something, you are going to accommodate his needs whether or not you want to In a court of law you want to use competition and not collaboration unless plea bargaining would prove to be the best solution

11. Test Question In the following clip, what kind of conflict style is used when they decided what to modify first? (Skip to minute 4) Top Gear A. Avoidance B. Competition C. Collaboration D. Compromise

12. Answer D A form of compromise was used. James May (long hair) wants to upgrade suspension on the car to achieve their goal, but Jeremy Clarkson wants to put more power. After an argument James may recommends upgrading the brakes rather than suspension or power and no one initially disagreed. Lose/Lose