This document discusses the nature and causes of organizational conflict, as well as strategies for managing conflict. It defines functional and dysfunctional conflict, and examines the importance of emotional intelligence and conflict management skills for managers. Various forms of intra- and interpersonal conflict are described. Effective conflict management involves understanding power dynamics, defense mechanisms, and using cooperative problem-solving approaches like integrating interests rather than competing. Creating a conflict-positive culture values diversity and empowerment.

1. Nature of Organizational
Conflict
Conflict – any situation in which
incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions,
or behaviors lead to disagreement or
opposition between two or more parties
Functional Conflict – a healthy,
constructive disagreement between two
or more people
Dysfunctional Conflict – an unhealthy,
destructive disagreement between two
or more people

2. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Emotional intelligence –
• the power to control one’s
emotions
• perceive emotions in others
• adapt to change
• manage adversity

3. Importance of Conflict
Management Skills
“As managers we spend
about 21% of our time
dealing with conflict.”
• Conflict management skills predict
managerial success
• High Emotional Intelligence (EI) needed
to manage conflict
• EI is valid across cultures

4. Consequences of Conflict
Positive Negative
Consequences Consequences
Leads to new ideas Diverts energy from work
Threatens psychological
Stimulates creativity
well-being
Motivates change Wastes resources
Promotes organizational
Creates a negative climate
vitality
Helps individuals and groups
Breaks down group cohesion
establish identities
Serves as a safety valve to Can increase hostility and
indicate problems aggressive behaviors

5. Diagnosing Conflict
• Examine the issue
• Analyze the context
• Know the parties involved

6. Causes of Conflict
in Organizations
Structural Factors Personal Factors
• Specialization • Skills and abilities
• Interdependence • Personalities
• Common resources • Perceptions
• Goal differences • Values and ethics
• Authority relationships • Emotions
• Status inconsistencies • Communication barriers
• Jurisdictional ambiguities • Cultural differences

7. Forms of Conflict
in Organizations
Interorganizational Conflict – conflict that
occurs between two or more
organizations
Intergroup Conflict – conflict that occurs
between groups or teams in an
organization
Intragroup Conflict – conflict that occurs
within groups or teams

8. Forms of Conflict
in Organizations
Interpersonal Conflict – conflict that
occurs between two or more individuals
Intrapersonal Conflict – conflict that
occurs within an individual

9. Managing Interpersonal
Conflict
• Understand power networks
• Recognize defense mechanisms
• Develop strategies to deal with
difficult people

10. Forms of
Intrapersonal Conflict
Interrole Conflict – a person’s experience of
conflict among the multiple roles in his/her life
Intrarole Conflict – conflict that occurs within a
single role, such as when a person receives
conflicting messages from role senders about
how to perform a certain role
Person–role Conflict – conflict that occurs when
an individual is expected to perform behaviors
in a certain role that conflict with his/her
personal values

11. Resolving Intrapersonal
Conflict
• Use self-analysis
• Diagnose the situation; ask
• Does the organization values match
my own?
• Ask role senders what is expected
• Use political skills to buffer
negative effects of role conflict
stress

12. An Organizational
Member’s Role Set
Outside the
organization Inside the organization
Superior
Client Supervisor Superior role
senders
Peer
Supplier Focal Colleague role
Role
senders
Potential Employee Employee Employee Employee’s Employee
employee 1 2 3 colleagues role
senders
Boundary of the organization
SOURCE: J. C. Quick, J. D. Quick, D. L. Nelson, & J. J. Hurrell, Jr. Preventative Stress Management in Organizations, 1997. Copyright © 1997 by the American
Psychological Association. Reprinted by permission.

13. Power Relationships in
Organizations
Types of Power Behavioral Tendencies Examples of
Relationships and Problems Interventions
Equal vs. equal Suboptimization Define demarcation lines
Competition Integrate units
Covert fighting Teach negotiating skills
Constant friction
High vs. low Control vs. autonomy Bureaucratize power
Resistance to change through rules
Motivation problems Use a different leadership
style
High vs. middle Role conflict, role Improve communication
vs. low ambiguity, stress Clarify tasks
Concessions Teach power strategies
Doubletalk
SOURCE: W. F. G. Mastenbroek, Conflict Management and
Use of sanctions and Organizational Development, 1987. Copyright John Wiley & Sons
Limited. Reproduced with permission.
rewards

14. Defense Mechanisms
Aggressive Mechanisms
Fixation – an individual keeps up a
dysfunctional behavior that obviously will
not solve the conflict
Displacement – an individual directs his or
her anger toward someone who is not the
source of the conflict
Negativism – a person responds with
pessimism to any attempt at solving a
problem

15. Defense Mechanisms
Compromise Mechanisms
Compensation – an individual attempts to
make up for a negative situation by
devoting himself/herself to another pursuit
with increased vigor
Identification – an individual patterns his or
her behavior after another’s
Rationalization – a compromise mechanism
characterized by trying to justify one’s
behavior by constructing bogus reasons
for it

16. Defense Mechanisms
Withdrawal Mechanisms
Flight/Withdrawal – entails physically
escaping a conflict (flight) or
psychologically escaping (withdrawal)
Conversion – emotional conflicts are
expressed in physical symptoms
Fantasy – provides an escape from a
conflict through daydreaming

17. Win–Lose versus Win–Win
Strategies
Strategy Dept. A Dept. B Organization
Competitive Lose Lose Lose
Lose Win Lose
Win Lose Lose
Cooperative Win– Win– Win

18. Ineffective Techniques for
Dealing with Conflict
Nonaction
Character
Assassination Secrecy
Conflict
Due Process
Nonaction Administrative
Orbiting

19. Effective Techniques for
Dealing with Conflict
Superordinate Goals
Confronting Expanding
and Resources
Negotiating Conflict
Changing Changing
Structure Personnel

20. Negotiation
• Negotiation – a joint process of
finding a mutually acceptable
solution to a complex conflict
• Two or more people involved
• Conflict of interest exists
• Willing to negotiate for a better outcome
• Parties prefer to work together

21. Approaches to Negotiation
Distributive Bargaining –
the goals of the parties are
in conflict, and each party
seeks to maximize its
resources

22. Approaches to Negotiation
Integrative Negotiation –
focuses on the merits of the
issues and seeks a win–win
solution

23. Conflict Management Styles
Avoiding – deliberate decision to take no
action on a conflict or to stay out of a
conflict
Accommodating – concern that the
other party’s goals be met but relatively
unconcerned with getting own way
Competing – satisfying own interests;
willing to do so at other party’s expense

24. Conflict Management Styles
Compromising – each party gives
up something to reach a solution
Collaborating – arriving at a
solution agreeable to all through
open and thorough discussion

25. Conflict Management Styles
Assertive Competing Collaborating
Assertiveness
(Desire to satisfy one’s
own concerns) Compromising
Unassertive Avoiding Accommodating
Uncooperative Cooperative
Cooperativeness
(Desire to satisfy another’s concerns)
SOURCE: K. W. Thomas, “Conflict and Conflict Management,” in M. D. Dunnette, Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, (Chicago: Rand McNally,
1976), 900. Used with permission of M. D. Dunnette.

26. Creating a
Conflict-Positive Organization
Value diversity
and confront
differences
Seek mutual
Take stock to
benefits, and unite
reward success Conflict behind
and learn from Positive cooperative goals
mistakes
Empower employees
to feel confident
and skillful

27. 3 Organizational
Views of Conflict
Competitive
conflict Belittle
differences
Seek
Suspect win–lose
situation
Blame
SOURCE: The Conflict-Positive Organization by Tjsovold, © 1991. Reprinted by permission of Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, N.J.

28. 3 Organizational
Views of Conflict
Avoidance of
conflict Evade
differences
Reduce
Despair risks
Withdraw
SOURCE: The Conflict-Positive Organization by Tjsovold, © 1991. Reprinted by permission of Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, N.J.

29. 3 Organizational
Views of Conflict
Positive
conflict Value
diversity
Seek
Take mutual
Stock benefit
Empower
SOURCE: The Conflict-Positive Organization by Tjsovold, © 1991. Reprinted by permission of Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, N.J.

30. Conflict Management Tools
d uce s
t o re toxin
l i ty l
Abi ationa
aniz
org l
m otiona
High e ence
intellig
Negotiation skills