Conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties

OR: A battle, contest or opposing forces existing between primitive desires and moral, religious or ethical ideas ( Webster’s Dictionary)

OR: A state of incompatibility of ideas between two or more parties or individuals

A conflict is an inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more characters or forces.

OR: Any discontent or dissatisfaction that affects the organizational performance

OR: It is a painful state or condition of an individual where he/she experiences an intense emotional tension as a result one having to choose between two equally desirable or equally undesirable goals which are contradictory in nature.

OR; is a simultaneous occurrence of two opposing ideas between two individuals or within the same individual.

OR: A conflict means a painful emotional state, which results from a tension between opposed and contradictory wishes. (Douglas and Holland)

NB: A Conflict is a natural and inevitable part of human social relationship that occurs at all levels of society as a result of differences in opinion or wishes

NB: Conflict is not the same as a problem. It only becomes a problem after failing to resolve it.

In many cases, conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We’ve all seen situations where different people with different goals and needs have come into conflict.

The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth.

In many cases, effective conflict resolution can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes.

Classification of conflict

• Motivational conflict
• Interpersonal conflict
• Intrapersonal conflict
• Internal and External conflict

Motivational conflict

It results from the simultaneous occurrence of desires which cannot all be achieved. It is divided into the following categories

• Approach – approach conflict
• Avoidance – avoidance conflict
• Approach – avoidance
• Multiple approach – avoidance conflict

Approach – approach conflict

It is the conflict that occurs when a person is forced with two attractive alternatives, while only one of them can be selected i.e. an individual is at the intersection of two options in that as soon as something happens either to change his direction or location slightly he will move towards one of the goals. E.g. there are two courses that you want to take, but they are scheduled for the sometime. Approach – approach conflicts are usually easy to resolve but they become serious, if the choice of one alternative means losing of an extremely attractive alternative.

Avoidance – avoidance conflict

It arises when a person faces two undesirable situations and avoidance of one exposes you to the other. These types of conflicts are very difficult to resolve and create intense emotions. For example, a woman trying to choose between continuing with an unwanted pregnancy and getting an abortion done (she may morally be opposed to abortion.)

Approach – avoidance conflicts

It is a type of conflict that exists when one event or activity has both attractive and attractive features. The result is continuing oscillation between approach and avoidance creating a great deal of emotional conflict and stress for example someone who wants to have his wedding on the ocean

yet he is afraid of the waves, someone who wants to travel in the airplanes but he is afraid of heights is in sort of this conflict.

Multiple approach – avoidance conflict

This conflict exists when a choice must be made between two or more alternatives, each of which has both positive and negative features. Such conflicts are the most difficult to resolve and to make the right decision, the individual must analyze the expected values of each course of action. For example a person may have an alternative of accepting any of the two jobs, of which one may be boring but with very poor pay and other may be interesting but with very poor pay. Either choice has a positive and negative quality so which one does he chose? The choice will be based on the person involved and his feelings about the pay or work involved. When it is difficult to decide in a double approach avoidance conflict people usually vacillate. That’s they waver or go back and forth between the two choices.

Inter-personal conflict

It is the kind of conflict between person and person e.g. conflicts between children and parents, between employers and employees, between two employers in the same department.

Intra-personal conflict

This is the kind of conflict between a person and his environment i.e. artificial acts and events which people are powerless to prevent such as floods, drought, earthquakes, fires, contagious diseases, ward, economic depression and others, floods.

External and internal conflicts

External conflict is that kind of conflict that takes place outside a person’s body.

Internal conflict is the type of conflict that takes place within a person, of motives, desires and impulses. According to mental hygienists the internal conflict is more dangerous than the external conflict. However the internal conflict can be further be divided into conscious conflict (conflicts we are aware of its causes and sources) and Unconscious conflict (conflicts that we are an unaware of its causes and sources) The unconscious conflict is responsible for many of our emotional disorders and mental illnesses.

Common causes of conflicts in organizations

Communication: infrequent or ineffective communication may cause conflict for example, lack of feedback, misunderstandings, lying, criticism etc

• Personal causes of conflict come from ego, personal biases, and lack of empathy (for example, differing personalities, perceived disrespect, past friction, differing backgrounds etc
• Process causes of conflict come from differing views about what should be done or how it should be done for example differing goals, differing approaches to a problem, differing perspectives on an issue, and differing sources of information.

Preferred methods: Some people think that their way of doing things is the right way and should therefore be used by others.

• Sharing or scarcity of resources: with limited resources, most organizations share resources resulting in conflicts over personnel, budgets, equipment, cars etc
• When the resources are limited, conflict is often

Priorities: Often people have and want others to share their priorities.

• Personality style differences: People have different personalities, Values, attitudes, Needs, expectations, perceptions and social styles.

Power struggles: The need for control and power is at the root of many conflicts in many workplaces for example whose office is the most spacious? Whose opinion counts most in the final decisions? Etc. These are all fertile grounds for conflict.

Values: People in the workplace judge their own behaviour as well as those of others by what they believe should be done, by the values that they hold

Levels of conflict

Intrapersonal

• Conflict occurs within us:
• When we are at not happy with ourselves
• For example when we are torn between choices we need to make
• Or when we are frustrated with our goals or
• Conflict with us very often leads to conflict with Interpersonal
• Conflict occurs between two or more individuals
• For example an argument with a colleague etc
• Intergroup
• Conflict occurs between groups in the work place
• For example inter departmental conflicts Intergroup conflict

Conflict within a group

Indicators of conflict in a team

• Non-communication
• Poor meeting attendance
• Poor work performance
• Use of deviant language among members
• Dictatorship

The discovery of conflicts

• Grievance procedure-Employee-supervisor
• Direct observation
• Suggestion boxes
• Open-door policy (may follow grievance procedure, sounds democratic, but hardly effective)
• Personnel counselors
• Exit interviews
• The ombudsman/woman

Conflict outcomes

Conflict is not always negative (destructive). Sometimes conflict can be positive (constructive) depending on how it is resolved. Constructive conflict is healthy for an organization.

• It can bring to light underlying issues
• It can force people to confront possible shortcomings in solutions and choose a better one
• Better understanding of real interests, goals and needs of individuals is enhanced and
• Communication around such issues is induced

Constructive conflict occurs

• When people change and grow personally from the conflict
• Involvement of the individuals affected by the conflict is increased
• Cohesiveness is formed among team members and
• A solution to the problem is

However, if conflict is not managed properly, it can be detrimental to an organization by threatening:

• Organizational unity
• Business partnerships
• Team relationships, and
• Interpersonal connections

Destructive conflict occurs

• When a decision has not been found and the problem
• Energy is taken away from more important activities
• Morale of teams or individuals is destroyed
• Staff are stressed and lack focus and
• Groups of people or teams take sides

Stages of conflict

• Latent
• Conflict
• Conflict
• Hurting/Stalemate.
• De-escalation
• Settlement/ Resolution
• Post conflict peace building and

Latent conflict: People have different ideas, values, personalities and needs, which can create situations where others agree with their thoughts or actions. This in itself is not a problem, unless an event occurs to expose these differences

Conflict Emergency: At the emergence stage, conflict starts to set in as the parties involved recognize that they have different ideas and opinions on a given topic. The differences cause discord and tension. The conflict may not become apparent until a “triggering event” leads to the emergency (or beginning) of the obvious conflict.

Conflict Escalation: If the parties involved in a conflict cannot come to a resolution, the conflict may escalate. When a conflict escalates, it may draw more people into the situation, heightening any already existing tension. The escalation stage is intense and during this stage people pick sides and view their opponents as the enemy.

Stalemate (hurting): Stalemate is the most intense stage and arises out of a conflict escalating. During the stalemate stage, the conflict has spiraled out of control to a point where neither side is in a position to agree to anything.

• The pain of continuing the conflict exceeds that of maintaining the confrontation, and thus called hurting stalemate.
• By this point, participants are not willing to back down from their stances, and each side insists that its beliefs are ultimately right.
• Even in a situation where a member of one side feels that there may be merit in the other side’s stance, there’s an unwillingness to admit it because of a need to protect interests.

De- Escalation: Even the most intense conflicts calm down at some point, as one or more of the persons involved in the conflict realize they are not likely to reach a conclusion if they continue with their unwillingness to look at the conflict from all sides. During this stage, parties begin to negotiate and consider coming up with a solution.

Dispute settlement/Resolution: After hearing from all parties involved in the conflict, participants are sometimes able to come up with a resolution for the problem they are facing. As an administrator, you may have to work with the involved parties to settle the conflict very well by shifting the focus to what is really important.

Post conflict/peace building: If the parties reach a solution, it’s necessary to repair the relationships that may have been damaged during the escalated conflict because it’s more likely that the participants used harsh words or even fought while in the midst of the conflict.

Approaches that can be used to address conflict situations

The organisational perspective

When faced with an interpersonal conflict, there are some of the techniques to use to help resolve or mediate the conflict. These include:

1. Discovery and exposure
2. Compensation – ask yourself if the behaviour you are seeing is compensation for something else. Try to identify the root issue and deal with that. The behaviour could reflect various
3. Accept the person but you don’t have to accept the

Quote Organisational policies when necessary. This can take the “burden” off you as the leader. Saying, “This is an organisational policy and I am required to follow it as the person responsible.”

• Know how much to
• Clarification of the goal and objectives
• Human resource management policies
• Avoidance
  • Does not deal with issues at hand
  • Lose-lose strategy
• Accommodation
  • Agreement through yielding or conforming to the positions of others
  • Lose-win strategy
• Compromise
  • Involves a search for a solution which is mutually acceptable
  • Lose-lose strategy
• Competition
  • Offensive aggressive approach
  • Win-Iose/lose-win strategy
• Collaboration
  • Total-membership approach , generates creative solution
  • Win-win strategy

Conflict resolution

The good news is that by resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as getting benefits that you might not at first expect

• Increased understanding: The discussion needed to resolve conflict expands people’s awareness of the situation, giving them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining those of other people.
• Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, team members can develop stronger mutual respect and a renewed faith in their ability to work together
• Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in close detail, helping them understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness.

However, if conflict is not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Conflicting goals can quickly turn into personal dislike. Teamwork breaks down. Talent is wasted as people disengage from their work. And it’s easy to end up in a vicious downward spiral of negativity and recrimination.

If you’re to keep your team or organization working effectively, you need to stop this downward spiral as soon as you can. To do this, it helps to understand two of the theories that lie behind effective conflict resolution:

Conflict Resolution Styles

1. Competitive: People who tend towards a competitive style take a firm stand, and know what they want. They usually operate from a position of power, drawn from things like position, rank, expertise, or persuasive ability. This style can be useful when there is an emergency and a decision needs to be made fast; when the decision is unpopular; or when defending against someone who is trying to exploit the situation selfishly. However it can leave people feeling bruised, unsatisfied and resentful when used in less urgent situations.
2. Collaborative: People tending towards a collaborative style try to meet the needs of all people involved. These people can be highly assertive but unlike the competitor, they cooperate effectively and acknowledge that everyone is important. This style is useful when you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution; when there have been previous conflicts in the group; or when the situation is too important for a simple trade-off.
3. Compromising: People who prefer a compromising style try to find a solution that will at least partially satisfy everyone. Everyone is expected to give up something and the compromiser him- or herself also expects to relinquish something. Compromise is useful when the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of losing ground, when equal strength opponents are at a standstill and when there is a deadline looming.
4. Accommodating: This style indicates a willingness to meet the needs of others at the expense of the person’s own needs. The accommodator often knows when to give in to others, but can be persuaded to surrender a position even when it is not warranted. This person is not assertive but is highly cooperative. Accommodation is appropriate when the issues matter more to the other party, when peace is more valuable than winning, or when you want to be in a position to collect on this “favor” you gave. However people may not return favors, and overall this approach is unlikely to give the best outcomes.
5. Avoiding: People tending towards this style seek to evade the conflict entirely. This style is typified by delegating controversial decisions, accepting default decisions, and not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. It can be appropriate when victory is impossible, when the controversy is trivial, or when someone else is in a better position to solve the problem. However in many situations this is a weak and ineffective approach to take.

Once you understand the different styles, you can use them to think about the most appropriate approach (or mixture of approaches) for the situation you’re in. You can also think about your own instinctive approach, and learn how you need to change this if necessary.

Ideally you can adopt an approach that meets the situation, resolves the problem, respects people’s legitimate interests, and mends damaged working relationships.

Approaches of conflict resolution

The “Interest-Based Relational Approach”

The second theory is commonly referred to as the “Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Approach”. This type of conflict resolution respects individual differences while helping people avoid becoming too entrenched in a fixed position.

In resolving conflict using this approach, you follow these rules:

1. Make sure that good relationships are the first priority: As far as possible, make sure that you treat the other calmly and that you try to build mutual respect. Do your best to be courteous to one-another and remain constructive under pressure.
2. Keep people and problems separate: Recognize that in many cases the other person is not just “being difficult” – real and valid differences can lie behind conflictive positions. By separating the problem from the person, real issues can be debated without damaging working relationships.
3. Pay attention to the interests that are being presented: By listening carefully you’ll most- likely understand why the person is adopting his or her position.
4. Listen first; talk second: To solve a problem effectively you have to understand where the other person is coming from before defending your own position.
5. Set out the “Facts”: Agree and establish the objective, observable elements that will have an impact on the decision.
6. Explore options together: Be open to the idea that a third position may exist, and that you can get to this idea jointly.

By following these rules, you can often keep contentious discussions positive and constructive. This helps to prevent the antagonism and dislike which so-often causes conflict to spin out of control.

Conflict Resolution Process

Look at the circumstances, and think about the style that may be appropriate. Then use the process below to resolve the conflict:

Step One: Set the Scene

Make sure that people understand that the conflict may be a mutual problem, which may be best resolved through discussion and negotiation rather than through raw aggression.

If you are involved in the conflict, emphasize the fact that you are presenting your perception of the problem. Use active listening skills to ensure you hear and understand other’s positions and perceptions.

And make sure that when you talk, you’re using an adult, assertive approach rather than a submissive or aggressive style.

Step Two: Gather Information

Here you are trying to get to the underlying interests, needs, and concerns. Ask for the other person’s viewpoint and confirm that you respect his or her opinion and need his or her cooperation to solve the problem.

Try to understand his or her motivations and goals, and see how your actions may be affecting these.

Also, try to understand the conflict in objective terms: Is it affecting work performance? damaging the delivery to the client? disrupting team work? hampering decision-making? or so on. Be sure to focus on work issues and leave personalities out of the discussion.

• Listen with empathy and see the conflict from the other person’s point of
• Identify issues clearly and concisely
• Remain
• Clarify

Step Three: Agree the Problem

This sounds like an obvious step, but often different underlying needs, interests and goals can cause people to perceive problems very differently. You’ll need to agree the problems that you are trying to solve before you’ll find a mutually acceptable solution.

Sometimes different people will see different but interlocking problems – if you can’t reach a common perception of the problem, then at the very least, you need to understand what the other person sees as the problem.

Step Four: Brainstorm Possible Solutions

If everyone is going to feel satisfied with the resolution, it will help if everyone has had fair input in generating solutions. Brainstorm possible solutions, and be open to all ideas, including ones you never considered before.

Step Five: Negotiate a Solution

By this stage, the conflict may be resolved: Both sides may better understand the position of the other, and a mutually satisfactory solution may be clear to all.

However you may also have uncovered real differences between your positions. This is where a technique like win-win negotiation can be useful to find a solution that, at least to some extent, satisfies everyone.

NB: There are three guiding principles here: Be Calm, Be Patient, Have Respect.

Key Points

• Conflict in the workplace can be incredibly destructive to good teamwork.
• Managed in the wrong way, real and legitimate differences between people can quickly spiral out of control, resulting in situations where co-operation breaks down and the team’s mission is threatened.
• This is particularly the case where the wrong approaches to conflict resolution are used.
• To calm these situations down, it helps to take a positive approach to conflict resolution, where discussion is courteous and non-confrontational, and the focus is on issues rather than on individuals. If this is done, then, as long as people listen carefully and explore facts, issues and possible solutions properly, conflict can often be resolved effectively.