Understanding and Resolving
Conflict
Mark Smallwood
Brigham Young University

Agenda
•
What is conflict?
•
What is conflict’s role in business?
•
Different views of conflict
•
Kinds of conflict
•
Stages of conflict resolution
•
Methods of conflict resolution
•
Group Exercise
•
Review

What is Conflict?
A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or
is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.

A Few Questions
•
Is conflict bad for business?


Different Views
•
Interactionist View
–
Functional conflict is good for business and
even encouraged
–
Functional vs. dysfunctional conflict

Kinds of Conflict
•
Task Conflict
–
Low to moderate levels can be acceptable
•
Process Conflict
–
Low levels can be acceptable
•
Relationship Conflict
–
Almost always dysfunctional

The Conflict Process
•
Four Stages
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Potential opposition
–

The Conflict Process
•
Stage 3
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Behavior
•
An action is done that frustrates another person’s
interests
•
The conflict becomes known to the differing parties
and to othersThe Conflict Process
•
Stage 4
–
Outcomes
•
Functional Outcomes
•
Dysfunctional Outcomes

Conflict Resolution
•
Even in the interactionist view of conflict, conflict can become dysfunctional.
•
At this point, someone may need to step in and help resolve the conflict.

Methods for Resolving Conflict

–
Have a third party observer analyze the data
and make an argument for one side
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Mediation
•
Confronting conflict
–
Listen the problem and help the parties resolve
it

Methods for Resolving Conflict
•
Choosing a winner
–
Choose the winner, then deal with the negative
feelings between the two parties
•
Selecting a better alternative
–
Choose an idea neither of the parties considered

Methods for Resolving Conflict
•
Preventing conflict
–
“Skilled leaders use different techniques to
create an environment that is relatively free of
conflict…” (Foster)


•
Different methods exist to resolve conflict
•
No one method is best for any conflict