Evaluation of Conflict Management Styles - Research Paper Example

? of the Conflict Management Introduction Every individual handle conflicts in a different way andstyle. Conflicts can be managed effectively by analyzing others way of conflict resolution and matching it with our own style. Every situation is handled in a different way and no one can handle all the conflicts in a same style. Conflict management generally depends on two major factors that are assertiveness and cooperation (Darling, Walker, 230). There are five conflict management styles established on the basis of importance of objectives and relationships are to the contradictory parties. The paper presents an overview of different conflict management styles and highlights one conflict management style that is used by organizations most frequently. It also describes the difficulties organizations faces in dealing with others who use different conflict management styles along with the advantages and disadvantages of each style with a description to conflict avoidance and its interrelationship with conflict management. Discussion Conflicts may take place any point in time and at any place. The common cause for a conflict involves difference of ideas, attitudes, standards, requirements and expectations. These disagreements cause each party to ascertain some actions, indecisions and reactions. When a communication has unforeseen or undesirable fallouts, it is general to fuss about what might be mistaken or complaint about what is off beam with the other person. It is much more prolific, however, to emphasis on what occurred (Marion, 22; Rahim, 583; Romero, 2983). Instead of disturbing or making conventions about other party in the conflict, it is more fruitful to emphasis on reckoning out variances and disagreements to gain common perspectives and create collective resolutions. Conflict Styles Assessment and Interpretation On the basis of importance of goals and relationships are to the contradictory parties, there are five conflict management styles that displays different levels of the two major factors that are assertiveness and cooperation. . Each of the conflict management styles bears different strengths and weaknesses. For the conflict management, all of the styles are being used by individual and organizations to some degree. The five ways through which conflicts can be managed include: compromising, forcing and competing, avoiding and withdrawing, accommodating and smoothing and confronting and collaborating. No single style is suitable in all situations. Indeed, organizations teamed up with individuals that bear members with all five conflict management styles can be very effectual and efficient if those individuals keep asserting those strengths and powers associated with each style. Withdrawing and Avoiding This style requires low assertiveness and low cooperation. People who are agreeable to give up both individual goals and relations withdraw and avoid conflict. They are neither self-confident nor helpful. They normally try to avoid the real conflict and become external observers. By heeding their advices and inputs, organization and other team members advance valuable feedback on evolving issues and concerns, as well as other conflict party members’ behavior that are adopting or obstructing resolution (Schmidt, 4057; Thompson, 26). The key characteristics that these types of conflict management style adapters possess include low level of assertive and cooperative. They generally keep themselves away from issues and matters that may raise a conflict. Their common belief is that conflict resolution is very much difficult and it is easier to avoid a conflict or withdraw physically and psychologically from it than to face it. Forcing and Competing People who trail objectives at the overhead of relationships and dealings are competitive and forceful. They are found to be extremely assertive but not predominantly cooperative. These people can bring advancement to the organization that dearth leadership or is hindered in deliberation (Hersey, Blanchard, 50). These kinds of individuals always keep on track with their aim and objectives. Their wish is only to win and they always like to win in every situation. They generally assume that conflicts are the matters of win /lose and winning a conflict gives them a sense of rejoice, pride and triumph. Smoothing and Accommodating People who give away their objectives and goals to preserve their relations are extremely cooperative. They are fast to accommodate and manage situations with full cooperation but not found to be very assertive or concerned with goal achievement. They can convey prodigious vision into the significances of a resolution that will have lasting impact on people (Hartog, Muijen, Koopman, 19). Some key characteristics that are associated with these kinds of people are they avoid conflict and try to find harmonized way for resolution. They want to be accepted and liked by everyone and keep their ideas and suggestions to themselves. Their fear is that people will damage or destroy their relationships while dealing with conflicts. Confronting and Collaborating People who give great worth to relationships as well as objectives are extremely assertive and cooperative. They are expected to challenge others and cooperate to achieve the goal. They interpret conflicts as complications to resolve and as a method to advance relations; though, their style is not permanently perfect. In finding a perfect solution, they generally take too long to attain a resolution (Volkema, Bergmann, 15). It is hard to find them satisfied as it is very hard to attain a resolution that realizes the objective without spreading any negative feelings among the peers and other conflict party. Sometimes, these people cause irritation with their behaviors for other. Compromising People who believe in attaining goals and relationships at a medium level consider the style of compromising. These people are moderate in demonstrating boldness and collaboration. They devote time searching for best possible solutions but never try to attain perfection. They are generally flexible, adaptive and value to seek middle grounds for conflict resolution. Differing Views of Your Conflict Style Not a single style can be carried all over for the resolution of all conflicts. Each conflict requires different level of assertiveness and cooperation based on the importance of the goals and relationships. Confronting and Collaborating is one of the conflict management styles, generally practiced everywhere and in every organization. Adopting one style for conflict management can never be a wise decision for an individual as well as for an organization (Hersey, Blanchard, 50). There may yield a large difference between the scores if a same style is assessed by you and others. Your score will reflect the mode you anticipate to act during conflicts whereas others score will depict the mode you interrelate with them during conflicts. For example, you may anticipate yourself to be confronting and collaborating. Your aim is to achieve the goals while keeping relationships prospect. The same style may be perceived as Forceful and Competing by others as they may judge your high focus on goal as your willingness to sacrifice relationships. Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Style Each conflict management style has its own advantages and disadvantages. The efficiency and effectiveness in dealing with disagreements rest on the identification of the use of each style and skills to achieve them well (Thomas, Kilmann 1139). Benefits of forcing and competing model comprise of a rapid triumph or decision that yield defense of the goals and interests with the aptitude to test expectations. Disadvantages embrace strained work relationships, sub-optimal decisions, reduced motivation, and conceivable deadlock. It is used when there is a need to compete on vigorous matters when you are sure that you are right and a prompt decisive action is required. Benefits of collaboration and confronting comprise of advanced, high-quality resolutions, improved communication and knowledge, obligation and fortified relationships. Disadvantages comprise of disbursing time and energy, and the opportunity of felonious or being oppressed. It is required to study the issues first and build trust and adapt openness to new thoughts. Brainstorming resolutions can be a key to success for this style through which one idea can be applied which is acceptable to both the conflict parties. Advantages of compromising include practicality, speed and convenience, conservation of relationships, and equality. Disadvantages comprise of moderately sacrificed anxieties, sub-optimal explanations and insincere indulgent of the condition. Advantages of Withdrawing and avoiding include lessening of strain by eluding hostile tasks or people, avoiding the prospect and gaining time for groundwork of another style. The costs of following the Avoiding style for conflict management may include hatred of overlooked people, postponements which may cost more time and negative energy, and worsening of communication and decision-making. Benefits of smoothing and accommodating comprises of preserving or constructing goodwill by helping others to move forward. Disadvantages comprises of forfeiting goals and interests, loss of motivation, loss of respect, and mistreatment. Conclusion In conclusion, we can say that everyone bears and develops a style with the passage of time. The conflict management style comes naturally to everyone. Like other practices and patterns of life, conflict management styles takes thorough determination and time to alter and transform the way a person acts during conflicts. All conflict management styles augment some value towards their resolution and all styles add hindrance to the process; therefore, it is not about changing the style but it is more about selecting the right style for the right conflict to control the negative facets of the style you have adapted in a conflict situation. It is inevitable that individual and organizations, whether desired or not, face conflicts. There are different standards and situations that create conflicts. Conflict is defined by Darling and Walker as a state in which two or more individuals that operates within a same division or on a same context appears to be discordant. Proper identification, acknowledgement and management of these conflicts yield overall harmony and social benefits to the organization. Work Cited Darling, J. R., & Walker, W. E. (2001). Effective conflict management: use of the behavioral style model. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22(5), 230-242. 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