Dominating Style in Conflict Resolution
Graham Jackson
LSAL-3133-301
Introduction Thesis Statement
I believe that there is a link between childhood experiences and the development of conflict management styles, arguing that the exposures to family conflict resolution plays a great role in determining the development of the dominating conflict resolution style.
Conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction. However, the way people deal with conflict is largely linked with the outcome of the conflict resolution. Many studies have been conducted to analyze the different styles of conflict management and resolution as Tou, Baker, Hadden and Lin (2015) write. “Consequently, the increasing amount of research conducted on the
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By far, the integrative approach is the best style of conflict management as it envisages a high level of concern for both the conflict manager and the conflicting parties. The compromising style of conflict management is characterized by the moderate concern for both the conflicting parties and the conflict resolver. In other instances, the conflict manager exhibits low concern for self while having high concern for others. For this reason the conflict management style is often referred to as obliging. Even more, there are instances when the conflict manager chooses to adopt the avoiding style of conflict. In this style, there is low concern for both self and others. Missing in the above overview of the conflict management styles is the dominating style, which is discussed in this study. Hopeck, Desrayaud, Harrison and Hatten (2014) defined conflict resolution as a process that should be geared towards having a solution that suits all the parties involved in the conflict. The author outlined how solution-oriented conflict resolution style provides more positive outcomes in comparison to the other styles of conflict management The dominating style of conflict management is one that Cai and Fink (2002) linked to frustration. In the authors’ explanation, it is natural for people to default to the dominating conflict
In today’s organizations conflict and power are important elements to the success of any company but can also create negative long term impacts if not addressed. Organizations require enough power within the leaders to get through conflict and enough conflict within individuals to create new innovations. Not all conflict is bad but when there is conflict individuals with power must assist in aligning conflict resolution to assist in understanding for everyone involved in the conflict. The need for successful conflict resolution is vital for employees so that they are capable of moving on and understanding why the conflict was overcome.
Conflict is inevitable in any personal relationship or among members of any group. While we encounter many types of conflict in our lifetime, we often look for ways to avoid conflict. So, why do we run away from dealing with our conflict? It is often because many of us fear the conflict will escalate into a situation we will not be able to sustain. “As conflicts escalate, they go through certain incremental transformations. Although these transformations occur separately on each side, they affect the conflict as a whole because they are usually mirrored by the other side. As a result of these transformations, the conflict is intensified in ways that are sometimes exceedingly difficult to undo” (Pruitt, and Kim 89). We
In a dispute, it's often easier to describe how others respond then to how we respond. Each of us has a predominant conflict style that we use to meet our own needs. By examining conflict styles and the consequences of those behaviors, we can gain a better understanding of the impact that our personal conflict style has on other people. With a better understanding, you then can make a conscious choice on how to respond to others in a conflict situation to help reduce work conflict and stress.
What is conflict? Even something as basic as a universal definition for the word conflict seems to vary from source to source. A literature review focusing on conflict defined it as “the interaction of interdependent people who perceive incompatibility and the possibility of interference from others as a result of this incompatibility” (Brinkert 2010). Often times the disagreement results not from a concrete difference, but rather a difference in perception (Ellis & Abbott 2012). One of the most important factors effecting conflict management is the resolution style used. The most often used tool for classifying how conflict is managed is the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (Iglesias & Vallejo 2012).
Separate assessments of my conflict style reveal that I have become primarily attuned with the integrating style of conflict management, which came as no surprise to me, as I found the results of the assessments to be accurate. However, the assessments also showed that I was nearly equal in the compromising style, leading them to be a near tie. I would be the first to admit that his has not always been the case. It has taken a fair amount of life experience and focused effort in order to move away from the predominate style of compromise
There are different conflict management styles, the dictatorial style, which insists that things are addressed their way and the low self -esteem style, which just allows others to have it their way. It is up to the individual to decide which way works for them. Additionally, the abdicator handles conflict by bowing out or walking away. This method is unhealthy because it robs the offended growth opportunity, which results from working through issues (Pegues, 2009, p.49). Another style is the collaborator, which often involves cooperation and pulling together to reach a common purpose and are emotionally balanced.
Places value on individualism, self-assertion, and competition. Not common in cultures that prioritize cooperation, keep others from failing, finding areas of agreement
This can be productive if the conflict is addressed at a later time, and is not a habitual style used. 2) Yielding can be useful when one gives into the other persons needs over their own, but watch for martyrs. 3) Winners can use the definitive approach to conflicts and be the final say in certain matters. Balswick & Balswick (2014) caution that this style may lead to “winning the battle (the point), but losing the war (the relationship)” (p.266). 4) Resolvers take the time and offer a cohesive approach where all family member is involved in the conflict. The down side to this conflict management style is it can be time consuming and emotionally taxing on the family members. 5) Compromise according to Balswick & Balswick (2014) can be the best way to approach conflicts and demonstrates flexibility and a relaxed way to deal with minor issues within the family. One caveat, while compromise can be helpful, if overly used, it may lead to
There are many was that people experience conflict throughout their day. This can include conflict in the work place, at home, or even on video games. All these opportunities to collide with conflict can make it difficult to determine what type of conflict is occurring, and reach the best possible solution to the problem. There are certain cues that can be seen when dealing with realistic, and nonrealistic conflict. These include then end goals related to the conflict, flexibility, and the interests of the parties involved within the conflict. Also, the appropriate response to a non-realistic conflict is to use force or coercion to resolve the issue. First realistic conflict produces different cues from nonrealistic, and these can be used in determining the type of conflict that is being dealt with.
Introduction There are five conflict management styles based on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. They include competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Under the competing style, a person is assertive and uncooperative. When competing, an individual engages in their own concerns at the expense of others.
There are four distinct conflict styles which are the levels of assertiveness and cooperativeness that are employed by a person in a conflict situation. Everyone has their own individual conflict style; my own style tends to be accommodating. This means that I am not very assertive and I am very good at cooperating with those I am in conflict with. In this essay I will examine each conflict style and my own choice of style and why I tend to default to this style. I will also examine whether or not my choice of the accommodating style is the best approach to resolving conflict, and discuss the advantages of learning to use each of the styles in specific situations.
Integrating; this style of conflict management is concerned with identification of joint problem, confrontation of attitude and proposing the possible solution for the conflict. This style of conflict management is more effective for solving complex issues. Additionally, this style of conflict management tends to be more effective in long run. However, this style of conflict management may not be effective in managing the conflicts that surface out of differing values of employees.
Whenever there is a difference of opinion there will also be a chance for some form of conflict to arise. To resolve and manage conflict, any organization or persons’ must try to understand the causes, theories, approaches and strategies of conflict management. Resolving conflict requires a great deal of attention and thorough understanding in seeking resolution. In this review, conflict management will be explored in general from different perspectives in light of how conflict effects teams or groups, workplace relationships and recommended strategies or styles that help to manage it.
In this writing, we will explore and explain strategies of conflict resolution and, encourage teams, individuals and society as a whole to use some of these ideas for their own resolution purposes. “In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes.” (Conflict resolution, 2008). With this in mind, individuals will have hope for a more positive team experience.
"Effective conflict resolution requires dealing constructively with disagreements rather than pushing them under the rug, letting them break into open warfare, or attempting to eliminate them completely. Successful resolution of a conflict may include the following: accurate diagnosis of the nature and source of the conflict, a clear understanding of how each party is contributing to the conflict, skills and processes for defining alternatives, constructively negotiating outcomes, and creatively developing win-win resolutions" (Hagberg Consulting Group, 1).