
There’s not a single conflict style that can be applied to every situation, which is why it’s important to assess the situation objectively before rushing in like a bull in a china shop.

Interpersonal Conflict Resolution Strategies Choose the Best Conflict Style Based on the Situation It’s necessary to adopt this style when the relationship between the parties is important, the views of multiple stakeholders must be represented, or when the final solution carries too much weight to afford a compromise. As opposed to finding a middle ground that requires both sides to compromise, this style seeks to find a win-win solution that both sides find mutually acceptable. The collaborating conflict style attempts to find a solution that will completely satisfy all parties involved in the conflict. After all, if you really don’t like mushrooms, you can remove them from your slice. If you’re on a team of five and four people want mushrooms on their pizza, you may choose the accommodating conflict management style and accept the wishes of your four teammates. Resolving a conflict about what to order for lunch doesn’t hold as much importance, for example, compared to resolving a conflict about a team project.

Some are better than others for dealing with conflict, but there are situations for every style. There are five conflict management styles: avoiding, accommodating, compromising, collaborating, and competing. Conflict is necessary to achieve consensus. Conflict is a natural outcome of group decision making, as every group and every team is made up of individuals with individual opinions and worldviews. It’s a good thing if the people on your team feel comfortable enough with each other to express their opinions and stand behind them.

It’s also important to note that conflict doesn’t need to be negative. We need to alter our conflict style depending on a number of different considerations. The way we might resolve a conflict with our romantic partner is likely quite different from the way we might manage conflict with a coworker or client. There isn’t one perfect way to deal with conflict, as not every conflict we face is exactly the same.
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES HOW TO
Learn how to best utilize the five conflict handling styles and how to reduce interpersonal conflict in the workplace with simple conflict resolution strategies.Ĭonflict styles, sometimes called conflict resolution styles, conflict management styles, or conflict handling styles, are the ways in which people choose to deal with conflict. Does your organization encounter a lot of team conflict? Do team members struggle to communicate effectively? There are many different types of conflict styles, and choosing the right style is critical to managing conflict effectively.
