Summary
Highlights
Avoidance is used when the conflict issue is trivial or when delaying provides time for further analysis. While it helps avoid stress, it risks leaving issues unresolved and damaging long-term productivity if overused.
Collaboration seeks a 'win-win' solution, requiring significant time and effort. It involves deeply understanding the other party's perspective to arrive at a solution that satisfies both sides' core objectives.
A 'win-lose' approach where one party asserts their needs without regard for the other. This is useful in emergencies or for quick, decisive actions but can negatively impact team morale and relationships.
Accommodating involves sacrificing one's own interests to satisfy others, often seen as 'killing enemies with kindness.' It is useful for maintaining relationships but can lead to being perceived as weak if not applied carefully.
Compromising finds a middle ground where both parties gain something, but also concede something. It is a practical, quick solution that saves relationships, though it may not fully address the root cause of the conflict.
Conflict is a natural human experience arising from differing needs, goals, and perspectives. Conflict management is the process of resolving these disagreements sensibly and fairly to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes.
This model evaluates conflict resolution based on two dimensions: Cooperativeness (considering others' needs) and Assertiveness (focusing on one's own goals). These dimensions form the basis for five distinct strategies.