Conflict & Stress Management Training Materials

Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Conflict is common in the workplace, and three out of four American workers describe their work as stressful. Work-stress related to inter-personal relationships, unclear supervision, conflict among team members, or fear of conflict can cause stress—and the economic consequences are alarming.

By definition, conflict involves at least two parties and occurs when people with contrasting goals come in contact with one another. At the end of the conflict encounter, the goals of each party are either met or not met. The key is to understand the stages of conflict and to use the right strategy to maneuver the encounter so both parties are satisfied and a resolution is reached.

Understanding Conflict Strategies

There are two stages in each "conflict encounter." These stages include the conflict itself and the outcome. There are five conflict strategies that can be described in terms of these two stages:

Integrating is different than the self-centered orientation of the other four strategies. The goal of the Integrating strategy is to manage conflict through collaboration. It’s solution-oriented and based on open communication.

• The compromising strategy consists of giving in on one need in order to get another satisfied. A compromise is achieved when the parties reach a solution that involves the least amount of individual loss. A give-and-take occurs and the parties arrive at a mutual "middle ground."
• The competing strategy creates a win-lose situation. It's a forceful way of ensuring the achievement of one party’s goals only. This strategy disregards the needs of the other person and moves toward the satisfaction of one’s personal goal. Competing could be effective when there is a less significant situation that requires fast action, but this strategy generally yields short-term gains at the expense of long-term sacrifice.
• The smoothing strategy involves giving in to the other party so they can achieve their goals instead of focusing on your own needs. By giving in to the other party, the “smoother” gives up one thing in the hope of getting something else. When someone chooses to be the smoother, they risk people considering them a pushover—and it is more difficult for them to reach their own goals.
• The avoiding strategy is often referred to as an act of withdrawing. It is used to steer clear of an approaching conflict or to remove oneself from an existing conflict situation. The avoider ignores the entire conflict situation at the expense of their own needs and the needs of others. This strategy is very ineffective and is often part of ineffective leadership.
• The integrating strategy is extremely useful in complex situations. It’s very effective when parties involved in the conflict must work together in the future, which is quite common in the workplace.

The Most Effective Strategy

The most effective conflict management strategy is the integrating strategy. When using this strategy, the solution for the conflict is mutually beneficial to all parties involved, is oriented toward the goals of the organization, and contains a long-term focus. Both parties solve the conflict and leave with positive feelings about the way their needs and goals were treated.

Reduce Conflict & Stress

A well-planned training program can go a long way to help reduce conflict and stress in the workplace. Explore our conflict and stress management training materials for solutions to help team members understand effective conflict management strategies and apply them in their daily interactions.