Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Style

Analyzing Personal Conflict Management Style

Introduction

Conflict is an interface between mutually dependent people who recognize incompatible goals and who anticipate interfering from other party if they attempt to attain their goals. Where, conflict management means long term management of obstinate conflicts, dealing with various ways through which people handle disagreements of right and wrong (Wolf, 2009). This conflict management involves different management styles, which are used by different people. People differ in their conflict management styles, as in the same team extremes may exist where one mate is aggressive and causes small differences to turn into bigger arguments, while the other mate in team may keep himself away from any argument by not engaging into the discussion at all (Chesnut & Serra, 2007). Hence, different people use different conflict management styles.

Discussion

Three Conflict Management Style

There are five conflict management styles, among which three are avoiding, compromising, and collaborating. Avoiding involves withdrawal or staying away from issues that involve conflicts like giving up personal goals or relationships in order to avoid any conflict (Chesnut & Serra, 2007). Thus, it is a conflict management style in which individual is unassertive as well as uncooperative, as he/she is less concerned with his/her own or other person's needs. Where, compromising refers to taking an intermediate position on both the cooperative and assertive dimensions. In this type of style an individual or parties try to find out a mutually acceptable solution, which partially satisfy both the parties (Chesnut & Serra, 2007). As far as collaboration is concerned, using this style individual or parties cooperate with each other and search for mutually beneficial outcomes, creating a win-win situation (Chesnut & Serra, 2007).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Conflict Management Style

Each conflict management style associates some advantages as well as disadvantages. Collaboration values both the relationship of parties and their objectives, while recognizing their accomplishment of goals. It improves the relation as the parties work jointly to give favor to both sides, thus creating win-win situation. It also involves some disadvantages like parties using this style exclusively and disapproves other conflict parties not using it. Further, this style asks for time and can result in ineffective outcome if communication is lacking (Chesnut & Serra, 2007). Where, in compromising style of conflict management there is plenty of time and a temporal solution is resulted, and both parties incorporate equal power. However, this style not provides completely satisfying result thus create win-win, lose-lose situation. Thus, solution mostly doesn't tackle the real, underlying requirements of the parties involve (Chesnut & Serra, 2007). Avoiding can be advantageous in short-term situations, where individuals can regain their serenity and sensibly think through the problems and facts of the conflicting situation. However, the disadvantage of this style can be that it involves a risk for the issue to escalate or continue, parties relation can also be endanger, and the reputation can be harmed. Further, this style is often misinterpreted as lack of concern or unexpressed friction (Chesnut & Serra, ...