A.1.1 Strategies for Handling Conflict

Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann created the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument in 1974 to describe five styles for handling conflict: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. They based each style on an individual’s appetite for assertiveness and cooperation. Understanding what you hope to gain when you face a workplace conflict or disagreement and what those around you wish to achieve will help you negotiate a beneficial solution.

1. Competing: People with a competing style play to win. While other employees may perceive these individuals as aggressive, assertive, bossy, or inconsiderate, competing individuals often do well when a swift decision is in order. When you work with someone with a competitive conflict style, remember they want to win, so position your ideas in a way that makes them think they are winning.
2. Collaborating: Collaborators try to create solutions where everyone wins. They take time to think through all options before deciding and are known for their strong relationships with others. However, they may take too long and expend too much effort when deciding. When you work with someone of this style, give them time and space to think through different views and options before forcing them to decide.
3. Compromising: In compromises, no one wins outright in a negotiation, but each side achieves something they can tolerate and loses something they may have preferred. Politicians compromise by taking the best ideas from as many parties as possible to create an alternate solution. Remember that parties that compromise may later resent giving up something they value. When you work with someone of this style, decide what is important to you in the negotiation before you begin.
4. Avoiding: Conflict avoiders seek any workaround to avoid conflict. Some may perceive conflict avoiders as uncaring, but they may just hope the conflict disappears. Conflict avoidance can hurt relationships and business decisions because the perpetrators often avoid confronting the issue beyond the decision deadline. When you work with someone who avoids conflict, you may have to bring up the issues and suggest solutions.
5. Accommodating: Individuals who adopt this style allow the other party to win. This can be a good strategy if you feel you are on the wrong track or want to preserve a relationship. When you work with someone who is accommodating, you may have to ask a lot of questions to discern what their needs are so you can address them.

“Unit 4: Conflict Resolution Strategies” from BUS403: Negotiations and Conflict Management by Saylor Academy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, except where otherwise noted.