Conflict is defined as a situation where your concerns or desires differ from another person’s.
People tend to have a preferred conflict resolution style, but may use different methods in different conflict situation. Therefore, it is important that you realize the styles you use in resolving various conflicts you face.
Here are the common 5 styles people use in resolving conflicts.
- Avoiding Style
In this style, you are unassertive and your approach is uncooperative. You probably feel neither your personal goals nor the relationship with the other person is important.
You probably adopt this avoiding style when there is no urgency to resolve the situation.
Results: No win No win
- Accommodating Style
In this style, you are cooperative yet your approach is unassertive. You probably give in to maintain the relationship with the other person, but your personal goals are sacrificed.
You probably adopt this style because you want to preserve harmony and avoid disruption.
Results: Small win Small win
- Compromising Style
This is a cooperative approach. In this style, you value your personal goals and your relationships with the other party. Here you are willing to give and try to get concessions from the other party.
You probably use this style when you and the other person have equal power and you want to achieve temporary settlement for complex issues.
Results: Medium win Medium win
- Competing Style
This is an uncooperative approach. In this style, you seek to achieve your personal goals at the expense of the relationship with the other person.
You probably use this style because a quick and decisive action is vital, or when you feel you must get what you want.
Results: Win Lose
- Collaborating Style
This is an assertive and cooperative approach. Here you and your counterpart both try to resolve the conflict by open and direct communication.
In this style, you and your counterpart want to achieve a win-win outcome and desire to maintain good relationships with each other.
Results: Win Win
So, are you an avoider, accommodator, compromiser, competitor or collaborator?
It is important that you understand these 5 styles. By knowing the consequences of each style, you will be able to apply these strategies in different conflict situations to achieve the results you want.
Jamin Djuang
16 April 2017
