Managing Conflict Managing Conflict ConstructivelyConstructively

EDHE 6730EDHE 6730Organization and Administration of Organization and Administration of

Student Development ServicesStudent Development Services

By Lisa S. Estrada-HambyBy Lisa S. Estrada-Hamby

Conflict on campusConflict on campus

Managing conflict is one of the most Managing conflict is one of the most frequently called for skills in daily frequently called for skills in daily interactions on a college campus.interactions on a college campus.

Many of us feel uncomfortable and Many of us feel uncomfortable and unskilled in responding to conflict unskilled in responding to conflict situations and experience the situations and experience the negative result of conflict.negative result of conflict.

Conflict AssumptionsConflict Assumptions

One’s view of conflict is influenced in One’s view of conflict is influenced in part by cultural values about conflict part by cultural values about conflict and interpersonal relationships.and interpersonal relationships.

Those whose values resemble Those whose values resemble mainstream America have learned mainstream America have learned the values of Western culture.the values of Western culture.

Western CultureWestern Culture

Culturally-biased assumptions Culturally-biased assumptions includes that everyone has the same includes that everyone has the same definitions of “good” and “bad,” of definitions of “good” and “bad,” of “right” and “wrong.”“right” and “wrong.”

Common view of human behavior is Common view of human behavior is “more or less universal across social, “more or less universal across social, cultural, economic, and political cultural, economic, and political backgrounds.”backgrounds.”

Viewing ConflictViewing Conflict

When we view conflict, we see the When we view conflict, we see the conflict from our worldview that may conflict from our worldview that may not include positive experiences.not include positive experiences.

Whatever the view may be, we do Whatever the view may be, we do not recognize the existence of other not recognize the existence of other worldviews of the same conflict.worldviews of the same conflict.

Values on a ContinuumValues on a Continuum CompetitionCompetition EgalitarianEgalitarian Admission of ErrorAdmission of Error IndividualisticIndividualistic Youth-OrientedYouth-Oriented Emotional ResponsesEmotional Responses Deadline IntensiveDeadline Intensive Casual BehaviorCasual Behavior Authoritative DecisionsAuthoritative Decisions ContractualContractual Openness to Change Openness to Change

Collaboration Collaboration HierarchicalHierarchical Saving FaceSaving Face CollectivisticCollectivistic Respect for AgeRespect for Age Controlled ResponsesControlled Responses Time Not an IssueTime Not an Issue Formal BehaviorFormal Behavior ConsensusConsensus Implied AgreementImplied Agreement Reluctance to ChangeReluctance to Change

Knowledge about ConflictKnowledge about Conflict

Conflict may be defined as “a Conflict may be defined as “a situation between two or more parties situation between two or more parties who see their perspectives as who see their perspectives as incompatible.”incompatible.”

Power imbalances between parties to Power imbalances between parties to a conflict may significantly affect the a conflict may significantly affect the range of approaches that might be range of approaches that might be used to address conflict.used to address conflict.

Approach to ConflictApproach to Conflict

The range of approaches moves from The range of approaches moves from conflict avoidance to direct action in the conflict avoidance to direct action in the form of violence. form of violence.

Includes: avoidance, informal discussion Includes: avoidance, informal discussion

and problem-solving, negotiation, and and problem-solving, negotiation, and mediation are characterized as involving mediation are characterized as involving private decision-making by the parties private decision-making by the parties involved in the conflict, with low potential involved in the conflict, with low potential for coercion or win-lose tactics.for coercion or win-lose tactics.

Range of ApproachesRange of Approaches

Based on mutual willingness to Based on mutual willingness to participate in addressing the conflict, participate in addressing the conflict, depends on identifying mutually depends on identifying mutually acceptable solutions and, in the case acceptable solutions and, in the case of mediation, results in a mutually of mediation, results in a mutually agreed-upon approach to resolving agreed-upon approach to resolving or reducing the conflict.or reducing the conflict.

MediationMediation

Defined as “the intervention into a Defined as “the intervention into a dispute or negotiation by an dispute or negotiation by an acceptable, impartial, and neutral acceptable, impartial, and neutral third party who has no authoritative third party who has no authoritative decision-making power to assist decision-making power to assist disputing parties in voluntarily disputing parties in voluntarily reaching their own mutually reaching their own mutually acceptable settlement of issues in acceptable settlement of issues in dispute.”dispute.”

Mediator’s RoleMediator’s Role

Helping the parties communicate more clearly with one Helping the parties communicate more clearly with one anotheranother

Identifying misunderstandings or misconceptions that seem Identifying misunderstandings or misconceptions that seem to be impeding communicationto be impeding communication

Helping to sort out multiple issues related to the conflict Helping to sort out multiple issues related to the conflict and assisting the parties to agree on which issues need and assisting the parties to agree on which issues need attention firstattention first

Offering ways to improve the parties’ skills in discussing Offering ways to improve the parties’ skills in discussing solution, andsolution, and

Helping to sort out perceived incompatibilities from actual Helping to sort out perceived incompatibilities from actual differencesdifferences

Attitudes Toward ConflictAttitudes Toward Conflict Models of managing conflict seem to be built Models of managing conflict seem to be built

on an assumption that doing something is on an assumption that doing something is better than doing nothing at allbetter than doing nothing at all

Or that collaboration is always better than Or that collaboration is always better than compromise when it comes to managing compromise when it comes to managing conflictconflict

Previous characterizations of approaches add Previous characterizations of approaches add an unrealistic and limiting attitude toward an unrealistic and limiting attitude toward conflict management, namely that certain conflict management, namely that certain approaches are never as good as others.approaches are never as good as others.

Thomas and Kilmann (1974)Thomas and Kilmann (1974)

Begin with the assumptions that the Begin with the assumptions that the situation shapes approaches to situation shapes approaches to conflict, and that based on the conflict, and that based on the situation all approaches have value.situation all approaches have value.

Developed the Conflict Mode Developed the Conflict Mode Instrument (CMI)Instrument (CMI)

Conflict Mode InstrumentConflict Mode Instrument(CMI)(CMI)

A self-report instrument used in A self-report instrument used in workshops on conflict to help workshops on conflict to help participants understand their typical participants understand their typical approaches to interpersonal conflictapproaches to interpersonal conflict

The resulting scores are displayed as The resulting scores are displayed as a combination of two dimensionsa combination of two dimensions

CMI Two DimensionsCMI Two Dimensions

The extent to which the approach The extent to which the approach satisfies the individual’s needs or satisfies the individual’s needs or concerns related to the conflict, andconcerns related to the conflict, and

The extent to which the approach The extent to which the approach satisfies the other person’s needs or satisfies the other person’s needs or concernsconcerns

CMI Five Conflict ModesCMI Five Conflict Modes CompetingCompeting

– Power-oriented and focused on winningPower-oriented and focused on winning

CollaboratingCollaborating– Full acknowledgment of both the individual’s and the Full acknowledgment of both the individual’s and the

other’s needs or concerns and a focus on finding other’s needs or concerns and a focus on finding common ground within a conflict on which to base some common ground within a conflict on which to base some mutually agreeable approach to the conflictmutually agreeable approach to the conflict

CompromisingCompromising– Characterized as a more expedient approach to conflict Characterized as a more expedient approach to conflict

that partially responds to both parties. It usually that partially responds to both parties. It usually involves giving up something in order to solve the involves giving up something in order to solve the problem, seeking a middle groundproblem, seeking a middle ground

CMI Five Conflict Modes CMI Five Conflict Modes con’tcon’t

AvoidingAvoiding– Characterized as responding to neither the Characterized as responding to neither the

individual nor the other person. Might take the individual nor the other person. Might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue, form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better time, or postponing an issue until a better time, or simply withdrawing from a threatening simply withdrawing from a threatening situation.situation.

AccommodatingAccommodating– Characterized as responding entirely to the Characterized as responding entirely to the

other’s needs or concerns while neglecting or other’s needs or concerns while neglecting or ignoring one’s own. Might include obeying ignoring one’s own. Might include obeying another’s order when one might prefer not to, another’s order when one might prefer not to, or yielding to another’s opinionor yielding to another’s opinion

Conflict Mode InstrumentConflict Mode Instrument

Is then used to assess an individual’s Is then used to assess an individual’s tendency to rely too much on certain tendency to rely too much on certain approaches or to avoid using other approaches or to avoid using other approachesapproaches

The message of the instrument and The message of the instrument and its interpretation is that all its interpretation is that all approaches have value, depending on approaches have value, depending on the situation surrounding the conflictthe situation surrounding the conflict

Situation-Based ApproachSituation-Based Approach

Concept that a clear idea of the Concept that a clear idea of the outcomes sought will help those outcomes sought will help those involved in a conflict to select involved in a conflict to select approaches that match these outcomesapproaches that match these outcomes

The work of finding outcomes that the The work of finding outcomes that the parties can agree on is often the most parties can agree on is often the most important action in managing conflict important action in managing conflict

Skills in Managing ConflictSkills in Managing Conflict

Come from CounselingCome from Counseling

– Active listeningActive listening– Clarifying statements made by othersClarifying statements made by others– Expressing empathy, Expressing empathy, – Building trust, and Building trust, and – Basic skills of problem solvingBasic skills of problem solving

Skills Developed in Leadership Skills Developed in Leadership Education ProgramsEducation Programs

SummarizingSummarizing

Reframing comments to reduce negative perceptions of the Reframing comments to reduce negative perceptions of the ideas of othersideas of others

Helping group members respond to issues and ideas and Helping group members respond to issues and ideas and not to personalitynot to personality

Assuring that all have the opportunity to state their Assuring that all have the opportunity to state their opinions and thoughtsopinions and thoughts

Identifying power imbalances among group members that Identifying power imbalances among group members that seem to be a potential detriment to clear communication, seem to be a potential detriment to clear communication, and and

Being aware of nonverbal communicationBeing aware of nonverbal communication

Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication SkillsSkills

Being aware of our own frame of reference Being aware of our own frame of reference as well as that of othersas well as that of others

Identifying and checking with the other Identifying and checking with the other person assumptions and inferences made person assumptions and inferences made about that person’s perspective, and about that person’s perspective, and

Paying attention to the variety of Paying attention to the variety of meanings assigned by different cultures to meanings assigned by different cultures to nonverbal behaviors.nonverbal behaviors.

Pedersen’s (1994) Pedersen’s (1994) Development of SkillsDevelopment of Skills

Accomplished effectively through modeling Accomplished effectively through modeling and demonstrationand demonstration

The use of videotaping to provide students The use of videotaping to provide students with feedback about their skill levelwith feedback about their skill level

Supervising students in the application and Supervising students in the application and use of skills, and use of skills, and

Practicing the skills and behaviors in as Practicing the skills and behaviors in as many settings and different situations as many settings and different situations as possiblepossible

SummarySummary

Establish the notion that conflict is Establish the notion that conflict is inevitable, and that its lack of inevitable, and that its lack of constructive management is both constructive management is both common and problematiccommon and problematic

Learning to deal with conflict is one Learning to deal with conflict is one of the most important and difficult of the most important and difficult skills SA administrators can developskills SA administrators can develop

Summary con’tSummary con’t

Graduate preparation programs and staff Graduate preparation programs and staff development programs need to provide development programs need to provide frequent opportunities for practicing the frequent opportunities for practicing the skills of conflict management, add skills of conflict management, add opportunities for discussing case studies opportunities for discussing case studies involving conflict, and include more involving conflict, and include more systematic study of knowledge about systematic study of knowledge about conflict as part of professional conflict as part of professional developmentdevelopment

Summary con’tSummary con’t Practitioner should address management of conflict Practitioner should address management of conflict

as part of a campus culture changeas part of a campus culture change

Students need skills workshops on managing Students need skills workshops on managing conflictconflict

Peer educators can be a very effective means of Peer educators can be a very effective means of delivering these workshopsdelivering these workshops

Student leadership development programs should Student leadership development programs should contain workshops and case studies about conflict contain workshops and case studies about conflict

Students conduct skill-building among parties Students conduct skill-building among parties involved in conflictinvolved in conflict

Summary con’tSummary con’t Senior SA officer must endorse and exemplify flexibility in Senior SA officer must endorse and exemplify flexibility in

approaches to conflict and serve as a spokesperson with approaches to conflict and serve as a spokesperson with other campus constituencies about the importance of other campus constituencies about the importance of developing conflict management skillsdeveloping conflict management skills

Employee grievance procedures should include skills-Employee grievance procedures should include skills-building in managing conflict building in managing conflict

Staff evaluations should speak directly to an employee’s Staff evaluations should speak directly to an employee’s conflict management capabilitiesconflict management capabilities

Members of the campus community should know where to Members of the campus community should know where to go on campus to find information, support, and education go on campus to find information, support, and education on matters related to conflicton matters related to conflict

ReferenceReference

Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., and Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., and Associates. (2000). The handbook of Associates. (2000). The handbook of student affairs administration. student affairs administration. Jossey-Bass Publishers. Jossey-Bass Publishers.