Conflict

INTRODUCTION

Conflict is always a potential part of the environment. Conflict is a part of life and arises because of the complexity of human relationship. Conflict has its origin in the fact that each person is unique and possesses a value system.

DEFINITION

A conflict is the consequence of real or perceived differences in mutually exclusive goals, values, ideas, attitudes, beliefs, feelings or actions’’.

                                                                                                                (Sullivan and Decker 2001)

Conflicts define as a clash or struggle that occurs when a real or perceived threat or difference exists in the desires thoughts, attitudes, feelings or behaviors of two or more parties.

Conflict defines as internal discord that result from differences in ideas, values or feelings of two or more people.

CHARACTERISTIC

1.   At least two parties (individuals and groups) are involved in some kind of interaction.

2.   Mutually exclusive goals or mutually exclusive values exists either in fact or as perceived by the parties involved.

3.   Interaction is characterized by behavior destined to defeats, reduce or oppress the opponent or to gain a mutually designated victory.

4.   The parties face each other with mutually opposing actions and counteractions.

5.   Each party attempts to create an imbalance or relatively favored position of power vis-à-vis the other.

THE INGREDIENTS OF CONFLICTS

1)   Needs:-Needs are things that are essential to our well being. Conflict arises when we ignore   others needs our own need or the group need

2)   Perception:-People interpret reality differently. They perceive differences in the severity, cause of consequences of problems. Misperception may occur from self perception, other perception.

3)   Power:-How people define of use power is an important influence on the number and type of conflicts that occur. This also influences how conflicts are managed. Conflicts can arise when people try to make other change their action or to gain an unfair advantage.

4)   Value:-Values are beliefs or principles we consider to be very important. Serious conflicts arise when people hold incompatible values or when values are not clear.

5)   Feeling n emotions:-Many people let their feeling & emotions become a major influence over how the deal with conflict. Conflicts can also occur because people ignore their own or other feelings & emotions. Other conflicts occur when feeling and emotion differs over a particular issue.

TYPES OF CONFLICTS/CATEGORIES OF CONFLICTS   

 There are three of conflicts

·            Intrapersonal

·            Interpersonal

·            Intergroup

1.    INTRAPERSONAL:-Intrapersonal means inside or internal to an individual .intrapersonal conflict refers to tension or stress that exist within an individual as a result of unmet needs, exceptions or goal. Intrapersonal conflict is conflict that generate within individual.

2. INTERPERSONAL:-means conflict emerging between two or more people such as between two nurses, a doctor or a nurse.

 

RESOLUTION OF INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

There are three other basic strategies that individuals can use in interpersonal conflict situation.(Filley,Honse and Kerri 1976).this can be used in inter group and organizational conflict resolution. These strategies are

1.      Lose-Lose

2.      Win-Lose

3.      Win-Win

1.  Lose – Lose:-Lose-Lose is that approach in which both parties lose one of the common forms of strategy in the compromise decision in which both parties have their stand and relent to a commonly acceptable formula. Lose-Lose approach is a situation to ‘’I am not ok, you are not ok’’. In which person has respect neither for himself nor for others. It seems meaningless to the person to do anything worthwhile.

2.  Win – Lose:-Win-Lose strategy creates a highly competitive type of situation. In this situation both parties try to marshal all forces to register a win against his opponent. Win –Lose strategy is more prevalent in superior subordinate relationship, line and staff conflict and union management relations. This is like ‘’I am ok you are not ok’’life style.

3.  Win – Win:-Win-Win is the strategy which is like ‘’I am ok and you are ok’’.it is based on rationality of thinking and maturity in behavior on the part of the conflicting parties. In this strategy the needs of both the parties are met and both feel satisfied. Win-win decision strategies are associated with better judgements, favourable organizational experiences and more favourable bargains.

3.    INTERGROUP:-means conflicts between two or more groups. It is conflict occurring between two distinct groups of people.

     CONFLICT PROGRESS

Five stages of conflicts stages

1.   Latent conflict[antecedent condition]:-

Latent conflict, Implies the existence of antecedent condition such as short staffing and rapid change. In this stage conditions are ripe for conflict, although no conflict has actually occurred and none may ever occur. Much unless managers examine the organization more closely for antecedent condition.

                                                    If conflict progresses it may develop into

2.   Perceived conflict:-

Perceived or substantive conflicts are intellectualized and often involve issue &roles. It is recognized logically and impersonally by the person as occurring, sometimes conflicts can be resolved at this stage before it internalized or felt.

3.   Felt conflict:-

It occurs when the conflict is emotionalized felt emotions include hostility, fear, mistrust, and anger. It also refers to as affective conflicts. It is possible to perceive conflict and not feel it, [ i.e. no emotions is attached to the conflict and the person view it only as a problem  to be Solved]. A person also can feel the conflict but not perceive the problem [i.e. he or she is unable to identify the cause of felt conflict]

4.   Manifest conflict:-

Also called overt conflict action is taken. The action may be to withdraw complete, debate or seek conflict resolution. If conflict reaches this stage it is difficult to bring about conflict resolution without the use of other recourses.

5.   Conflict aftermath:-

This aftermath may be more significant than the original conflict if the conflict has not been handled constructively. There is always conflict aftermath positive or negative. If the conflict is managed well, people involved in conflict will belief their position was given affair hearing. If the conflict is managed poorly, the conflict issue frequently remains and may return later to cause more conflicts.

MODES OF CONFLICTS RESOLUTION

     Five general, distinct approaches can be used in conflict resolution:-

Ø  Avoiding

Ø  Accommodating

Ø  Competing

Ø  Compromising

Ø  Collaborating

Ø  Comforting

1)      Avoiding:-This is perhaps the most common technique that people use. When avoid conflict, they ignore it either consciously or unconsciously

 Advantages:-

                 I.   May enable people to avoid turning minor disagreement into large conflicts.

               II.   Does not over react to a situation.

Disadvantages:-

                 I.   Through avoiding a person could be ignoring an issue that needs to be dealt with.

               II.   Conflicts can sometimes escalate because they are not being dealt with.

             III.   Conflict avoider risk being left out of loop concerning changes and innovations.

2)      Accommodating:-This conflict resolution method, also called smoothing or cooperating is used when a person ignores his or her feeling about an issue in order to agree with the right side.  

 Advantages:-

              I.   If an issue is relatively minor, accommodating allows the party to move on to issue that are more important

            II.   One side accommodating on one issue can make the other side more willing to a accommodate on other issue.

Disadvantages:-

              I.      Can became a power struggle with one side trying to get the other to “give in”

            II.      More conflict rather than less can ensue if parties disagree about the importance of issue being accommodated on other issue.

          III.      Parties that consistently ignore their feeling and “give in” can wind up feeling frustrated or used, and may be less willing to cooperate in future.

3)      Competing:-With this method, one side wins the conflicts and the other side looses. It is something called”forcing” because the winner forces the looser to accept his or her perceptive on the conflict.

Advantages:-

              I.      Useful when an issue is critical or time to resolve the issue is limited.

            II.      Can help more a critical but unpopular decision quickly through an organization.

Disadvantages:-

              I.      Looser tent to resent losing

            II.      Anger and resentment increases.

          III.      Those on the losing side of the agreement may be less willing to engage in the feature conflicts or disagreement and may more regularly adopt a withdrawing or avoiding style.

4) Compromising:-With this method each, sides give up something as well as get something. This method is used when both sides have a reasonable, important goal &loosing is not required.

 Advantages:-

              I.      Effective for interpersonal conflicts.

            II.      Produces an everybody wins something scenario.

          III.      Can be efficient method for resolving conflict when the issues have higher importance & there is limited time for resolution.

Disadvantages:-

           I.   Wining and loosing exchanges are seen as unfair or providing an advantage for one side.

         II.   Conflicts may resume if one side perceives that one that what it gave up was more   important than the benefit received.

       III.   May not be as effective when one party is inherently less powerful than the other.

5) Collaborating:-In this both side in a conflict work to develop the outcome that is best for both sides. The emphasis is on creative problem solving so that each side meets it key goals.

Advantages:-

              I.      Seeks a permanent solution that achieves the goals and objective of both parties.

            II.      Is creative and allows parties to develop new solution, rather than trading win/loss option

Disadvantages:-

              I.   May require significant resources especially time.

            II.   Requires that all parties are committed to success, possibly learning the process open to interference by parties who do not want the conflict to have resolution.

          III.   Require that parties have significant creative, critical thinking &problem solving skills.

6) Confronting:-this method attempts to block the conflicts from the start. This very powerful method brings the parties together, clarifies, issues, and achieves an outcome.

Advantages:-

              I.   Prevents conflicts from ever really developing

            II.   Powerful & decisive, no ambiguity.

Disadvantage:-

              I.   Can make a relatively minor conflict seem much more important than it is.

            II.   Does not allow the positive aspect of conflict to develop.

          III.   Can organize an organizational climate of conflicts intolerance.

 Managing Conflicts

According to Costello-Nickitas (1997), facilitating conflicts resolution often means dealing with difficult people who cause or worsen conflicts. Following are typical”difficult people ” behaviors and actions that can be used to deal effectively with them.

    Attackers:-

Ø Aggressive about stating their thoughts and feelings about all situations.

Ø Often demand that others listen to them while they ventilate their viewpoint.

Ø may complain loudly that they are being ignored (or worse)if they feel are not getting enough “ventilation time”.

       Effective nurse leader action

a)      Address person by name.

b)      Speak quietly but firmly.

c)      Encourage them to sit down to talk.

d)      Remain calm while listening to them, speak slowly and deliberately to offset their aggressive tone and stance.

    Egotists

Ø Self centered

Ø Except other to listen them.

Ø Often take on a “know” it all attitude.

Ø Make sure that they are the center of attention (either as expert or a clown or distractor.

Effective nurse leader action

a)      Is honest about the respectful of their abilities but not intimidated by them.

b)      Use them as resources

c)      In a group, thank them for their  contribution then specifically ask other people

    Sneaks

Ø Use sarcasm and critisms

Ø May be dishonest saying one thing to a person and then going another.

Ø Often set others up for failure.

Effective nurse leader action

a)      Confront with question that addresses their attitudes and behaviors.

b)      Suggest positive way to improve behavior.

c)      State clearly that sarcasm and dishonestly are not appropriate.

d)      Encourage them to be a productive par of team.

    Victims or chronic complainers

Ø  Very negative world view.

Ø  Often act defeated, hopeless & powerless.

Ø  Try to get others to feel that way as well.

Effective nurse leader action

a)      Encourage them to express their viewpoints, and then question why they hold that particular perspective (“you say that this important computer system will never work. Can you then me more about which part you see as nonfunctional”

b)      Use data to examine the situation and openly discuss whether that data and the person perspective correspond.

c)      Offer resources and assistance when possible.

    Negators/nay sayer

Ø  Convince that their way is the only way anyone else way of doing things is to be resisted.

Ø  Most common response to a situation is “well can’t do that we’ve never done it before. It won’t work.

Ø   Do not trust people in position of authority.

Ø  Often try to undermine authority figure.

 Effective nurse leader action

a)      Require a collective approach from the whole team, not just the leaders have other team member offer suggestions and recommendations for solving problem.

b)      Encourage peer pressure to help the negator see other perspectives.

    Approval seekers

Ø   People who says yes to everything.

Ø  Often agree to do work, and then never complete it.

Ø  Require a great deal of recognition and support.

      Effective nurse leader action

a)      Acknowledge their efforts.

b)      Monitor work assignment and establish regular checkpoints so that the person is never too far behind on a given task or project without the nurse leader being aware.

c)      Reward complete activities.

    Withdrawers

Ø  Keep to themselves and avoid participating.

Ø  Rarely contribute to any group discussion or process.

Ø  May perform other task (doodling, checking cell phone, voice mail etc.) during meeting to avoid participation.

       Effective nurse leader action

a)      Actively engage unresponsive people by asking open ended questions, directed specifically to them Jessie what potential problems do you see with implementing this new scheduling plan.

b)      Directly asked for their assistance on a task.

c)      Pair the withdrawer and more a active participant who can serve as a mentor.

   NEGOTIATION:-Negotiation in its most creative form is similar to collaboration. Negotiation is a give and take between individuals or groups during which the parties involved try to come up with a resolution of their problem that is acceptable to all concerned. Negotiation is an every day process that can occur in minute-long conversations as well as lengthy meetings. Negotiation is needed to resolve complex problem specially conflicts once they have been identified and explored.

           I.   Urging confrontation:-many times subordinate in a appropriate expects the manager to solve their interpersonal conflicts. Managers instead should urge the subordinates to attempt to handle their own problem.

         II.   Third party consultation:-sometimes managers can be used as a neutral party to help others resolves conflicts constructively. This should be done only if both parties are motivated to solve the problem and if no difference’s exists in either party’s status or power.

       III.   Behavior changes: - this is reserved for serious cases of dysfunctional conflict. Educational modes, training, development, or sensitivity training can be used to solve conflict by developing self –awareness and behavior change in the involved parties.

      IV.   Responsibility charting:-when ambiguity results from unclear or new roles. If areas of a joint responsibility exist, the manager must clearly define such areas as ultimate responsibility approval mechanisms, support services and responsibility for informing.

        V.   Structure changes:-sometimes managers need to intervene in unit conflict by transferring or discharging people. other structure changes may be moving a department under another manager, adding an ombudsman, or putting a grievance procedure in place. Often increasing the boundaries of authority for one member of the conflict will act as an effective structure change to resolve unit conflict. Changing titles and creating policies also are effective techniques.

      VI.   Soothing one party:-this is a temporary solution that should be used in a crisis when there is no time to handle the conflict effectively. The manager temporarily soothes one part so that cooperation will occur until the manager must address the underlying problem later, or this technique will become dysfunctional.