INTERACTIVE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Jay Bansod

INTERACTIVE CONFLICT
Conflict arising from Intra-individual
Frustration Roles &

Goals

Inter-personal dynamics Inter-group behavior Organisational

Jay Bansod

INTRA-INDIVIDUAL CONFLICTS
Theory: Need Drive Goal Motivational Cycle

Reality: A number of competing needs and goals A variety of ways in which drives and roles can be expressed Many barriers that can exist between the drive and the goal Positive and Negative aspects attached to desired goals

Jay Bansod

CONFLICT DUE TO FRUSTRATION

Frustration occurs when a motivated drive is blocked before a person reaches a desired goal Barrier may be Overt or Covert Frustrations result in defense mechanisms
Aggression Withdrawal Fixation Compromise

Jay Bansod

A MODEL TO UNDERSTAND FRUSTRATION

Need (deficiency)

Drive (deficiency with direction)

Frustration

Barrier (Overt or Covert)

Defense Mechanisms 1. 2. 3. 4. Aggression Withdrawal Fixation Compromise

Goal / Incentive (reduction of the drives and fulfillment of deficiencies)

Jay Bansod

AN EXAMPLE
Need (Hungry)

Drive (go to the canteen)

Frustration

Barrier (Canteen door is stuck)

Defense Mechanisms 1. 2. 3. 4. Aggression (curse/kick) Withdrawal (sulk/ignore) Fixation (keep finding way to open the door) Compromise (drink a glass of water)

Goal / Incentive (eat food)

Jay Bansod

GOAL CONFLICT
Approach approach conflict (positive, but mutually exclusive goals) Approach avoidance conflict (single goal containing both, positive and negative characteristics) Avoidance avoidance conflict (negative, but mutually exclusive goals)

Jay Bansod

GOAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Approach approach conflict: Cognitive dissonance (will convince oneself that one alternative is ) Approach avoidance conflict (single goal containing both, positive and negative characteristics) Avoidance avoidance conflict (negative, but mutually exclusive goals)

Jay Bansod

APPROACH AVOIDANCE CONFLICT

Strength of Response

Maximum Conflict

Near

Point of High Stress (indecision, ulcers, depression)

Far

Distance from the Goal

Jay Bansod

ROLE CONFLICT
Role: Defined as a position that has expectations evolving from established norms Three types of role conflicts are:
Person and the role: Personality & expectations Intra-Role: Contradictory expectations Inter-role: Differing requirements from two or more roles

Jay Bansod

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
Personal differences Information deficiency Role incompatibility Environmental Stress

Jay Bansod

ANALYSIS: JOHARI WINDOW

You know

You dont know

I know

Open Self

Hidden Self

I dont know

Blind Self

Undiscovered Self

Jay Bansod

STRATEGIES FOR RESOLUTION

Lose Lose: Compromise / middle ground Win Lose: The American Way. Characteristics are
We / They distinction Energies directed towards each other Atmosphere of victory or defeat Issues seen from own point of view

Focus on solutions instead of goals, values or objectives

Conflicts are personalized or judgmental Shortrun view Unplanned sequence of activities

Impact: Ignores cooperation, not mutually agreed outcomes; pressures to conform; emergence of highly structured power relationships

Win - Win
Jay Bansod

INTERGROUP BEHAVIOR & CONFLICT

Conflicting Goals diluted by super ordinate goals attainment only by intergroup cooperation Antecedents to Intergroup Conflict Competition for resources Task Interdependence Jurisdictional ambiguity Status struggles

Jay Bansod

CHARACTERISTICS: INTERGROUP CONFLICT

We vs They Cohesiveness of each gets higher to defeat the other Members of out-group viewed as enemy Threatened group members feel superior they overestimate own strength and underestimate others Communication decreases; negative comments/hostility Losing group loses cohesiveness and experience tension; they look for scape-goat Conflict is a product of group interaction rather than personalities
Jay Bansod

STRATEGIES TO REDUCE CONFLICT

Avoidance: Appropriate for trivial issues Diffusion: Deactivate. Cool off. Appropriate for a stop gap measure is needed or when groups have mutually important goals Containment: Conflict is allowed to surface, key issues are resolved thru discussions. Appropriate when open discussions have failed and the groups are of equal power Confrontation: All issues are brought in the open and attempt is made to resolve with a mutually satisfactory solution. Appropriate when trust is low, time is not critical and groups need to cooperate to get the job done effectively
Jay Bansod

ORGANISATIONAL CONFLICT
Hierarchical Conflict Functional Conflict Line Staff Conflict Formal Informal Conflict

Jay Bansod

ROLE OF CONFLICT
Traditional
By definition: Avoidable Caused by: trouble makers; boat rockers; prima donnas Legalistic form of authority such as sticking to the book is emphasized Scapegoats are accepted as inevitable

Modern
Conflict is inevitable Determined by structural factors such as physical shape of a building, design of career structure or nature of class system Conflict is integral to nature of change Minimal level of conflict is optimal

Jay Bansod