Conflict Research

Conflict is normal

Conflicts between people are a normal, natural and inevitable part of life, it may be at work, at home and in all our relationships with others.

Conflict are critical events that can strengthen or weaken a relationship. It can be productive, creating deeper understanding, closeness and respect, or they can destructive, causing hostility. Nonetheless, what is most important is how we can resolve when conflict occur is the critical factor in determining whether it a healthy or unhealthy, mutually satisfying or unsatisfying, friendly or unfriendly, deep or shallow etc. In fact with no apparent conflict it may be unhealthier than one with frequent conflict.

There are 8 sources/causes of conflict

• Change - Person's ability to adapt
• Interpersonal relationships - personalities clashes
• External changes - The uncontrollable events “Client’s Objective changes their mind”
• Poor communication - Misunderstanding/ unclear instructions for better insight about communication please refer to (link to communication presentation
• Subpar performance - “pulling his/her weight”
• Harassment -
• Limited Resources - Technological

Styles of conflict resolution

• Avoiding or denying the existence of a conflict.
• Many people prefer to give in rather than struggle through the conflict. 
• Some people get mad and blame the other person.
• Others are competitive and have to win. They use their power and influence to control and get their way.
• Some appear to compromise but are subtly manipulative in trying to win more ground.
• A few people can control their anger, competitive, I-give-up feelings and self- serving tendencies and genuinely seek a fair, optimal solution for both parties. This is a creative integrative approach.

Outcomes of Conflict

Lose - Lose: 

Win - Lose: 

Win - Win: Both parties achieve their desires.

Stages of Healthy conflict resolution

• Identify the problem or issues
• generate several possible solutions
• evaluate the alternative solution
• decide on the best solution
• implement the solution
• follow up evaluation

Common Mistakes

• Not discussing with the parties involved the method used to resolve the conflicts
• discovering too late that more information was needed
• Flexibility ie unwillingness to give and take
• forgetting that there are several ways of doing things. 
• focusing on the fact of what you could lose and not enough on what could gain
• believing in the other party must lose for you to win.

Notes & Reference gathered from the following

Eight Sources of Conflict

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/eight-sources-conflict-743.html