Main Body Show Fadi Smiley “A part of effective leadership is caring for and supporting one another, even when there is conflict or a difference of opinion.” -Ty Howard Introduction Today’s healthcare leaders are taught to lead change, development, and transformation in organizations. Leadership may be described as the ability to emphasize the pursuit of goals and motivate others to pursue them as well. Northouse states that leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 2016). Others characterize leadership as the ability to inspire trust, build relationships, encourage followers. An under-reported aspect that is not commonly discussed among leadership qualities is the ability to handle conflict (Guttman, 2004). Guttman explains that there might be two reasons as to why there is little recognition of conflict management in leaders. One is called rationalistic fallacy, and Guttman explains that most of the literature available focuses on arming leaders with all necessary leadership concepts and success will just follow, almost as if it is assumed that leaders will automatically know how to manage conflict. Secondly, Guttman explains that leaders may have a fatalistic attitude towards conflict. Leaders may look at conflict as situation that will never be resolved, so why bother addressing it? We should focus on what can be addressed and changed (Guttman, 2004). Conflict management is a skill that leaders must be able to employ when needed to help foster a productive working environment (Guttman, 2004). There is a realization that conflict management should be a skill that leaders need to give priority to learning and mastering (Kazimoto, 2013). The inability of a leader to deal with conflict will not only lead to negative outcomes but may also undermine the credibility of the leader (Kazimoto, 2013). Whereas if a leader is able to establish an atmosphere of cooperation and foster teamwork, making it clear that this is his/her value system, there is a likelihood that this value system will be adopted by the entire organization (Guttman, 2004). Therefore, it is very important that we discuss and address conflict management as a leadership skill. This chapter will discuss the definition of conflict and its sources, describe conflict management and resolution, and discuss a guide for leaders to use to help them effectively manage and resolve conflict. We discuss the different types of conflict that can exist and describe the different conflict management modes that can be used to address them. Lastly, we will analyze the relationship between leadership and conflict management through a literature review. By reading this chapter, I hope that readers will understand conflict, the role it plays within teams and organizations, and the importance of developing conflict management skills for leaders. Defining Conflict To fully understand conflict and how to manage it, we first need to establish a definition that will allow us to effectively discuss conflict management and its use by today’s leaders. Conflict can be described as a disagreement among two entities that may be portrayed by antagonism or hostility. This is usually fueled by the opposition of one party to another to reach an objective that is different from the other, even though both parties are working towards a common goal (Fisher, 2000; Evans, 2013). To help us better understand what conflict is, we need to analyze its possible sources. According to American psychologist Daniel Katz, conflict may arise from 3 different sources: economic, value, and power. (Evans, 2013)
According to Ana Shetach, an organizational consultant in team process and development, conflict can be a result from every aspect such as attitude, race, gender, looks, education, opinions, feelings, religion and cultures. Conflict may also arise from differences in values, affiliations, roles, positions, and status. Even though it seems that there is a vast array of sources for conflict, most conflict is not of a pure type and typically is a mixture of several sources (Shetach, 2012). Conflict is an inevitable part of life and occurs naturally during our daily activities. There will always be differences of opinions or disagreements between individuals and/or groups. Conflict is a basic part of the human experience and can influence our actions or decisions in one way or another. It should not be viewed as an action that always results in negative outcomes but instead as an opportunity for learning and growth which may lead to positive outcomes. We can reach positive outcomes through effective conflict management and resolution, which will be discussed in more detail later in the chapter (Evans, 2013). Since conflict can result in emotions that can make a situation uncomfortable, it is often avoided. Feelings such as guilt, anger, anxiety, and fear can be a direct result of conflict, which can cause individuals to avoid it all together. Conflict can be a good thing and avoiding it to preserve a false impression of harmony can cause even more damage (Loehr, 2017a). If we analyze the CPP Global Human Capital Report, we see evidence that conflict can lead to positive outcomes within the workplace environment. This research project asked 5000 individuals about their experiences with conflict in the workplace environment. They reported, that as a result of conflict:
Based on this report, we can conclude that conflict can lead to positive outcomes and increased productivity, depending on the conflict itself (Loehr, 2017a). Approximately 76% of the respondents reported that conflict resulted in some type of positive outcome. This speaks volumes to the ideology that conflict within the workplace is something that should be welcomed and not avoided (CPP Global Human Capital Report, 2008). Conflict can occur in various ways in the human experience, whether it is within one-self between differing ideas or between people. Even though this chapter will focus on the conflict at the social level, it is important that we review all the different levels of conflict that may exist. The levels of conflict that we will discuss include interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup, and intragroup conflict (Loehr, 2017a; Fisher, 2000; Evans, 2013). Levels of Conflict
Regardless of the level of conflict that takes place, there are several methods that can be employed to help manage conflicts. And with the seemingly infinite triggers for conflict, management of conflict is a constant challenge for leaders. To help address this, we will next discuss what conflict management is and then later examine the role of leadership in conflict management and resolution. Conflict Management The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) The TKI is based on two dimensions of behavior that help characterize the five different conflict-handling modes. The first dimension is assertiveness, and this describes the extent to which a person will try to fulfill their own concerns. The second is cooperativeness, and this describes the extent to which a person will try to fulfil others’ concerns. The five conflict-handling modes fall within a scale of assertiveness and cooperativeness as shown in the figure below. They include: avoiding, accommodating, competing, collaborating, and compromising (Loehr, 2017b; Kilmann & Thomas, n.d.). (source:killmanndiagnostics.com) The TKI
Five Conflict-Handling Modes (Avoiding, Accomodating, Competing, Collaborating, and Compromising) Accommodating Competing Collaborating Compromising Personal
Reflections on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument Leaders should be capable of using all five conflict-handling modes and should not limit themselves to using only one mode during times of conflict (Loehr, 2017b). Leaders must be able to adapt to different conflict situations and recognize which type of conflict-handling mode is best to employ given the conflict at hand (Mediate.com). The use of these modes can result in positive or negative resolutions and it is imperative that today’s leaders understand how to effectively employ them (Loehr, 2017b; Mediate.com; Kilmann & Thomas, n.d.). Leadership and Conflict Management Leaders exhibit a variety of characteristics and traits that allow them to be great leaders, but does it help them when it comes to conflict management? I believe that it does. These same traits can help leaders dealt with conflict. The ability to recognize one’s own leadership style will ultimately help describe how a leader handles conflict. Peter Northouse states that “it is up to the leader to assess what action, if any, is needed and then intervene with the specific leadership function to meet the demand of the situation.” To be an effective leader, one needs to respond with the action that is required of the situation” (Northouse, 2016). I feel this demonstrates that the job of a leader is to analyze a conflict and facilitate the situation to produce a resolution that can be positive and productive. Northouse reassures us that any leader can draw on his/her leadership skills to employ appropriate conflict management strategies (Northouse, 2016). A study conducted by Zhang et al. analyzed the relationship between transformational leadership and conflict management. Zhang et al. looked at how transformational leadership affects team coordination and performance through conflict management. What they found was that transformational leaders who used conflict management methods were able influence their teams to establish stronger identities, discuss their disagreements and frustrations outwardly, and work out solutions that benefited the team (Zhang, Cao, Tjosvold, 2011). I feel that this study helps to confirm that leaders must be able to possess conflict management skills to effectively run a productive team and organization. This study also shows us that there may be a possibility that certain leadership styles are more effective at conflict management. This is not definite but hopefully there will be more studies done to determine this. Earlier in the chapter, we discussed the different types of conflict-handling modes that leaders may possess, but it is also necessary to briefly discuss the leadership skills and behaviors needed to effectively manage conflicts. Leadership skills needed to be effective at conflict management can be categorized to show which skills match up with five of the TKI conflict-handling modes. The avoiding mode requires leadership skills such as: to be able to withdraw from a conflict or sidestep issues, have the ability to leave issues unresolved, and to have a sense of timing. The accommodating mode requires skills such as: being able to obey orders, set your own concerns aside, selflessness, and the ability to yield for the greater good. The competing mode requires skills such as: standing your ground, debating, using influence, stating your position clearly, and stressing your feelings. The collaborating mode requires skills such as: active listening, identifying concerns, analyzing input, and confrontation. The compromising mode requires skills such as: negotiating and finding the middle ground, making concessions, and assessing value (Kilmann & Thomas, n.d.; Understanding Conflict and Conflict Management, n.d.). Behaviors that allow leaders to be effective at conflict management include (Guttman, 2004):
Effective leaders know how to bring conflict situations out into the open so that all parties involved can begin to work towards a resolution that will benefit everyone. They manage conflicts in way that it is seen as an opportunity to build productive relationships (Guttman, 2004; Kazimoto, 2013). Conclusion Conflict management is the process of reducing negative outcomes while increasing the positive. Leaders must be able to utilize conflict management skills to provide direction and guidance towards a resolution. Leaders can use the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument to help them recognize and understand their own conflict handling modes. The TKI model also helps leaders understand which conflict handling modes are most appropriate for each particular conflict situation. Zhang et al. shows us that transformational leaders are able to effectively influence their teams to workout solutions to their conflicts. This shows us that transformational leaders are able to utilize conflict management effectively. Peter Northouse also tells us that an effective leader needs to be able to respond to a situation with an action that is required of that particular situation. Therefore, leaders must be able draw on their leadership skills to effectively employ conflict management strategies. Conflict is certain to occur regardless of the setting and individuals involved. For conflict to result in a positive outcome, leaders and teams must recognize that conflict not only exists but is a necessity. Understanding conflict allows leaders to manage it more effectively and can provide a path to accomplishing positive outcomes. Conflict management can be an active force that will allow leaders grow healthy relationships within their organizations which can ultimately result in effective productivity. Conflict management must be a part of a leader’s toolbox and be deployed when conflict arises within a team or organization. If conflict is not addressed in a timely manner, it can not only affect the moral of the team/organization but can create larger issues later. Once this happens it may be more difficult to resolve then it would have been if the conflict was addressed immediately and effectively. Leaders must be able to recognize that conflict can cause negative issues within their team or organization. If they are able to pull on their leadership skills and recognize which conflict-handling mode is required for each situation, they can create an opportunity to improve team structure and dynamics, and ultimately achieve their goal of changing, developing, and transforming organizations. Which conflict is the type of conflict we focus on when we discuss conflict in organizations quizlet?Intragroup conflict is the focus of much of the research on conflict in the workplace and the groups and teams that exist to perform a particular task.
What are the types of conflict that exist in an organization?In particular, three types of conflict are common in organizations: task conflict, relationship conflict, and value conflict. Although open communication, collaboration, and respect will go a long way toward conflict management, the three types of conflict can also benefit from targeted conflict-resolution tactics.
What are the 4 types of conflict?The opposing force created, the conflict within the story generally comes in four basic types: Conflict with the self, Conflict with others, Conflict with the environment and Conflict with the supernatural.
What are the 4 types of conflict in workplace?According to Amy Gallo, who wrote the Harvard Business Review Guide to Managing Conflict at Work, there are four types of work conflict: status conflict, task conflict, process conflict, and relationship conflict.
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