Question

Provide an example of how each of the five approaches to a conflict (avoiding, surrendering, persuading, compromising, and collaborating) would look in a real-world situation. Then, discuss the benefits and challenges (pros and cons) to each of the five approaches to conflict. Finally, conclude why it is important for a leader to be able to use each of these approaches.

Answer 1

How approaches to conflict will look like in real life situation:

1. Avoiding:

Example: Suppose, a worker wants a hike in the salary. The manager tells the worker that he will discuss this after 15 days because he needs some to discuss with the top management. The top management avoids the problem again by telling the worker that they will think about the appraisal during yearly performance appraisal time. Thus the conflict has been pushed further

2. Compromising:

Example: Suppose the entire brand team of the company wants an increase of 10,000$ per year but the company only wants to increase 6,000$ per year. Following the series of negotiations, the company proposes to give 7000$ increase in the salary. Dispirited, the brand team agrees to the salary increase the company proposes even though it was much less than what they expected. In the end, both the parties were not able to achieve what they wanted, but there was still an agreement.

3. Persuading:

Example: Suppose a manager and a team member get into an argument about the product created by a seller can be improved using some other method. The manager who uses the persuading strategy to conflict will use his authority to make sure that team member uses by signing the agreement with the vendor with out any further discussion.

4. Surrendering:

Example: Suppose, you have a plan for improving the delivery system of the firm but your boss has already thought of some other plan of action to improve the delivery system. You try very hard to convince him about the implementation of your idea but in the end you know that you boss will be the one who will take the final decision so to not damage your image in front of him because you are worried that he might create problems for you in the future you give up on your idea

5. Collaborating:

Example: 2 members of the team are having an argument about the best way to improve the efficiency of the employees but they are able to come to an agreement. In the end, manager has to intervene and hear out both the ideas. The managers then calls the meeting of the other team members to see if both the ideas can be pushed together to create something to which everybody agrees. Both the team members feel much more closer to each other as a team now

Pros and cons to 5 approaches to conflict:

1. Avoidance:

Pros

• It is a short term solution to avoiding the problem
• An appropriate option in conditions where its best you to remain quiet

Cons:

• It harms the relationship of the people involved in the conflict
• The person can get more frustrated

2. Compromising

Pros:

• The end result is a solution which is workable
• The people involves are partially satisfied

Cons:

• parties involved will have to give up something
• If one of the parties don't try to collaborate first, it's possible that better solution is overlooked

3. Persuading:

Pros:

• it leads to a faster decision
• It helps in establishing authority

Cons:

• If the authority is misused, it can damage the relationship permanently
• It can create a negative work atmosphere because people might feel that there thoughts are not valued

4. Surrendering:

Pros:

• It helps in restoring harmony in the workplace

Cons:

• If it is overused, people might think that you are weak

5. Collaborating:

Pros:

• People who are involved in the conflict, using this strategy can help them to show team work and cooperation

Cons:

• It is sometimes not possible to come up with a solution that will satisfy everybody

It is important for the leader to make use of such approaches because a leader faces lots of problems and conflict situation of different kinds and in order to deal with them it is important that they make use of such conflict resolution strategies considering that no two conflict situations are the same