5 Effective Conflict Strategies
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Absolutely identical people do not exist, as well as two identical fingerprints. Each person thinks in his own way, has a certain worldview, which may differ from others. Actually, this is the main causes of conflicts. Many people behave in the same way in all situations, having no idea that it is possible to choose different behavioral strategies and resolve conflicts more effectively. In this article, we will share 5 effective conflict management strategies from our free online Conflict Management course.
Rivalry
A strategy that involves defending one’s own interests to the detriment of the interests of the interlocutor. This means that a person is confident that he is right and wants to single-handedly win the dispute. The main actions that a person will take in rivalry are: tight control of the opponent’s behavior, pressure and use of tricks, provocations and manipulations, unwillingness to enter into a constructive dialogue. This method of conflict resolution has more disadvantages than advantages, and is not at all suitable if you want to maintain a relationship with the interlocutor.
Adjustment
The complete opposite of the strategy of rivalry, which is characterized by the unconditional acceptance of the position of the conflicter. A person removes his needs and desires into the background in order to prevent a conflict situation. This is usually done by people with low self-esteem and who do not know how to defend their position. They are characterized by the following actions: agreement with the requirements of the conflicter, the absence of claims and the manifestation of flattery. This tactic can be used in cases where the subject of the conflict does not really matter to you and you want to maintain a constructive relationship.
Avoid
A person tries in every possible way to avoid conflict and postpone an important decision until later. He not only shows no interest in the conflict situation, but also ignores the position of the opponent. It is typical for him to defiantly leave, refuse interaction, deny the importance of the conflict, deliberately slow down the decision process, and suppress emotional reactions. Such a strategy can only be useful in one case, if you are not going to continue the relationship with your opponent.
Compromise
A tactic in which the interests of both parties are partially satisfied. A person tries to balance positions, offer counter options, seeks to find a mutually beneficial solution. Such tactics are fair in relation to both participants in the dispute, but are not final. As a result, it is still necessary to return to the essence of the conflict and find the optimal solution.
Collaboration
The subject of the conflict seeks to resolve the situation in such a way as to fully satisfy his needs and the opponent. That is, to find a solution that will be beneficial to everyone. For such tactics, it is common to analyze the subject of the conflict, calculate the resources of the participants in order to find a common benefit, and carefully listen to the position of the interlocutor. This strategy has practically the same advantages – it contributes to the development of trust and long-term interpersonal relationships, making mutually beneficial decisions. But not all conflicts can fully satisfy the basic desires of each participant, in which case the principle of cooperation will only complicate the situation.
