Conflict Management Styles Quiz

Conflict Management Styles Quiz We all have our own way of managing conflict. The management style we chose is often determined by variables such as our basic underlying temperament, our personality, our environment and where we are in our professional career and personal lives. There are five major styles of conflict management techniques that have been identified: Collaborating, Competing, Avoiding, Accommodating and Compromising. While collaboration is the preferred strategy, it usually takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes the issue at stake and time constraints may not justify the choice of collaboration. What is important is to identify, chose and execute the conflict management strategy that best suits each situation. Each statement below provides a strategy for dealing with a conflict. Rate each statement on a scale of 1 to 4 indicating how likely you are to use this strategy. 1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Always Be sure to answer the questions indicating how you would behave rather than how you think you should behave. 1. I explore issues with others so as to find solutions that meet everyone’s needs. _______ 2. I try to negotiate and adopt a give-and-take approach to problem situations. _______ 3. I try to meet the expectations of others. _______ 4. I would argue my case and insist on the merits of my point of view. _______ 5. When there is a disagreement, I gather as much information as I can and keep the lines of communication open. _______ 6. When I find myself in an argument, I usually say very little and try to leave as soon as possible. _______ 7. I try to see conflicts from both sides. What do I need? What does the other person Need? What are the issues involved? _______ 8. I prefer to compromise when solving problems and just move on. _______ 9. I find conflicts challenging and exhilarating; I enjoy the battle of wits that usually follows. _______ 10. Being at odds with other people makes me feel uncomfortable and anxious. _______ 11. I try to accommodate the wishes of my friends and family. _______ 12. I can figure out what needs to be done and I am usually right. _______ 13. To break deadlocks, I would meet people halfway. _______ 1 14. I may not get what I want but it’s a small price to pay for keeping the peace. _______ 15. I avoid hard feelings by keeping my disagreements with others to myself. _______ How to score the Conflict Management Quiz: As stated, the 15 statements correspond to the five conflict resolution styles. To find your most preferred style, total the points in the respective categories. The one with the highest score indicates your most commonly used strategy. The one with the lowest score indicates your least preferred strategy. You -may find your style to be a blend of styles. Style Collaborating: Corresponding Statements: 1, 5, 7 Total: _______ Competing: 4, 9, 12 _______ Avoiding: 6, 10, 15 _______ Accomodating: 3, 11, 14 _______ Compromising: 2, 8, 13 _______ Brief Descriptions of the Five Conflict Management Styles Collaborating Style (Owl): Problems are solved in ways in which an optimum result is provided for all involved. Both sides get what they want and negative feelings are minimized. Pros: Creates mutual trust; maintains positive relationships; builds commitments. Cons: Time consuming; takes a lot of effort.  Owls use a collaborating or problem confronting conflict management style valuing their goals and relationships.  Owls view conflicts as problems to be solved finding solutions agreeable to all sides (win-win).  Appropriate times to use an Owl Style are, when maintaining relationships is important or when time is not a concern or when peer conflict is involved.  When trying to gain commitment through consensus building or when learning and trying to merge differing perspectives. 2 Competing Style (Shark): Authoritarian approach. Pros: Goal oriented; quick. If the shark's decision is correct, a better decision without compromise can result. Cons: May breed hostility and resentment towards the person using it.  Sharks use a forcing or competing conflict management style.  Sharks are highly goal-oriented.  Relationships take on a lower priority.  Sharks do not hesitate to use aggressive behavior to resolve conflicts.  Sharks can be autocratic, authoritative, and uncooperative; threatening and intimidating.  Sharks have a need to win; therefore others must lose, creating win-lose situations.  Appropriate times to use a Shark style include: When conflict involves personal differences that are difficult to change, when fostering intimate or supportive relationships is not critical, or when others are likely to take advantage of noncompetitive behavior. Other situations include when conflict resolution is urgent, when decision is vital in crisis or when unpopular decisions need to be implemented Avoiding Style (Turtle): The non-confrontational approach. Pros: Does not escalate conflict; postpones difficulty. May help to maintain relationships that would be hurt by conflict resolution. Cons: Unaddressed problems; unresolved problems. Conflicts remain unresolved, overuse of the style leads to others walking over them. Turtles adopt an avoiding or withdrawing conflict management style. Turtles would rather hide and ignore conflict than resolve it; this makes them uncooperative and unassertive. Turtles tend to give up personal goals and display passive behavior creating lose-lose situations. Appropriate times to use a Turtle Style: When the stakes are not high or issue is trivial or when confrontation will hurt a working relationship or when there is little chance of satisfying your wants or when disruption outweighs benefit of conflict resolution, when gathering information is more important than an immediate decision or when others can more effectively resolve the conflict or when time constraints demand a delay. 3 Accommodating Style (Teddy Bear): Giving in to maintain relationships. Pros: Minimizes injury when we are outmatched; relationships are maintained. Cons: Breeds resentment; exploits the weak. Teddy bears use a smoothing or accommodating conflict management style with emphasis on human relationships. Teddy bears ignore their own goals and resolve conflict by giving into others; unassertive and cooperative creating a win-lose (bear is loser) situation. Appropriate times to use a Teddy Bear Style include: When maintaining the relationship outweighs other considerations or when suggestions/changes are not important to the accommodator or when minimizing losses in situations where outmatched, or losing, or when time is limited or when harmony and stability are valued. Compromising Style (Fox): The middle ground approach. Pros: Useful in complex issues without simple solutions; all parties are equal in power. Relationships are maintained and conflicts are removed. Cons: No one is ever really satisfied; less than optimal solutions get implemented. Compromise may create less than ideal outcome and game playing can result. Foxes use a compromising conflict management style; concern is for goals and relationships Foxes are willing to sacrifice some of their goals while persuading others to give up part of theirs. Compromise assertive and cooperative-result is either win-lose or lose-lose. Compromise may create less than ideal outcome and game playing can result. Appropriate times to use a Fox Style are, when important/complex issues leave no clear or simple solutions, when all conflicting people are equal in power and have strong interests in different solutions and when there are no time restraints. 4