Conflict & Negotiating Skills-1

7/31/2019 Conflict & Negotiating Skills-1

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Interactive Conflict &

Negotiation Skills

Compiled byA Srinivasa Rao


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Outline

Conflict & negotiation

Types of conflict

Conflict process

Managing conflict

Conflict resolution


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CONFLICT MANAGEMENTCONFLICT MANAGEMENT

A good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he

tries to keep it from wasting the energies of hispeople. If you're the boss and your people fight youopenly when they think that you are wrong - that'shealthy.


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How Do You Manage an Off-SiteTeam example for assignment-II

When people are telecommuting, you

cant communicate too much

Harvard Business Review, Jul-Aug, 1998


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Background

The case is about conflict between two

employees of an Off-Site team inImpression Corporation and the dilemmaof their manager


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Impression Corp. introduced flexible timing

and work location 2.5 years ago

People communicate extensively overintranet chat room, email, phone, voicemail with face-to-face meeting at least

once in 2 weeksEmployees wanted such anarrangement and it helped to increase

their productivity.Helped in providing more in-prompturesponses to client proposal


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Craig Head of thecustomer facing

business-to-businessdivision

Penelope (Penny) Team member,slightly authoritative Couple of years

junior to Allison

Allison Team member,honest hard workingworker, quite emotional

Maggie HR Head,Trying to help Craig

Characters

Peer worktogether

share a long historyof conflict it

aggravated since theystarted working

offsite


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History of Conflicts Between Allison and Penny

It started even when people used to work

from site (office building) Allison once complained to Craig that Penny

has blamed her in front of the client

Craig intervened and Penny accepted hermistake

Craig thought the relationship between them

was good since then Their joint work won accolades and awards!


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Both currently working together on Pnobscottcampaign project

Penny first and later on Allison took theoption more than a year agoPenny is on-site more frequently than Allison


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Recent Events (Chronologically) Tuesday, Apr 21

1. Will not be able to work at full potential ifhas to work with Penny and it will also affectthe ongoing project with Pnobscott

2. Penny is behaving like supervisor andcausing stress in the team offered to playthe role of unofficial team leader

3. Insinuated in the name of performancereview and bonus

All 3 of us should meetface to face.

Lets meet on Mondaywhen all available

Lets meettomorrow f2f todiscuss Pnobscotproject

Penny

Craig

Allison

Voice mailEmail

Call wheneverget a chance


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Recent Events (Chronologically)Wednesday, Apr 22

1. Not in office today letsmeet tomorrow

2. Need to discuss anothermatter regarding Allison

3. Her performance is erratic

and you need to step in

Penny Craig

Voice mail

Email


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Recent Events (Chronologically)Thursday, Apr 23

1. Spoke about the project2. Penny : we can talk later together.

There had been some tension but meand Allison are working it out.

Penny Craig

Voice mail

Email

Face to face

I was disturbed to know that you met Penny 1:1without my knowledge !!

The situation has been building for quite sometime and even last week Penny contradicted infront of the client (happened in the past also)

When I expressed concern, she had said thatshed had difficulty with email but thats not true

She seems to have personal vendetta against me Will look for an alternate appointment if continues

1. MeetingwithPennywasregardingprojectONLY

Did not discuss

conflict

3 of us will meet

f2f mon9:30

Allison


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Recent Events (Chronologically)

Friday, Apr 24

Craig: We are doing the best work we have ever done. But I amtotally disconnected from the people I manage even though I ammore connectedto them than I have ever been. Managing 20people working at diff. times and from diff. location is difficult

Both of them know of many examples how flexi time/location havehelped employees to maintain work-life balance and in turnincreases their effectiveness and productivity

Craig questioned the utility of flexi-time/location option which wasproposed by Maggies HR team

Craig

Face to face

Maggie

But how to handlesuch conflicts arising

due to lack ofcommunication?

How will Craig handlePenny and Allison on

Monday?

Roll out flexitime/location?

Limited flexitime/location?


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Monday Meeting

Address immediate issue between Allison & Penny

Craig take primary responsibility and let people vent outinstead of scrutinizing and suggesting

Setup 1:1 with each of them

There is a larger issue in terms of group meetings

Such an incident may not be disparate and may bethere are more similar concerns

This team needs to meet

Formal review meeting with group once/twice a week Craig should do weekly/biweekly f2f with individual

employees


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As things are going out of control some stricterpolicy is required, at least for the time being, atthe cost of employees

e.g. Employees should be available between11AM - 2 PM


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Craig and His Management Style

Craig appears to be a relaxedleader and loves togive freedom to employees

He lets things shape up/conflicts get resolvedautomatically over time

But, should management style change dependingon if you are managing on-site, off-site, some

combination of them? Not sure but alternative work programs require muchmore extra commitment from manager and employees

People need to overcommunicate

It requires to develop agreement between people andaccept the shared accountability of miscommunication


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Craig is slightly arbitrary too many emails

and voice-mails even when he is seeing thereis miscommunication led conflict in the teamHe (and possibly other management) should

undergo training on how to manage an off-siteteam HR steps in !No clear leadership/hierarchy defined

Preferential treatment towards Penny


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Flexi time/location : Policy and Governance The program appears to be defined in an

adhoc manner without clear guidelines

such as minimum/mandatory period to bespent in office

No assessment process to identify eligiblecandidates

It is good to be employee focused but too

much of that may hurt shared organizationgoal


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What is conflictWhat is conflictnormally?normally?

`A disagreement between peoplethat may be the result of different:

Ideas Perspective

Priorities Preferences

Beliefs

Values

Goals

Organizational structures


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Conflict Involves Emotions: What you feel is

important

Perceptions: What you see atstake

Behaviors: How you act with

others


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Sources of ConflictSources of Conflict.... warning:warning:1. Ambiguous jurisdictions:

`I dont know who has the authority onthat issue.

2. Conflict of interest:

`He deserved that position rather thatperson

3. Communication barriers:

`They never returned the phone calls.announced.


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4. Unresolved prior conflicts:`We always have a problem with SGS lab

about the final report.

5. Over dependency of one party:`We will have to wait till the budget is made


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Conflict defined: Is a process that begins when one

party perceives that another partyhas negatively affected, or is aboutto negatively affect, something that

the first party cares about. Is that point in an ongoing activity

when an interaction crosses overto become an inter party conflict.


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Conflict defined:

Encompasses a wide range of

conflicts that people experience inorganizations Incompatibility of goals

Differences over interpretations of facts

Disagreements based on behavioralexpectations.


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Misconceptions about ConflictMisconceptions about Conflict

Harmony is `normal.

Conflict is `abnormal.

Conflict & disagreements are

same. Conflict is the result of

`personality problem. Conflict & anger are the same.


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Transitions in Conflict Thought:

Causes:

Poor communication

Lack of openness

Failure to respond to employee needs

Causes:

Poor communication

Lack of openness

Failure to respond to employee needs

Traditional View of Conflict:

The belief that all conflict is harmful and must beavoided


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Transitions in Conflict Thought (contd) Human Relations View of Conflict:

The belief that conflict is a naturaland inevitable outcome in any group.

Interactionist View of Conflict:

The belief that conflict is not only a positive force

in a group but that it is absolutely necessary

for a group to perform effectively.


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Organizational Conflict:

Conflict is inevitable given the widerange of goals for the differentstakeholder in the organization.

Lack of conflict signals that

management emphasizes conformityand stifles innovation.


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Conflict is good fororganizational performance

although excessive conflictcauses managers to spend toomuch time achieving their own

ends.


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Conflict and Unit Performance


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Types of ConflictTypes of Conflict


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Functional ConflictFunctional Conflict

Functional (or constructive) conflictResults in positive benefits to

individuals, the group, or theorganization.Likely effects

Important problems surface so they can beaddressed.

Causes careful consideration of decisions.

Causes reconsideration of decisions. Increases information available for decision

making. Provides opportunities for creativity.


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Dysfunctional ConflictDysfunctional Conflict

Dysfunctional (or destructive) conflictWorks to the disadvantage of individuals, the

group, or the organization.

Likely effects Diverts energies.

Harms group cohesion.

Promotes interpersonal hostilities. Encourages stereotyping

Creates overall negative environment for workers.


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Type of Conflict

Task Conflict

Conflicts over contentand goals of the work.

Relationship Conflict

Conflict based on interpersonal relationships isdysfunctional

Process Conflict

Conflict over how work gets done - low levels

of this conflict are functional


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Levels of Conflict

Organisational

Inter-group

Interpersonal

Intra-individ

ual

Micro

Macro


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Conflict due to Frustration

Occurs when a motivated drive is blocked

before a person reaches a desired goal.

Defense mechanisms

Aggression: Theft, violence Withdrawal apathetic

Fixation Rules become ends and thefrustrated employee adapts to the barrier

Compromise Mid career changes ,seek

fulfillment outside the job


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Mullins: Management and Organisational Behaviour, 7th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

OHT 12.10

A basic model of frustration

Figure 12.3


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Goal Conflict

Arises when a Goal has both positiveand negative features or two or more

competing goals Approach-approach conflict- Two or more

positive but mutually exclusive goals

Approach-avoidance conflict Motivated to

approach a goal and the same time avoid it

Avoidance-avoidance conflict Avoid two ormore negative but mutually exclusive goals


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Role Conflict and Ambiguity Role is defined as a position that

has expectations evolving fromestablished norms

A study of international JVs showed

that this conflict is lower when theforeign partner was dominant -inversely related to cultural distance


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Types of Role conflict

Person and the role between thepersons personality and theexpectations of the role

Intrarole Contradictory

expectations about how a given roleshould be played

Interrole - Differing requirements oftwo or more roles that must beplayed at the same time


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InterpersonalConflict

Occurs between two or

more individuals who are inopposition to one another.

Personal differences -

Everyone has a uniquebackground because of

different values, socialization

etc.


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Information deficiency two people inconflict are using different information

or that one or both havemisinformation.

Role incompatibility Managers have

highly interdependent functions &

tasks but their individual roles may be

incompatible Environmental stress


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Intra Group conflict Substantive conflict

Conflict that is based on intellectualdisagreement among group members

Affective conflict

Based on emotional responses to a

situation or when interactingindividuals have incompatible styles

or personalities.


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Thank you

Conflict & Negotiating Skills-1

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