Understanding your conflict style – a tool for the productive workplace
At Integrity, we believe that the key to breaking a conflict cycle is to unlock knowledge. With the right information, level of self-awareness, and supported by the right training and diagnostic tools – you really can transform the way you and your teams approach conflict. Here’s a little more information about our approach to understanding your conflict style.
The 5 main conflict management styles
There are five main conflict styles, and it’s usual for an individual to be dominant in one but exhibit a further two or three styles. No one style is wrong, although certain styles can affect how a conflict might develop and fail to resolve:
Competing
Individuals with a dominant competing conflict style will stand their ground and forward their own viewpoint and beliefs whilst rejecting the conflicting party’s opposing view.
Collaborating
A collaborating conflict style will seek to find a solution that satisfies all conflicting parties. Unlike a compromising style, with which each party has to make allowances, a collaborating style will suit everyone – you might call it a ‘win-win’ situation.
Compromising
This conflict style will see an individual or party find a middle-ground between the conflicting parties – in other words, a compromise.
Avoiding
Fairly self-explanatory – and avoidant conflict style simply stays away from the conflict in question. The individual would not engage with the beliefs of any party involved in the conflict.
Accommodating
With this style of conflict, individuals forsake their own wishes or beliefs for that of another. In many cases, it will look like the individual is simply giving in to the person or people they are in conflict with.
Learning the different conflict styles
Understanding your conflict style helps you understand how and why you react in a certain way and know whether your natural response is the most effective in a specific situation. Having flexibility allows you to adapt your approach – certain situations may require a more collaborative approach, for example in a team setting but you may need to be more competitive when negotiating an important business deal.
The major benefit of understanding your conflict style is that it can lead to much better communication and understanding, you can tailor your approach to be more effective and reduce the risk of a misunderstanding and fostering healthier relationships. Having these skills plays an incredible part in handling conflict situations to effective outcomes and most importantly of all, sets you apart.
Tools and training in conflict style
Training often starts with an overview of what conflict is, its causes, types and dynamics. With Integrity training, we support participants to learn about their own conflict styles and how to identify their default style and how this may play out in certain scenarios. Training also covers active listening and non-verbal communication to ensure all parties feel listened to and heard. We look at problem solving techniques such as brain-storming, negotiation tactics and win- win solutions. Managing stress levels and staying calm is also included in our programme and is an essential element to resolving disputes effectively.
Our diagnostic testing is also a key element in our approach. It increases our clients’ understanding and knowledge to help leverage and resolve conflicts more efficiently and constructively. Recognising your conflict style and that of others helps individuals understand their approach to conflict and identify ways to handle disputes more effectively.
There are key strategies in developing an approach to your conflict style such as self-reflection, practising flexibility, developing better communication skills, seeking feedback and staying objective. Our practical exercises involve role play scenarios and simulations allowing participants to practice and apply conflict resolution techniques in a safe & controlled environment – hands on practice can be crucial for building confidence and conflict competency.
Our bespoke structured programmes are designed to equip individuals and teams with the skills, techniques and knowledge to effectively manage and resolve conflicts as quickly and effectively as possibly giving you skills for life. If you’d like to learn more about the training we offer, or speak to us about how we can support you, your team, or wider organisation, read more about our Recognise programme.
