• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Product
  • Tutorials
  • Make timelines
    • In PowerPoint
    • Online
  • Support
    • Office Timeline Add-In
    • Office Timeline Online
  • Get Free Trial
Home » What is Your Conflict Resolution Style?

What is Your Conflict Resolution Style?

June 5, 2016 by Eddy Malik

Conflict resolution style

Even in the highest functioning teams, interpersonal conflicts are bound to arise. Employee conflict is a cause of concern for employers, leaders and project managers because it often leads to lost productivity and damaged morale. Project managers must learn to handle interpersonal conflict on their project teams. Doing so will alleviate tension, increase productivity and help create respectful work environments.

How people handle conflict has been an area of study for years. In 1974, Kenneth W.Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann introduced an assessment called the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) to help determine styles when dealing with conflict.

According to the TKI there are 5 typical styles people use when dealing with conflict:

5 used styles of dealing with conflict

Accommodating

In this style, a person involved in the conflict chooses to give-in. Utilizing this technique will be at the expense of that person’s ideas and opinions. This approach can be effective when the opposing party is the expert or has more power. Accommodating is the least assertive style which results in very one-sided resolutions.

Avoiding

This is a technique where a person involved simply avoids the conflict. The person disengages without pursuing their own goals. This works when the issue is unimportant or when it is clear that the conflict can’t be resolved, however it is a non-assertive and uncooperative style of conflict resolution. It is important to note that both the accommodating and avoiding styles have the same outcome, however,through avoidance, there is no indication that a contribution was made in solving the conflict.

Collaborating

This is a style where both sides of the conflict come together in order to achieve the goals of each person and is often referred to as creating a “win-win.” Collaborating can be an effective style for complex scenarios where there is an opportunity to explore multiple options. Collaborating conflict resolution means both sides are asserting themselves and their ideas but are also working for a cooperative outcome. The challenge of the collaborative conflict resolution is that it can be time consuming and it requires a high-level of trust between all parties.

Competing

Whereas collaborative conflict resolution can often be called a “win-win” style, competing may be defined as a “win-lose” style. Competing is an autocratic technique for resolving conflict. In it, one person forces their solution at the expense of the other party . This style may be appropriate when one person has the power to make the decision and needs to do so quickly and decisively, however, competing is the most aggressive and uncooperative conflict resolution method.

Compromising

This is a style of conflict resolution where each party gives-up part of their objectives. Although the compromising style may seem similar to collaborating, it is different. In compromising, people make trade-offs that drive a hybrid solution to the conflict. Since neither party gets what they want it can be defined as a “lose-lose” model. Compromising requires a moderate level of assertiveness and cooperation and it is effective when people are working on short term tasks or on a smaller part of a project.

By becoming familiar with the different styles of conflict resolution, project managers can apply the most effective techniques of resolving conflict to ensure project teams avoid disruptions and stay productive.


placeholder for actual image alt

Turn project data into professional timelines

Get the advanced features of Office Timeline Pro+ free for 14 days.

Get free trial

Filed Under: Project Management

About Eddy Malik

Eddy is Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer for Office Timeline, a user-friendly but powerful app that makes timelines, Gantt charts and roadmaps directly in PowerPoint.

Primary Sidebar

Follow us on:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Popular articles

Microsoft Project visual alternative

Microsoft Project alternative for visuals

July 4, 2022 By Office Timeline

Project visuals examples for the Manufacturing industry

Best examples of timelines, Gantt charts, and roadmaps for the Manufacturing industry

May 31, 2022 By Office Timeline

Memorial Day history timeline

Memorial Day history timeline

May 30, 2022 By Office Timeline

Project visuals examples for the Healthcare industry

Best examples of timelines, Gantt charts, and roadmaps for the Healthcare sector

May 17, 2022 By Office Timeline

Project visuals examples for the Pharma industry

Top examples of timelines, Gantt charts, and roadmaps for the Pharma industry

May 2, 2022 By Office Timeline

Categories

  • Gantt charts (8)
  • General (39)
  • Office Timeline Tips (20)
  • Presentations (23)
  • Project Management (66)
  • Significant Timelines (101)
  • Timelines (4)

Make timelines in PowerPoint

Create impressive project visuals that showcase your work to clients and managers.

Watch Demo

Footer

office timeline white logo

Office Timeline Add-In

  • Pro+ Edition Features
  • Pro Edition Features
  • Basic Edition Features
  • Download Free Edition

Office Timeline Online

  • Premium Edition Features
  • Application Tour
  • Access the App

Resources

  • Free Gantt chart templates
  • Free Timeline templates
  • Product Webinars
  • Case studies

Copyright © 2022 - Office Timeline, LLC. All rights reserved.
All trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

We use cookies to make our products, website and services work the way you expect them to.
For more information on cookies, data protection and our privacy policies, please refer to the Office Timeline Privacy Statement.