Methods of conflict management. Effective conflict management: causes and methods of resolution Intrapersonal method of conflict management

There are several effective conflict management techniques (see Figure 1). They can be divided into two groups: structural and interpersonal.

Structural conflict resolution methods:

clarification of job requirements— a method that prevents dysfunctional conflict; is to clarify what results management expects from each employee and department (what must be done or achieved; who receives and who provides various information; a system of powers and responsibilities; a clear definition of the procedure and rules of action);
application of coordination and unification mechanisms, such as management hierarchy; principle of unity of command; services that communicate between functions; creation of cross-functional task forces; holding meetings between departments, etc.;
establishing company-wide comprehensive goals requiring the joint efforts of two or more employees, groups or departments; this ensures more coordinated work of all personnel and ensures that department heads make decisions in the interests of the entire organization;
reward system structure- can also be used as a method of managing a conflict situation; people who contribute to the achievement of company-wide integrated goals and try to solve problems from the point of view of the interests of the company should be rewarded for this; It is equally important that the reward system does not reward unconstructive behavior by individuals or groups.

Rice. 1 Conflict management methods

Interpersonal methods of conflict resolution:

Evasion involves a person’s avoidance of conflict, the desire not to get into situations that provoke the emergence of contradictions, and not to enter into a discussion of issues that are fraught with disagreement.
Smoothing characterized by calls to the conflicting parties to show solidarity and cooperation, to forget about differences. At the same time, the problem underlying the conflict is not resolved.
As a result, peace and harmony are established between the conflicting parties for some time, but the conflict will certainly arise again in a more acute form.
Compulsion involves putting pressure on the opposite side, trying to force them to accept their point of view at any cost. Can be effective in situations where the manager has great power over subordinates. The disadvantage of this method is that it suppresses initiative, which can cause resentment, especially among young and educated subordinates.
Compromise characterized by accepting the other party's point of view, but only to some extent. Minimizes hostility and tension, allowing you to quickly resolve conflict. But the use of compromise at an early stage of the conflict prevents a comprehensive consideration and discussion of the problem that has arisen.
Solution- the most effective method of conflict resolution. It assumes recognition of differences in the opinions of the parties, a willingness to get acquainted with other points of view and find an option of action acceptable to all parties.

St. Petersburg State University of Service and Economics

Abstract on the discipline:

Organizational behavior

Conflict management

Is done by a student

Turutin A.A.

Saint Petersburg

	Conflict…………………………………………………………….
	Causes of conflicts………………………………………………………………
	The concept of conflict management…………………………….
	Intrapersonal method of conflict management……………
	Structural methods of conflict management in an organization.................................................................... ............................................
	Interpersonal methods of conflict management in an organization…………………………………………………………
	Negotiation………………………………………………………….

	Consequences of conflicts…………………………………………………………….
	Conclusion………………………………………………………….
	Bibliography…………………………………………………

Conflict

The most general definition conflict (from lat.Conflictus-collision) – a clash of contradictory or incompatible forces. A more complete definition conflict- a contradiction that arises between people and teams in the process of their joint work activity due to misunderstanding or opposing interests, lack of agreement between two or more parties. In a conflict, each side does everything to ensure that only its point of view is accepted.

Conflict is a fact of human existence. Many people perceive human history as an endless tale of conflict and struggle. Nowhere are conflicts more evident than in the world of business. There are conflicts between firms, companies, associations, within the same organization, etc.

A sign of a brewing conflict in a team can be an increase in lost working time, a decrease in labor productivity and product quality, which ultimately leads to losses. Evidence of a ripening conflict is also the weakening of labor discipline. In addition, the stability of the internal environment of the enterprise is disrupted, and established professional and personal relationships between employees are devalued. This is manifested in the fact that the tasks solved by the team cease to be common; each employee strives to isolate himself from others and works on his own; mutual assistance between employees is not encouraged; people do not trust each other and become withdrawn. In interpersonal relationships, shortcomings in the work of colleagues are emphasized, negative facts predominate; There is constant clarification of relationships between people, and sometimes in an offensive form. Whatever the nature of the organizational conflict, the manager must analyze it, understand it and be able to manage it.

The main elements of conflict are a conflict situation and an incident.

This can be represented as a formula:

Conflict situation + Incident = Conflict

Let me consider the essence of the components included in the formula.

Conflict situation– these are accumulated contradictions that contain the true cause of the conflict.

A conflict situation presupposes the presence of an object of conflict and its participants (subjects of the conflict). The object of the conflict that contributes to the emergence and development of a conflict situation can be power, resources, fame, etc.

An important condition for the existence of a conflict situation is the indivisibility of the object of the conflict.

For example, hidden or overt struggle for a more prestigious position becomes a source of conflict between workers.

Participants in a conflict strive to achieve their own goals, seeing in the opponent (objector, adversary in a dispute) an obstacle that must be overcome. To achieve this, conflict is ultimately used as a way to somehow remove the obstacle.

A conflict situation is a diagnosis of a disease called *conflict*. Only a correct diagnosis gives hope for healing.

Incident- this is a combination of circumstances that is a reason for conflict.

An incident can occur either on the initiative of opponents or regardless of their will and desire due to any circumstances.

Conflict- this is an open confrontation as a consequence of mutually exclusive interests and positions

For example, The relationship between the two employees did not work out. In a conversation with each other, one used some unfortunate words. The second one was offended, slammed the door and wrote a complaint against the first one. The superior manager called the offender and forced him to apologize. “The incident is over,” the manager said with satisfaction, meaning that the conflict had been resolved.

If we turn to the conflict formula, we can conclude that the conflict here is a complaint; conflict situation – not established relationships between employees; incident - accidentally spoken unfortunate words. By forcing an apology, the manager truly ended the incident.

What about a conflict situation? It not only remained, but also got worse. Indeed, the offender did not consider himself guilty, but had to apologize, which is why his antipathy towards the victim only increased. And he, in turn, realizing the falsity of the apology, did not improve his attitude towards the offender.

Thus, by his formal actions, the manager did not resolve the conflict, but only strengthened the conflict situation (undeveloped relationships) and thereby increased the likelihood of new conflicts between these employees.

Therefore, the manager needs not so much to fear the development of a conflict situation, but to understand the sources and reasons for its occurrence

Causes of conflicts.

Foreign management experts identify several main causes of conflicts: limited resources; task interdependence; differences in goals; differences in beliefs and values; differences in behavior and life experiences; poor communications.

Limited resources. Material, labor and financial resources are always limited. The task of management is the optimal distribution of limited resources between various structural divisions of the enterprise. However, this is quite difficult to do, since the distribution criteria are usually quite arbitrary. In this situation, allocating more resources to some manager, group or ordinary employee means depriving others. Thus, limited resources and the need to distribute them inevitably lead to various types of conflict.

Task interdependence. All organizational systems consist of interdependent elements, i.e. the work of one employee or team depends on the work of another employee or team. If one department or individual performs inappropriately, task interdependence can cause conflict.

Differences in goals. Usually, in organizational structures, as they grow and develop, a process of specialization is observed, i.e. activities in any narrow field. As a result, the former structural divisions are divided into smaller specialized units. This increases the likelihood of conflicts that occur because such structures themselves formulate their own goals and may pay more attention to achieving them than to fulfilling the goals of the entire organization.

Differences in ideas and values. In reality, a person first of all strives to take into account those circumstances that are favorable for his personal needs or for the team in which he works. The rule here is simple: having the right does not mean doing it. It is necessary to take into account the surrounding circumstances.

Differences in behavior and life experiences. People differ significantly from each other. There are people who are overly aggressive, authoritarian, and indifferent to others. These are the people who most often provoke conflict. Differences in life experiences, education, work experience, and age increase the potential for conflict.

Poor communications. Communications, being a means of transmitting information, can cause conflict. This is observed, for example, when the same words can have different meanings for different people.

Information overload, poor feedback, and distortion of messages contribute to the emergence of conflict. The conflict can become especially acute if gossip appears in the team. Gossip is always negative and denigrating, and therefore a favorable environment for serious conflicts. They can act as a catalyst for conflict, preventing individual workers or the team as a whole from understanding the real situation. Other common problems in the transfer of information that cause conflict include insufficiently clear criteria for product quality, the absence or low level of development of job responsibilities of employees assigned to departments of functions, as well as the presentation by a manager of mutually exclusive work requirements to an employee.

The concept of conflict management.

Conflict Management - This is a targeted impact on eliminating (minimizing) the causes that gave rise to the conflict, or on correcting the behavior of the participants in the conflict.

For successful management, understanding and recognizing conflict as a natural phenomenon in society is extremely important. Moreover, it is necessary to understand that conflict is the driving force for development, both of a small organization and of society as a whole. Here, a very important step on the part of the leader is to recognize the possibility of an active and positive influence on the conflict. This approach broadens and deepens the attitude towards conflicts; this problem becomes multifaceted. The concept of “conflict management” expresses the essence of how to act in relation to conflict phenomena.

The attitude towards the conflict depends on personal losses or gains: if the first, then a bad attitude, if the second, then a good attitude. Image of the conflict - “Volcano” When a volcanic mixture is released, grains of precious metals can be found. If they go to the subject himself, then the attitude towards the conflict will be good, if someone else gets it, then it will be bad.

The specific content of the response received depends on the practical experience of people, and since the experience of each person is subjective, the attitude towards the conflict is often subjective. A similar position in personal life is mechanical

Depending on the point of view on the conflict that the manager adheres to, the procedure for overcoming it will depend.

Existing methods of conflict management can be represented in the form of several groups, each of which has its own area of application:

Intrapersonal, i.e. methods of influencing an individual;

Structural, i.e. methods for eliminating organizational conflicts;

Interpersonal methods and styles of behavior in conflict;

Negotiation.

Intrapersonal method of conflict management.

It lies in the ability to correctly organize one’s own behavior, express one’s point of view without causing a defensive reaction on the part of the other person.

Some authors suggest using the “ I am a statement”, i.e. a way of conveying to another person your attitude towards a certain subject, without accusations or demands, but so that the other person changes his attitude.

This method helps a person maintain his position without turning another into his enemy.

The “I am statement” can be useful in any situation, but it is especially effective when a person is angry, irritated, or dissatisfied. It should be noted right away that the use of this method requires skills and practice, but this can be justified in the future.

This method of conflict management is designed to allow individuals to express their opinion about the current situation and express their wishes. It is especially useful when a person wants to convey something to another, but does not want him to perceive it negatively and go on the attack.

Structural methods of conflict management in an organization.

Structural methods of conflict management, i.e. methods of influencing primarily organizational conflicts arising due to improper distribution of powers, labor organization, adopted incentive system, etc.

These methods include:

Clarification of job requirements;

Coordination and integration mechanisms;

Organizational goals;

Reward system.

Clarification of job requirements is one of the effective methods of conflict management and prevention.

Each specialist must clearly provide what results are required from him, what his duties, responsibilities, limits of authority, and stages of work are. The method is implemented in the form of drawing up appropriate job descriptions (position descriptions), distributing rights and responsibilities across management levels.

Coordination and integration mechanisms represent the use of structural units in an organization, which, if necessary, can intervene and resolve controversial issues between them.

One of the most common methods. Establishing a hierarchy of authority streamlines the interaction of people, decision making and information flows within the organization.

If two or more subordinates disagree on any issue, the conflict can be avoided by turning to a common superior, asking him to make a decision. This method makes it easier to use hierarchy to manage a conflict situation, since the subordinate knows whose decisions he must follow.

Integration tools such as cross-functional groups and task forces are no less useful.

For example, when in one of the companies there was a conflict between interdependent departments - the sales department and the production department - an intermediate service was organized to coordinate the volume of orders and sales.

Organizational goals . This method involves developing or clarifying organizational goals so that the efforts of all employees are united and aimed at achieving them.

The idea behind this technique is to direct the efforts of all participants to achieve a common goal.

Reward system . Stimulation can be used as a method of managing a conflict situation; with proper influence on people's behavior, conflicts can be avoided.

People who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide integrated goals, help other groups in the organization and try to approach the problem in a comprehensive manner should be rewarded with gratitude, bonuses, recognition or promotions. It is equally important that the reward system does not encourage unconstructive behavior of certain groups or individuals.

The systematic, coordinated use of reward systems to reward those who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide goals helps people understand how they should act in a conflict situation in a manner consistent with management's desires.

Interpersonal methods of conflict management in organizations.

Interpersonal methods of conflict management. When a conflict situation is created or the conflict itself begins to unfold, its participants need to choose the form and style of their further behavior so that this has the least impact on their interests.

K. Thomas and R. Kilmann identified the following five main methods of conflict management:

1) Evasion;

2) Confrontation;

3) Compliance;

4) Cooperation;

5) Compromise.

Let me look at them in more detail:

1. Evasion (weak assertiveness is combined with low cooperation). This form of behavior is chosen when an individual does not want to defend his rights, cooperate to develop a solution, refrains from expressing his position, and avoids arguing.

This style suggests a tendency to avoid responsibility for decisions.

This behavior is possible if the outcome of the conflict is not particularly important for the individual, or if the situation is too complex and resolving the conflict will require a lot of effort from its participant, or the individual does not have enough power to resolve the conflict in his favor.

2. Confrontation (competition) – high assertiveness is combined with low cooperation.

It is characterized by an individual’s active struggle for his interests, the use of all means available to him to achieve his goals: the use of power, coercion, and other means of putting pressure on opponents, and the use of other participants’ dependence on him.

Confrontation involves perceiving the situation as victory or defeat, taking a tough position. Force them to accept their point of view at any cost.

3. Compliance (smoothing, adaptation) - low assertiveness is combined with high cooperativeness.

The actions that are taken with this strategy are aimed at maintaining or restoring favorable relationships, at ensuring the satisfaction of the other by smoothing out differences, with a willingness to give in for this, neglecting one’s own interests.

4. Cooperation - high assertiveness is combined with high cooperativeness.

Here, actions are aimed at finding a solution that fully satisfies both one’s interests and the wishes of others through an open and frank exchange of views about the problem. Actions are aimed at resolving disagreements, conceding something in exchange for concessions from the other side, at searching and developing during negotiations intermediate “average” solutions that suit both sides, in which no one particularly loses, but no one gains either.

This form requires time-consuming work and the participation of all parties.

If opponents have time, and solving the problem is important for everyone, then with this approach it is possible to comprehensively discuss the issue, the disagreements that have arisen and develop a common solution while respecting the interests of all participants.

Among most managers, there is a belief that even if you are fully confident that you are right, it is better not to get involved in a conflict situation at all or to retreat than to enter into outright confrontation. However, if we are talking about a business decision, the correctness of which determines the success of the business, such compliance results in management errors and other losses.

Through collaboration, the most effective, sustainable and reliable results can be achieved.

5.Compromise. It is characterized by the actions of the participants aimed at finding a solution through mutual concessions, at developing an intermediate solution that suits the parties in general, in which no one really gains, but no one loses either.

The one who uses this style does not try to achieve his goal at the expense of others, but rather looks for the best solution to a conflict situation.

Here are some suggestions for using this style when resolving conflicts:

a) define the problem;

b) Once the problem is identified, identify solutions that are acceptable to both parties;

c) focus on the problem, and not on the personal qualities of the other party;

d) create an atmosphere of trust by increasing mutual influence on the exchange of information;

e) When communicating, create a positive attitude towards each other by showing sympathy and listening to the opinions of the other party, and also minimizing expressions of anger and threats.

According to management experts, choosing a compromise strategy is the best way to eliminate contradictions.

Styles evasion And compliance do not involve the active use of confrontation in resolving conflicts.

At confrontation And cooperation confrontation is a necessary condition for reaching a solution. Considering that resolving a conflict involves eliminating the causes that gave rise to it, we can conclude that only style cooperation completes this task.

At evasion And compliance the resolution of the conflict is postponed by “putting on masks”, and the conflict itself is transferred to a hidden form.

Compromise can bring only a partial resolution of conflict interaction, since a fairly large area of mutual concessions remains, and the causes have not been completely eliminated.

In some cases, it is believed that confrontation within reasonable, controlled limits is more productive in terms of conflict resolution than smoothing, avoidance, and even compromise, although not all experts adhere to this statement.

At the same time, the question arises about the cost of victory and what constitutes defeat for the other side. These are extremely difficult issues in conflict management, since it is important that defeat does not become the basis for the formation of new conflicts and does not lead to an expansion of the zone of conflict interaction.

In addition to the five main ones mentioned, there are also other methods for resolving interpersonal conflicts within their framework:

1. Coordination– coordination of tactical subgoals, behavior in the interests of the main goal or solution of a common task. Such coordination can be carried out between organizational units at different levels of the management pyramid (vertical coordination); at organizational levels of the same rank (horizontal coordination) and in the form of a mixed form of both options. If coordination is successful, then conflicts are resolved at lower costs.

2.Integrative problem solving. This conflict resolution technique is based on the premise that there can be a solution to a problem that includes and eliminates the conflicting elements of both positions and is acceptable to both parties. It is believed that this is one of the most successful strategies for a manager's behavior in a conflict, since in this case they come closest to resolving the conditions that initially gave rise to the conflict. However, the problem-solving approach is often difficult to implement. This is due to the fact that it largely depends on the professionalism and management skills of the manager and, in addition, in this case, it takes a lot of time to resolve the conflict. In these conditions, the manager must have a good technology - a model for solving problems.

3.Confrontation as a way to resolve conflict. The purpose of confrontation is to bring the issue into the public eye. This makes it possible to freely discuss it with the involvement of the maximum number of participants in the conflict (and in fact, this is not a conflict, but a difficult dispute), to encourage confrontation with the problem, and not with each other, in order to identify and eliminate obstacles.

The purpose of confrontational sessions is to bring people together in a non-hostile forum that promotes communication. Public and frank communication is one of the means of conflict management.

The process of conflict development in this work is presented graphically in Appendix 3, diagram a.

The main task of a manager is to be able to identify and “enter” conflict at the initial stage. It has been found that if a manager enters into a conflict in the initial phase, he resolves it by 92%; if during the ascent phase - by 46%; and at the “peak” stage, when passions are heated to the limit, conflicts are practically not resolved or are resolved very rarely.

When strength is given to the struggle (the “peak” stage), a decline occurs. And, if the conflict is not resolved in the next period, it grows with renewed vigor, since during the period of decline new methods and forces can be brought in to fight.

Negotiation.

Negotiation represent a broad aspect of communication, covering many areas of an individual’s activity.

Without negotiations, no agreement can be reached. No wonder one wise man said: “ The essence of the conflict is refusal to communicate”

As a method of conflict management, negotiations are a set of tactics aimed at finding mutually acceptable solutions for conflicting parties.

In order for negotiations to become possible, certain conditions must be met:

The existence of interdependence of the parties involved in the conflict;

Lack of significant differences in the capabilities (strength) of the subjects of the conflict;

Correspondence to the stage of development of the conflict with the possibilities of negotiations;

Participation in negotiations between parties who can actually make decisions in the current situation.

It is believed that it is advisable to negotiate only with those forces that have power in the current situation and can influence the outcome of the event.

There are several groups whose interests are affected in the conflict:

Primary groups - their personal interests are affected, they themselves participate in the conflict, but the possibility of successful negotiations does not always depend on these groups;

Secondary groups - their interests are affected, but these forces do not strive to openly demonstrate their interest, their actions are hidden until a certain time.

The third groups are interested in the conflict, but are even more hidden.

Properly organized negotiations go through several stages:

Preparation for the start of negotiations (before the opening of negotiations)

Preliminary selection of positions (initial statements of participants about their position in these negotiations);

Search for a mutually acceptable solution (mental struggle, establishing the real position of opponents);

Completion (exit from a crisis or negotiation impasse)

Preparing for the start of negotiations . Before starting any negotiations, it is extremely important to be well prepared: carry out diagnostics state of affairs, determine the strengths and weaknesses of the parties to the conflict, predict the balance of power, find out who will negotiate and the interests of which group they represent.

In addition to collecting information, at this stage it is necessary to clearly formulate your target participation in negotiations.

In this regard, the following questions should be answered:

What is the main purpose of negotiations?

What alternatives are available?

In reality, negotiations are carried out in order to achieve results that would be the most desirable and acceptable.

If an agreement is not reached, how will this affect the interests of both parties?

What is the interdependence of opponents and how is this expressed externally?

We are also working on procedural issues:

Where is the best place to negotiate?

What kind of atmosphere is expected at the negotiations?

Is a good relationship with your opponent important in the future?

Experienced negotiators believe that the success of all future activities depends 50% on this stage, if it is properly organized.

Second stage of negotiations –initial selection of positions (official statements of negotiators).

This stage allows you to realize two goals of the participants in the negotiation process:

Show your opponents that you know their interests and you take them into account;

Determine the area for maneuver and try to leave as much room for yourself in it as possible.

Typically, negotiations begin with a statement from both parties about their desires and interests. Using facts and principled argumentation.

Third stage of negotiations consists of searching for a mutually acceptable solution, psychological struggle.

At this stage, the parties check each other’s capabilities, how realistic the requirements of each party are and how their implementation may affect the interests of the other party. Opponents present facts that are beneficial only to them, and declare that they have all sorts of alternatives.

Here, various manipulations and psychological pressure on the opposite side are possible, an attempt to put pressure on the leader, to seize the initiative in all possible ways.

The goal of each participant is to achieve balance or slight dominance.

The task of the mediator at this stage is to see and put into action possible combinations of interests of the participants, facilitate the introduction of a large number of solutions, and direct the negotiations towards specific proposals.

If negotiations begin to become harsh, affecting one of the parties, the facilitator must find a way out of this situation

Fourth stage – completion of negotiations or breaking a deadlock.

By this stage, a significant number of different proposals and options already exist, but agreement on them has not yet been reached. Time begins to run out, tension increases, and some kind of decision needs to be made. A few final concessions from both sides could save the day. But here it is important for the conflicting parties to clearly remember which concessions do not affect the achievement of their main goal, and which nullify all previous work. The presiding officer, using the power given to him, regulates the final disagreements and leads the parties to a compromise.

1)Acknowledge the existence of a conflict, i.e. recognize the existence of opposing goals and methods among opponents, and identify these participants themselves. In practice, these issues are not easy to resolve; it can be quite difficult to admit and say out loud that you are in a state of conflict with an employee on some issue. Sometimes a conflict has existed for a long time, people suffer, but there is no open recognition of it, everyone chooses their own form of behavior and influence on the other, but jointly discuss and get out of the current situation.

2)Determine the possibility of negotiations. After acknowledging the existence of a conflict and the impossibility of resolving it “on the spot,” it is advisable to agree on the possibility of holding negotiations and clarify what kind of negotiations: with or without a mediator and who can be a mediator that is equally satisfactory for both parties.

3)Develop solution options. When working together, the parties offer several solution options with cost calculations for each of them. Prepare a list of possible actions to resolve the conflict.

4)Understand the values of conflict. This is an extremely important point. Both enterprise managers and participants in the conflict group must see the value of changes caused by the conflict. Conflicts are simply necessary for normal, not to mention accelerated, development of an enterprise or organization. And in the natural course of affairs, no matter how quiet and calm the atmosphere in the organization may seem, there will definitely be conflicts. And this is very good for both the owners of the enterprise and the company. Constructive conflicts bring novelty.

5)Implement a plan to resolve the conflict. Actions must be consistent, fair and simple. It must be remembered that timely action can bring great benefits.

6)Check execution. One should not assume that a one-time action can resolve personality conflicts; it can only hide the problem. Constantly monitor the development of the situation and explore it again and again.

Consequences of conflicts.

The consequences of conflicts are usually divided into:

Constructive;

Destructive.

Constructive consequences.

There are several possible functional consequences of conflict.

One is that the problem can be solved in a way that is acceptable to all parties, and as a result people will feel more involved in solving the problem. This, in turn, minimizes or completely eliminates difficulties in implementing decisions - hostility, injustice and being forced to act against one's will.

Another constructive consequence is that the parties will be more cooperative.

In addition, conflict can reduce the potential for groupthink and submissiveness syndrome, where subordinates do not express ideas that they feel are inconsistent with those of their leaders.

Through conflict, group members can work out implementation problems before the solution is implemented.

Destructive consequences.

If the conflict is not managed or managed ineffectively, then the following destructive consequences may arise, i.e. conditions that interfere with achieving goals:

Dissatisfaction, poor morale, increased staff turnover and decreased productivity;

Less cooperation in the future;

Strong loyalty to one's group and no more unproductive competition with other groups in the organization;

Viewing the other side as the “enemy”;

The idea of one's goals as positive, and the goals of the other party as negative;

Curtailment of interaction and communication between conflicting parties;

Increasing hostility between conflicting parties as interaction and communication decreases;

Shift in emphasis: giving more importance to “victory” in a conflict than to solving the real problem;

Conclusion.

Due to existing attitudes towards conflict as a negative phenomenon, most people believe that they cannot manage it and try to avoid it whenever possible. But the conflict is difficult to correct when it has already acquired destructive power. This needs to be known, and both manager and employees must understand that conflict enriches life if it is managed correctly.

Conflict helps the individual work team and the organization as a whole. In line with current events, it allows you to determine what is needed for the development and improvement of all areas. The ability to manage conflict can be decisive for the survival of the team as a whole.

Conflict also forces employees to constantly communicate with each other and learn a little more about each other. Team members begin to understand their colleagues better. People finally appreciate the need to understand the norms and desires of others and the impossibility of being free from society while living in it.

Living and working together is not easy, and this requires special training.

Conflict, giving rise to disputes, tests both the entire team and each employee individually, and can significantly help in the process of analyzing the problem and developing a solution.

Conflict is necessary for any organization, like “blood flow” to the body.

When there are few conflicts, the team lacks creative activity.

When there are too many of them, productivity drops.

Thus, employees and managers must manage it to extract maximum utility from it. If they avoid discussing their difficulties and concerns, they cannot understand either the real situation, or ways of development, or learn lessons for themselves.

A constructive manager needs to learn how to manage conflicts, and not just eliminate causes and consequences.

If you manage conflict skillfully, it strengthens both the team and the organization as a whole.

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Structural methods impact primarily on participants in organizational conflicts arising due to incorrect distribution of functions, rights and responsibilities, poor work organization, unfair system of motivation and incentives for workers, etc. Such methods include: clarifying job requirements, using coordination mechanisms, developing or clarifying organizational goals, and creating reasonable reward systems.

Clarification of Requirements to work is one of the effective methods of preventing and resolving conflicts. Each employee must clearly understand what his duties, responsibilities, and rights are. The method is implemented through the development of appropriate job descriptions, regulations, documents regulating the distribution of functions, rights and responsibilities.

Use of coordination mechanisms consists of involving structural units of the organization or officials who, if necessary, can intervene in the conflict and help eliminate the causes of the dispute between the conflicting parties. One of the most common mechanisms is the hierarchy of authority, which streamlines the interaction of people, decision making and information flows within an organization. If employees have disagreements on some issue, the conflict can be avoided by contacting the general manager with a proposal to make the necessary decision. The principle of unity of command facilitates the use of hierarchy to manage a conflict situation, since subordinates are obliged to carry out the decisions of their leader.

Developing or clarifying corporate goals allows you to unite the efforts of all employees of the organization and direct them to achieve the set goals.

Creating reasonable reward systems can also be used to manage a conflict situation, since fair rewards have a positive effect on people’s behavior and help avoid destructive conflicts.

Interpersonal methods of conflict management

Conflict is a normal manifestation of social connections and relationships between people, a way of interaction when incompatible views, positions and interests collide, a confrontation between two or more parties that are interconnected but pursuing their own goals.

Conflict management is a process of purposeful influence on the organization's personnel in order to eliminate the causes that gave rise to the conflict and bring the behavior of the conflict participants into conformity with the established norms of relationships.

Interpersonal methods involve choosing a style of behavior for the parties to the conflict in order to minimize damage to their interests. Along with the well-known styles of conflict behavior, which include accommodation (compliance), avoidance, confrontation, cooperation and compromise, attention should be paid to coercion and problem solving.

Compulsion means trying to force people to accept their point of view at any cost. The one who tries to do this is not interested in the opinions of others. A person who uses this approach usually behaves aggressively and uses power through coercion to influence others. The coercive style can be effective in situations where the leader has significant power over subordinates. The disadvantage of this style is that it suppresses the initiative of subordinates, creating a greater likelihood that some important factors will not be taken into account, since only one point of view is presented. This style may cause resentment, especially among the younger and more educated part of the staff.

Solution means recognizing differences of opinion and being willing to listen to other points of view in order to understand the causes of the conflict and find a path of action acceptable to all parties. The one who uses this style does not seek to achieve his goal at the expense of others, but rather seeks the best option for overcoming a conflict situation. In complex situations where diversity of thought and accurate information are essential to sound decision making, conflicting opinions must be encouraged and the situation managed using a problem-solving style.

Conflict management through problem solving is carried out in the following order.

2. Once the problem is identified, identify solutions that are acceptable to both conflicting parties.

3. Focus on the problem, not on the personal qualities of the other conflicting party.

4. Create an atmosphere of trust by increasing mutual influence and information exchange.

5. During communication, create a positive attitude towards each other by showing sympathy and listening to the other party's opinion, and minimizing the expression of anger and threats.

Conflict Management– these are targeted influences:

To eliminate the causes that gave rise to the conflict;

To correct the behavior of participants in the conflict;

To maintain the required level of conflict, not going beyond controlled limits.

Let us first consider a person’s behavior in a conflict situation from the point of view of its compliance with psychological standards. It is believed that constructive conflict resolution depends on the following factors:

Adequacy of the perception of the conflict, that is, a fairly accurate assessment of the actions and intentions of both the enemy and one’s own, not distorted by personal biases;

Openness and effectiveness of communication, readiness for a comprehensive discussion of problems, when participants honestly express their understanding of what is happening and ways out of a conflict situation,

Creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation.

It is also useful for a manager to know what character traits and behavioral characteristics of a person are characteristic of conflict personality. Summarizing the research of various scientists, we can say that these qualities include the following:

inadequate self-esteem of one’s capabilities and abilities, which can be either overestimated or underestimated. In both cases, it may contradict the adequate assessment of others - and the ground is ready for a conflict to arise;

the desire to dominate at all costs where this is possible and impossible; conservatism of thinking, views, beliefs, unwillingness to overcome outdated traditions;

excessive adherence to principles and straightforwardness in statements and judgments, the desire to tell the truth face to face at any cost;

a certain set of emotional personality traits: anxiety, aggressiveness, stubbornness, irritability.

Thus, in a conflict situation or when dealing with a difficult person, you should use an approach that is more appropriate to the specific circumstances and in which you feel most comfortable. The best advisers in choosing the optimal approach to conflict resolution are life experience and the desire not to complicate the situation and not bring a person to stress. One might, for example, reach a compromise by adapting to the needs of another person (especially a partner or significant other); persistently pursue the realization of one’s true interests in another aspect; avoid discussing a conflict issue if it is not very important to you; use a collaborative style to satisfy the most important interests of both parties. Therefore, the best way to resolve a conflict situation is to consciously choose the optimal behavior strategy.

2. Conflict management methods

Conflict Management Techniques are divided into: intrapersonal; structural; interpersonal (behavior styles); personal; negotiation; methods of managing individual behavior and aligning organizational roles and their functions, sometimes leading to manipulation of employees; methods that include retaliatory aggressive actions.

A conflict is a signal that something went wrong in communications or that some significant disagreements have arisen. Practice shows that there are three directions (methods) for managing conflicts: avoiding conflict, suppressing conflict and managing conflict itself. Each of these areas is implemented using special methods. Let's consider some of them, as well as a general algorithm for influencing a conflict situation and recommendations regarding behavior in conflict conditions.

There are many methods of conflict management. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into several groups, each of which has its own area of application:

intrapersonal;
structural;
interpersonal;
negotiation;
aggressive response.

Intrapersonal methods influence an individual and consist in the correct organization of one’s own behavior, the ability to express one’s point of view without causing a defensive reaction on the part of the opponent. The method of conveying to another person one or another attitude towards a certain subject without accusations or demands, but so that the other person changes his attitude (the so-called “I-statement” method) is often used. This method allows a person to defend his position without turning his opponent into an opponent. “I-statement” is especially effective when a person is angry or dissatisfied. It allows you to express your opinion about the current situation and express fundamental principles. This method is especially useful when a person wants to convey something to another, but does not want him to perceive it negatively and go on the attack.

Clarification of job requirements is one of the effective methods of preventing and resolving conflicts. Each employee must clearly understand what his duties, responsibilities, and rights are. The method is implemented through the preparation of appropriate job descriptions (position description) and the development of documents regulating the distribution of functions, rights and responsibilities across management levels.
Use of coordination mechanisms consists of involving structural units of the organization or officials who, if necessary, can intervene in the conflict and help resolve controversial issues between the conflicting parties. One of the most common mechanisms is the hierarchy of authority, which streamlines the interaction of people, decision making and information flows within an organization. If employees have disagreements on some issue, the conflict can be avoided by contacting the general manager with a proposal to make the necessary decision. The principle of unity of command facilitates the use of hierarchy to manage a conflict situation, since subordinates are obliged to carry out the decisions of their leader.
Developing or clarifying corporate goals allows you to unite the efforts of all employees of the organization and direct them to achieve the set goals.
Creating reasonable reward systems can also be used to manage a conflict situation, since fair rewards have a positive effect on people’s behavior and help avoid destructive conflicts. It is important that the reward system does not reward negative behavior by individuals or groups.

Interpersonal methods suggest that when a conflict situation is created or the conflict itself begins to unfold, its participants need to choose the form and style of their further behavior in order to minimize damage to their interests. Along with such basic styles of behavior in conflict as adaptation (compliance), avoidance, confrontation, cooperation and compromise, attention should be paid to coercion and problem solving.

Coercion means trying to force someone to accept their point of view at any cost. The one who tries to do this is not interested in the opinions of others. A person who uses this approach usually behaves aggressively and uses power through coercion to influence others. The disadvantage of this style is that it suppresses the initiative of subordinates, creating a greater likelihood that some important factors will not be taken into account, since only one point of view is presented. This style may cause resentment, especially among the younger and more educated part of the staff.

Solution means recognizing differences of opinion and being willing to listen to other points of view in order to understand the causes of the conflict and find a path of action acceptable to all parties. The one who uses this style does not seek to achieve his goal at the expense of others, but rather looks for the best option for overcoming a conflict situation. In complex situations where diversity of thought and accurate information are essential to sound decision making, conflicting opinions must be encouraged and the situation managed using a problem-solving style.

Negotiation, as a method of conflict resolution, they represent a set of tactics aimed at finding mutually acceptable solutions for the conflicting parties. In order for negotiations to become possible, certain conditions must be met:

the existence of interdependence between the parties to the conflict;
absence of significant differences in the capabilities (powers) of the parties to the conflict;
correspondence of the stage of development of the conflict to the possibilities of negotiations;
participation in negotiations between parties who can make decisions in the current situation.

Aggressive responses- methods that are extremely undesirable for overcoming conflict situations. The use of these methods leads to resolving a conflict situation from a position of strength, including the use of brute force and violence. However, there are situations when conflict resolution is possible only by these methods.

Practice shows that there are three directions (methods) of conflict management:

avoiding conflict;
suppression of conflict;
conflict management itself.

Each of these areas is implemented using special methods. Let's look at some of them.

Avoiding conflict. The advantage of this method is that the decision is usually made quickly. This method is used when a given conflict is unnecessary, when it does not fit the situation in the organization, or the costs of a possible conflict are very high. It is also advisable to use it in cases:

the banality of the problem underlying the conflict;
the presence of more important problems that require solutions;
the need to cool flared passions;
the need to gain time to collect the necessary information and avoid making an immediate decision;
connecting other forces to resolve the conflict;
presence of fear of the opposing side or impending conflict;
when the timing of an impending conflict goes wrong.

A variation of the method of avoiding conflict is the method of inaction. With this method, the development of events is left to the mercy of time, goes with the flow, spontaneously. Inaction is justified in conditions of complete uncertainty, when it is impossible to foresee possible scenarios and predict consequences.

Another variation of this method is concessions or accommodations. In this case, one side makes concessions by reducing its own demands. This method is used when a party discovers that they are in the wrong; when the subject of the collision is more important for the other party; if it is necessary to minimize losses, when superiority is clearly on the other side, etc.

Conflict Suppression in turn involves the use of various methods. For example, hidden action method applies in cases where:

a combination of circumstances makes open conflict impossible;
there is no desire to deal with open conflict due to fear of losing face;
it is impossible for one reason or another to involve the opposite side in active opposition;
an imbalance of power, a lack of parity in the resources of the opposing parties, exposes the weaker party to increased risk or causes unnecessary costs.

The techniques used in these cases include both “gentlemanly” and forms of influence that are far from them on the opposite side. Behind-the-scenes negotiations and “divide and conquer” politics can take place here. It is not uncommon to create additional obstacles in the form of hidden or open resistance.

General algorithm in terms of impact on a conflict situation can be reduced to the following.

1. Acknowledge the existence of a conflict, i.e. the presence of opposing goals and methods among opponents, to identify the participants in the conflict themselves. In practice, these issues are not so easy to resolve; it can be difficult to admit and say out loud that you are in a state of conflict with an employee on some issue. Sometimes the conflict has existed for a long time, people suffer, but there is no open recognition of it; Each chooses their own form of behavior in relation to the other, but there is no joint discussion and search for a way out of the current situation.

2. Determine the possibility of negotiations. After recognizing the existence of a conflict and the impossibility of quickly resolving it, it is advisable to agree on the possibility of holding negotiations and clarify what kind of negotiations: with or without a mediator; who can be a mediator who equally suits the conflicting parties.

3. Agree on the negotiation procedure: determine where, when and how negotiations will begin, i.e. stipulate the timing, place, procedure for conducting negotiations, and the start time of the joint discussion.

4. Identify the range of issues that constitute the subject of the conflict. The problem is to determine what is in conflict and what is not. At this stage, joint ways to solve the problem are developed, the positions of the parties are clarified, points of greatest disagreement and points of possible rapprochement of positions are determined.

5. Develop solution options. The conflicting parties offer several possible solutions, calculating the costs for each of them, taking into account the possible consequences.

6. Make an agreed decision. As a result of mutual discussion of possible solutions, the parties come to a common decision, which should be presented in the form of a communiqué, resolution, cooperation agreement, etc. Sometimes, in particularly complex or important cases, documents can be drawn up and adopted at the end of each stage of negotiations.

7. Implement the decision made in practice. The conflicting parties must think through how to organize the implementation of the decision made, determine the tasks of each of the conflicting parties in implementing the results of the negotiations, recording them in an agreed upon decision. The inability to defuse a conflict situation and understand mistakes and miscalculations can cause constant tension. The main reason for the conflict is that people depend on each other, everyone needs sympathy and understanding, the location and support of the other, they need someone to share their beliefs. A conflict is a signal that something went wrong in communications or that some significant disagreements have arisen.

ability to distinguish the important from the unimportant. It would seem that it could be simpler, but life shows that it is quite difficult to do this. If you regularly analyze conflict situations, the motives of your behavior, if you try to understand what is really important and what is just ambition, then over time you can learn to cut off the unimportant more and more effectively;
inner peace. This principle does not exclude human energy and activity. On the contrary, it allows you to become even more active, react to events and problems without losing composure even at critical moments. Inner peace is a kind of protection from all unpleasant life situations; it allows a person to choose the appropriate form of behavior;
emotional maturity and stability: in essence, the opportunity and readiness for worthy actions in any life situations;
knowledge of measures to influence events, meaning the ability to stop oneself and not “pressure” or, conversely, speed up an event in order to “control the situation” and be able to adequately respond to it;
ability to approach a problem from different points of view, due to the fact that the same event can be assessed differently, depending on the position taken. If you consider the conflict from the position of your “I,” there will be one assessment, but if you try to look at the same situation from the position of your opponent, perhaps everything will seem different. It is important to be able to evaluate, compare, and connect different positions;
preparedness for surprises, the absence (or restraint) of a biased line of behavior allows you to quickly adapt, timely and adequately respond to changing situations;
desire to move beyond a problematic situation. As a rule, all “unsolvable” situations are ultimately solvable; there are no hopeless situations;
observation, necessary not only for assessing others and their actions. Many unnecessary reactions, emotions and actions will disappear if you learn to observe yourself impartially. It is much easier for a person who can objectively assess his desires, motives, and motives, as if from the outside, to manage his behavior, especially in critical situations;
foresight as the ability not only to understand the internal logic of events, but also to see the prospects for their development. Knowing “what will lead to what” protects against mistakes and incorrect behavior, prevents the formation of a conflict situation;
the desire to understand others, their thoughts and actions. In some cases this means coming to terms with them, in others it means correctly determining your line of behavior. Many misunderstandings in everyday life happen only because not all people are able or do not give themselves the trouble to consciously put themselves in the place of others. The ability to understand (even without accepting) an opposing point of view helps to predict people's behavior in a given situation.