Interpersonal conflict is cyclical. The cycle comprises 4 elements:
- The problems that constitute the conflict The circumstances that precipitate the conflict The relevant acts of the protagonists The consequences
Cyclical and dynamic nature
Cyclical: two opposing people come into manifest conflict only periodically. At one point the differences of both constitute a latent conflict, then for some reason the opposition becomes notorious and both undertake a series of behaviors that favor the conflict, experiencing its consequences. Subsequently, the conflict becomes less noticeable again for some time until the cycle repeats itself.
Dynamic: the problems or the form of a conflict change in a characteristic way.
Escalation: trend towards a higher degree of conflict.
De-escalation: quite the opposite.
Associated general strategies: Release (allow temporary escalation) and Control or Resolution (produce de-escalation).
Substantive and emotional problems
Nouns: disagreements about policies and practices, competition for resources, and different opinions regarding roles or functions. Emotional: negative feelings between the parties.
In the cases:
Substantive problems:
- Sy disapproved of Mack's penchant for being guided by headquarters rather than local management. Charles disagreed with the way Fred dealt with absenteeism and union relations. Charles felt his role in personnel matters was usurped. Sy claimed he did not have Mack's help on a new project.
Emotional problems:
- Mack was frustrated by his role as comptroller. Lloyd felt that he was not recognized. Fred and Charles: Fred thought that Charles was academic, indirect and cautious; Charles thought Fred was impulsive and inconsiderate.
In all three cases there were both types of problems, although in the case of
Mack and Sy the most notorious were the personals.
Why is differentiation important?
Substantive conflicts require negotiation and problem solving between the protagonists, as well as interventions by the mediator. Cognitive processes. Emotional conflicts require restructuring of perceptions and examination and treatment of feelings, as well as conciliatory interventions by the mediator. Affective processes.
Triggering events
They are circumstances that precipitate the conflict.
There are barriers to conflict actions and circumstances:
- Internal Barriers: values, attitudes, needs, desires, fears External Barriers: group norms contrary to the expression of the conflict, physical obstacles to interaction.
Examples of barriers: Requirements of the task (time), Group norms, Public Image, Personal concepts of the Role or Function, Vulnerability of others or own.
Triggering events can increase the importance of the problems in conflict or reduce some of the barriers that obstruct action.
Therefore, it is important to recognize the barriers that operate and what triggers the conflict in diagnosing the conflict. In the cases:
Barriers:
Bill - Internal barriers (He was intimidated by Lloyd's aggressive and strong style)
Sy-- Internal barriers (He was intimidated by Mack's aggressive pattern)
Mack-- Internal barriers (Fear of adverse consequences for his career)
Barrier and Trigger Analysis: Why it matters:
- Helps to choose the right problem, time and place Helps prevent malicious tactics from being unleashed that do not lead to problem solving (the two circumstances must be distinguished) Provides clues about the core problems of recurring conflict You can control the frequency of conflict encounters (by acting on barriers and triggers).
Conflict tactics and behaviors for its solution
They understand the expression of feelings of conflict (anger, attack, avoidance, rejection) and feelings of conciliation (pain, sympathy, enthusiasm, support). They also include competitive strategies aimed at winning the conflict and cooperative strategies aimed at ending the conflict. Competitive: interrupting, paralyzing, disapproving of others, forming alliances, taking advantage.
Cooperatives: unilateral or reciprocal concessions, eliminate differences.
Costs and Benefits of the conflict
Personal Costs (psychological and career)
Work related costs
Costs associated with others around
The costs are consequences of having an antagonistic relationship, of the overt tactics in itself and of the reactions of others.
Tactics can contribute to conflict escalation or de-escalation.
Understanding the consequences of a conflict Important for 3 reasons:
- They help to determine if the effort to achieve better conflict management is justified (if the benefits outweigh the costs) The analysis can show the connections between tactics and management used and the tendency of the problems to increase or decrease. results that are desirable and develop strategies to achieve them, which are generally de-escalation strategies.
Proliferation trends
To diagnose conflicts it is important to determine which problems are basic and which are symptomatic, representative of a proliferation of basic problems.
Why does proliferation occur? (Tendency of the types of problem to generate the other).
- Emotional conflict tends to create substantive disagreements. Substantive conflict can create emotional conflict, hostility, and mistrust. Both substantive and emotional issues tend to create symptomatic problems.
Conflict Management (Control Strategies)
1) Preventing a conflict interaction: strengthening barriers and avoiding triggering events. (Control strategy). It has the disadvantage that less desirable end results can be generated than if the conflict were expressed:
- The conflict may remain hidden, less direct, but more destructive and difficult to control. When it manifests itself, it can become more intense and destructive. Restriction of the form of the conflict: placing limits on the protagonists' tactics. This control strategy can be used to protect a social system from the dissociative effects of a less constrained conflict and to prevent conflict escalation by eliminating tactics that have a more provocative effect.
Dynamics and Conflict Management
PURPOSES OF DIALOGUE IN CONFLICT
| Cycle elements | Diagnostic objectives | Objectives of the action |
| 1. Conflicting issues | Differentiate basic problems from symptomatic and solvable from non-solvable. | Solve (by integrating substantive differences, solving
emotional differences). |
| 2. Triggering events | Identify barriers to conflict or conflict management behaviors and the events that trigger that behavior. | Control (preventing a new episode from being triggered unless it serves some positive purpose) |
| 3. Tactics or initiatives for the solution | Understand how conflict behaviors can lead to additional problems. | Control (limiting destructive tactics and encouraging constructive initiatives). |
| 4. Consequences, including feelings | Understand the feelings generated by conflict episodes, how they are dealt with and if they are fueling the next episode. | Control (helping the protagonists to better cope with their feelings and other consequences of the conflict). |
