Today’s organizations may face greater potential for conflict than ever before, yet many people are unskilled at managing it. This chapter describes functional and dysfunctional conflict, and reviews the major causes of conflict in organizations. Defense mechanisms are natural reactions to interpersonal conflict. Both effective and ineffective techniques for managing conflict are described. Conflict management styles include avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating.
Diagnose functional versus dysfunctional conflict.
Identify the causes of conflict in organizations.
Identify the different forms of conflict.
Understand the defense mechanisms that individuals exhibit when they engage in interpersonal conflict.
Describe effective and ineffective techniques for managing conflict.
Understand five styles of conflict management, and diagnose your own preferred style.