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The Four Causes of Conflict
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By Lorna Riley, CSP
All causes of conflict can be reduced to four main categories. Think of a time in which you may have been faced with difficult challenges. Evaluate which category was the root cause.
1. Values—Values are anything’s relative worth. It’s what we think is important, at the time, based on the situation we’re in. Values are therefore ever-changing, situational or transient. We cannot always predict other people’s values. Someone may value being generous in one moment, or hoarding in the next. Values are shaped by:
a. History—The past tells us what has worked well, or not worked well. We form values based on what we’ve learned from previous experience.
b. Authority—People in positions of power can influence the way we think. Something might be valued simply because an authority figure told us that it’s important or should be valued. Parents, teachers, police, management, and government officials may fall into this category.
c. Science—We may value what is proven through experimentation or proof through systematic inquiry.
d. Emotion—Some values are formed based on the way people, things, or places make us feel. If we feel good about something, we will place a higher value on it.
e. Intuition—Sometimes we form values based on “gut” intelligence. Our instincts guide decisions, or a sense of some external, creative intelligence at work.
2. Goals—Goals are what people want or need to accomplish. People have different needs and agendas based on personal objectives or those that are imposed by others. 3. Policy/Procedure—These influencers are the way in which goals are achieved and the rules that guide their achievement. This includes standards of quality (good, better, best) and expectations of outcomes. Often these are sketchy at the outset of projects, creating misunderstandings, disappointment, and high potential for conflict.
4. Facts—Facts are how we perceive and record events. Two people observing the same event will often recount the details of the event differently. The reporting of facts can be influenced by many factors such as our ability to observe objectively without personal bias, remember details, notice cause and effect, and suspend bodily conditions influencers such as hunger or fatigue.
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