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Conflict Management Assessment Test
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By Lorna Riley, CSP
Evaluate yourself. Go back to the list of causes of conflict and see if you can label the root cause of each one—V = value, G = goals, P = policy/procedure, or F = facts.
The four causes of conflict can be reduced to one root cause of all conflict—differences in values. What one person wants (goals), the way they want it done (policy and procedure), or the facts of a situation (“my facts are more accurate/better [e.g. have more value] than yours”), are all expressions of value differences. Value clashes are therefore always a struggle to assert one’s power, i.e. I have more value than you.
How Well Do You Manage Workplace Conflict?
Answer the following:
1. When trying to resolve conflict, you should first state what's important to you, and then ask the other person what is important to him/her? T/F
2. If you tell an employee that you are afraid he/she will act irresponsibly, that employee is likely to try harder to prove to you that he/she is responsible. T/F
3. When the flow towards resolving conflict doesn’t occur naturally, you should first suggest alternatives and then invite the other person to do the same. T/F
4. According to "expectancy theory," there are three factors that affect an individual's choice between alternative courses of action when making a decision. Which one should not be included when weighing alternatives, such as choosing a conflict strategy?
a. level of effort
b. motivation
c. weight or importance of factors involved
d. outcomes (positive or negative)
Answers:
1. True — It's essential to state simply and clearly what is important to you and why, and then confirm your understanding of the other person's needs.
2. False —people respond not only to your actions, but also to your expectations. "Self fulfilling prophecy," is a natural result. If you set limiting expectations, expect them to be fulfilled.
3. False — People are more likely to be committed to carrying out solutions they've developed. It's a good idea to let the other person suggest alternatives first.
4. (b) Surprisingly, motivation is not a stand-alone factor influencing decisions, especially when resolving conflict. In fact, motivation is the result of 1) an individual's beliefs about the level of effort the decision requires, 2) how different factors relate to one another, and 3) potential positive or negative consequences.
Conflict can either be managed or resolved. If you cannot resolve and end the conflict, then the best you can hope for is to manage it when it does occur. Most of us aren’t therapists so trying to change someone’s core behavior isn’t likely to occur. What we can do is to employ appropriate conflict strategies that may eventually resolve the issue and move past a stalemate. While the following strategies provide guidelines for working through conflict, each has down sides to consider.
For more information or a complementary needs analysis, contact us.
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