Conflict Transformation Lesson

Conflict strategies are both the methods we employ automatically in conflict and the strategies we use to manage conflict. Recall that you have already learned some self-management strategies for conflict, such as FIFE and the Functional Reconnect.

During conflict, you can adjust your conflict management strategies as you notice a strategy being used by another person. There are a variety of conflict management strategies. We have chosen five for this module. They are:

• Competing

• Avoiding

• Accommodating

• Compromising

• Collaborating

Review the content below to understand the characteristics of each strategy. Some people embody a combination of two or even three of these strategies; for others, a single style is dominant. No one style is absolutely right or wrong; each style has a time and place. Be cautious that some of these conflict management styles may clash and escalate conflict.

It may seem obvious that a person with a competing conflict management style might be able to avoid conflict with someone whose style seems opposite. However, these styles have no direct opposite and therefore all conflict management styles have the equal potential to contribute to conflict or harmony. In a healthcare setting, a team can benefit from a mixture of several or all of these styles to address and transform conflict.