Analyzing Personal Conflict Management What are conflict management styles? Conflict management styles are styles in which a person uses to control the diversity and differences of a group. They are used to manage conflict. While critiquing conflict management styles, I have decided to focus on the one I use the most. I try to avoid contention, disaccord, and strife. The style that follows the rules of avoidance is the non-confrontation conflict management style.
I use this style more often than not because I prefer peace, stability, and harmony instead of animosity, opposition, and dispute. I tend to sit back and let whatever agreements come to pass as long as it morally right and do not hinder the group, or individuals of that group. I realized that this management style allows the group to be able to decide and make decisions for themselves. It gives them a sense of positive self esteem.
I understand that no one style will be used by all persons, and I have to admit that I working along side with others that uses another style of conflict management gets kind of testy. Some difficulties that I have with a person who utilizes the controlling conflict management style is that they tend to be a bit pushy. A controlling style does not care for the opinion of others and what input they may have about a situation.
There are advantages and disadvantages in using the non-confrontation conflict management style. One advantage is that being laid back allows me to sit and think about what is to be said. It allows time to give structure to a response or rebuttal to what is at hand. Another advantage of using the non-confrontation style is that agreeing with another group member could easily repair and broken relationship.
A disadvantage of the non-confrontation conflict management style is that if there is something that is truly on a person’s mind then that thought would probably
References: Steven Beebe, John Masterson, Communicating in Small Groups: Principles and Practices, 8e, 2006 DeChurch, Leslie and Marks, Michelle, Maximizing the Benefits of Task Conflict: The Role of Conflict Management, The International Journal of Conflict Management, 2001, Vol 12, Number 1, Weider-Hatfield, Deborah and Hatfield, John D., Relationships Among Conflict Management Styles, Levels of Conflict, and Reactions to Work, The Journal of Social Psychology, 1995 http://www.bbc.co.uk/weakestlink/game/game.shtml, accessed October 12, 2009 Wikipedia Your Free Online Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_avoidance, accessed October 12, 2009