Conflict is an inevitable part of any workplace. Whether it stems from differences in opinion, personality clashes, or misunderstandings, it can have significant implications for both individuals and organizations. However, conflict doesn’t have to be solely negative. When managed effectively, it can lead to new perspectives, enhanced collaboration, and innovative solutions. Understanding how individuals typically handle conflict and leveraging tools like the TKI® assessment and MBTI® framework can empower individuals to navigate conflict more successfully.
The Myers Briggs Company recently conducted a comprehensive research study on conflict at work, aiming to shed light on how people perceive and manage conflict in the workplace. Here are some key findings from the report:
Understanding Conflict Dynamics:
– Cost of Conflict: Conflict comes at a significant cost to organizations, with respondents spending an average of 4.34 hours per week dealing with workplace conflict.
– Common Causes: Poor communication, lack of role clarity, heavy workloads, and personality clashes emerged as the most common causes of conflict.
– Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic and its aftermath led to a slight increase in perceived conflict, with non-remote workers experiencing the highest impact.
Gender and Age Dnamics:
– Conflict Management by Gender: While most respondents perceived no significant difference between men and women in managing conflict, there was a slight tendency for women to be seen as more effective in conflict resolution.
– Age and Conflict Resolution: Older individuals and senior employees were more likely to be perceived as handling conflict effectively compared to their younger counterparts.
Better understanding different conflict styles and personal preferences in handling conflict is key to solve conflicts.
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI®) is an effective tool for this, as it measures five distinct conflict resolution styles based on the levels of assertiveness and cooperativeness, which are_
Collaborating: This style emphasizes a win-win approach, where parties work together to find mutually beneficial solutions. It involves open communication, active listening, and creative problem-solving.
Competing: In this style, individuals assert their own needs and goals without much regard for others’ perspectives. It’s a win-lose approach where one party seeks to dominate the outcome.
Avoiding: Avoiding conflict involves sidestepping the issue altogether, either by postponing discussions or withdrawing from the situation. While it can reduce immediate tension, it may lead to unresolved issues.
Accommodating: Individuals adopting this style prioritize maintaining relationships over asserting their own needs. They may yield to others’ demands or compromise to preserve harmony.
Compromising: This style involves seeking a middle ground where both parties make concessions to reach a mutually acceptable solution. It aims for a partial win for each party, though it may not fully address underlying concerns.
Within the TKI® framework, the Myers Briggs Company’s report sheds further light on how conflict resolution styles impact the influence of leaders in the workplace. The findings not only underscore the significance of conflict resolution skills as a leadership competency but also reveal insights into preferred conflict styles among managers and their impact on team dynamics.
Managerial Influence:
– Managerial Role in Conflict: Line managers were primarily responsible for managing conflict, highlighting the importance of conflict resolution skills as a leadership competency.
– Preferred Conflict Styles: Collaborating emerged as the most preferred conflict resolution style among managers, followed by Competing and Avoiding.
– Managerial Impact: Managers who exhibited a Collaborating style were perceived most positively, indicating the importance of managers’ conflict-handling abilities in shaping the work environment.
Additionally, the research emphasizes the role of personality in managing conflicts based on insights from the MBTI®, that revealhow personality types influence different conflict resolution approaches. Self-awareness about our personality preferences and how they influence our behaviors in managing conflicts at work is thus very beneficial to consciously choose the appropriate conflict style for a certain conflictual situation.
While conflicts at work can be draining and lead to a loss of trust and decrease in collaboration when poorly handled, they can also bring a tremendous opportunity to reshape workplace dynamics and performance when dealt with effectively. Though conflict resolution is no easy topic and does take some time, there are some concrete steps one can take immediately to tackle workplace conflicts:
– Training: Research shows that conflict resolution training is a strong lever in resolving conflicts. By equipping employees and team members with the skills to manage conflicts effectively, we not only foster a more harmonious and trustful work environment but also boost job satisfaction across the board.
– Managerial Skills: Leaders play a crucial role in resolving conflicts at work and in building a culture of trust and psychological safety, essential for constructive conflict resolution. Whether it’s practicing active listening, communicating clearly, or resolving conflicts in a timely manner and with a collaborative style, let’s ensure our leaders are equipped to navigate any interpersonal challenge that comes their way. Training and coaching programs are key to hone these leadership skills.
– Self-awareness and Assessment tools: Self-awareness is the beginning of success. By better understanding our approach to conflict and its impact on others, we can regain control over the outcomes. The TKI® and personality assessments help us gain deeper insights into our own conflict style and those of our colleagues. This heightened self-awareness lays the groundwork for more effective conflict resolution strategies and positive results.
Conclusion:
There will always be conflicts at work, but we can choose to be in the driver’s seat and have an influence on their outcomes. By recognizing individual conflict styles, understanding organizational dynamics, and fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration, leaders and teams can transform their environment into a workplaces where conflict turns from a challenge into an opportunity for growth and innovation. As organizations navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, investing in conflict resolution skills and fostering a supportive environment for all employees becomes increasingly crucial.
