Society is comprised of different personalities with different cultural, religious and moral standards. Every day, people have to interact at various levels in business and society Since individuals understand and perceive concepts differently, there are bound to be disagreements that result in conflicts. People have different conflict-handling techniques that are deemed effective depending on the type and intensity of the conflict. Researchers have been developing various conflict resolution methods, but their effectiveness has remained a debatable topic. Since the world has become a global village, interactions both locally and internationally have increased. Anyone willing to live harmoniously with others must master the art of conflict resolution. Conflict resolution is a complicated science, requiring deep study and continuous application of best conflict handling approaches.
The Reality of Conflict and Resolution Strategies
All relationships experience conflicts in one way or another, which can be resolved by employing effective strategies. According to Furlong (2020), people’s interests do not coincide with families, work, education, or personal relationships. The way different parties handle conflicts determines how effectively the differences are resolved and impacts future relationships. The reality of conflict is that it exists in almost every facet of life. There is a wide range of information recorded in books, journals, and the Internet on conflict resolution. Therefore, anyone willing to learn about conflict resolution can find a wealth of resources and apply what is most relevant to them.
Success in many avenues depends on how well people have mastered the art of conflict resolution. Those who understand how to handle disagreements are on the winning side of many situations because they comprehend the impact of personal reactions on others. As a result, individuals watch their words, emotions, and perceptions to avoid aggravating conflict. It is crucial to note that conflict resolution requires adaptability. People who resolve conflicts effectively know how to bend their needs, adjust to any challenge and eliminate any hurdles without ruining their relationships (Furlong, 2020).
The good news about conflict resolution is that it is within everyone’s reach. Any person willing to learn the techniques can do so using current and well-researched information at their disposal. The only requirement is that one must be eager to find, learn, and adopt the best methods (Lang, 2019). The conflict resolution methods analyzed in this essay are based on the professional knowledge of sociologists and psychologists, with evidence gathered from various sources. Five conflict resolution strategies have been highlighted as applicable to many situations regardless of the level of conflict.
The main conflict handling strategies are avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating. The difference between these strategies is the role of conflicting parties and the effort each puts into the resolution plan. The five strategies are derived from the Thomas-Kilmann model and have been proven effective in many business and personal conflict resolutions (Furlong, 2020). The avoiding strategy is the most commonly applied technique, especially by introverts. The main reason people resort to avoidance is that they view conflict as a bad issue. However, conflict can be constructive if handled well and both parties approach it from multiple dimensions (Furlong, 2020).
The accommodating strategy comes when an individual chooses to satisfy the other person’s needs at the expense of their desires. Although this technique is not commonly applied, it can be the only solution, especially in critical situations resulting in violence if the conflict is unresolved (Lacity & Willcocks, 2017). In most cases, people use the compromising strategy that involves partially satisfying each party’s needs. People compromise for many reasons, one of them being maintaining relationships. When each party finds that they have something to gain from the resolution, they are more likely to collaborate (Lacity & Willcocks, 2017).
Collaboration is the desired strategy by many people that entails full satisfaction of each party’s requirements. However, this may be hard to achieve at times, and people have to apply the other strategies. The last and least effective conflict management style is competing. People compete by wanting to satisfy their personal needs at the expense of other people’s desires (Reyer, 2015). According to Furlong (2020) the end game of competing is division and may result in violence in some extreme cases.
The choice of a conflict resolution strategy depends on several factors. The first point to consider is the importance of the decision at hand. Conflicting parties have to stop and ask themselves how important the end decision is to both of them (Lang, 2019). Knowing the weight of the decision and its place in relationships determines whether people will collaborate, compromise, or accommodate each other. The second point to consider is the impact of the decision on the parties involved. People resort to strategies that minimize negative consequences and strengthen relationships (Furlong, 2020). Lastly, the available options should be assessed since people cannot use a method that is not within their capability. The conflict resolution method chosen by individuals depends on their personality traits. It is possible to predict the conflict handling technique a person will use based on their character according to Moberg (1998).
Impact of Personality Traits on Conflict Management Styles
People have different personality features that influence their behaviors and determine conflict resolution strategies. The five personalities believed to impact conflict resolution are conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness (Antonioni, 1998). Of the five traits, extraversion plays a bigger role in conflict resolution because it requires people to unite. The connection with the other personality traits is that extroverts tend to be more open and agreeable, implying that they are more willing to collaborate and compromise than introverts. Neuroticism and the absence of emotional stability can hinder effective conflict resolution. According to Moberg (1998), the conflict resolution strategy can be predicted by analyzing the individual parties’ personality traits. The level of agreeableness determines whether the conflict will be resolved through the power-assertion style or compromise.
Conclusion
Building successful relationships requires people to study the science of conflict resolution. This allows people to build families and interact with strangers in unexpected difficult situations. In any conflict, people tend to avoid, compromise, compete, collaborate, or accommodate each other to reach an agreement. The five personality factors highlighted above influence the conflict resolution style to allow conflicting parties to find an amicable solution and avoid destroying their relationship (Moberg, 1998). Thus said, it is crucial to analyze individual personalities before selecting a particular conflict management style. No single conflict handling strategy can be applied to all situations. Since conflicts arise from different aspects and affect individuals differently, each conflict should be handled independently. The goal is to reach a solution that will minimize negative consequences and have a positive, long-lasting impact on relationship building (Lang, 2019).
References
Antonioni, D. (1998). Relationship between the Big Five personality factors and conflict management styles. International Journal of Conflict Management, 9(4), 336-355. Web.
Furlong, G. T. (2020). The conflict resolution toolbox: Models and maps for analyzing, diagnosing, and resolving conflict. John Wiley & Sons.
Lang, M. (2019). The guide to reflective practice in conflict resolution. Rowman & Littlefield.
Lacity, M., & Willcocks, L. (2017). Conflict resolution in business services outsourcing relationships. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 26(2), 80-100. Web.
Moberg, P. J. (1998). Predicting conflict strategy with personality traits: Incremental validity and the five-factor model. International Journal of Conflict Management, 9(3), 258-285. Web.
Reyer, L. (2015). Handling difficult conversations. Star Tribune. Web.