Transcript Chapter 9 Managing Conflict in Groups Defining conflict  Two interdependent parties capable of invoking sanctions oppose each other  One party believes that the.

Chapter 9
Managing Conflict in Groups
Defining conflict
 Two interdependent parties capable of
invoking sanctions oppose each other
 One party believes that the other has
and will use real or perceived power to
keep it from reaching its goal
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Characteristics of Conflict
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Exists because both parties cannot
obtain both outcomes simultaneously
A process that occurs over time
• Conflict episodes connected to one another
• Conflict aftermath
Can create positive outcomes
An emotionally-driven process
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Thinking About Conflict
Where does conflict begin?

Conflict in the present presumes conflict
in the future

Interactions in the past help you realize
that you’re in a conflict in the present
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Questions About Conflict
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Is conflict always disruptive?
• Can motivate members to be engaged in the
group
Is conflict inherent?
• Naturally occurs in most group tasks
• Differences in members skills, interests, and
values
• Polarizing is a natural way of ordering and
defining reality
• Members experience ambivalence about the
group
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Types and Sources of Conflict
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Affective conflict
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Substantive conflict
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Competitive conflict
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Cooperative conflict
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Cognitive conflict
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Procedural conflict
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Normative conflict
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Diversity and Conflict

Gender diversity
• Majority members are more influenced by
gender diversity when the context
emphasizes the number of men and women
in a group
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Cultural diversity
• Ethnocentric bias
• Cultures vary on how they view conflict
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Power
Influence resulting from social interactions or the
possession of or access to resources
 Reward power
 Coercive power
 Legitimate power
 Reference power
 Expert power
 Informational power
more 
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Power
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All but coercive power are essential to
group process
A member can have little power OR
power in many areas
To be effective, the power must be
essential to the functioning of the group
Power emerges through interaction
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Power and Conflict

Those with power communicate
differently
• Talk more
• Respond to questions more
• Issues more challenges
• Introduce more new topics
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More likely to set the agenda for the
group, and that can cause conflict
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Conflict Between Groups
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Interdependence
between groups causes
conflict
Each group frames the
other group as the
competitor
In-group
Out-group
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Conflict Management Strategies
Based on whose concerns you want to
satisfy
 Collaborating
 Competing
 Accommodating
 Avoiding
 Compromising
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Collaborating
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Most effective
Win-win outcome satisfying both sets of
concerns
Integrative strategy
Incompatible goals replaced with
superordinate goal
Takes time and energy
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Competing
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Emphasizes your concerns over others
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Characterized by assertiveness and by
being uncooperative
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Distributive strategy
• You win-they lose
• You’re right; they’re wrong
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Accommodating

Emphasizes others’ concerns over yours
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Characterized by being cooperative and
unassertive
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Distributive strategy
• They win-you lose
• They’re right; you’re wrong
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Avoiding
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Neither integrative nor distributive
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Nonconfrontive
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No one’s concerns are satisfied
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Characterized by verbally withdrawing
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Used to sidestep conflict hoping the
conflict will disappear
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Compromising
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Intermediate strategy between
cooperativeness and assertiveness
Settles the problem for now
Offers incomplete satisfaction for both
parties
Can be okay at first, but compromises
tend not to hold
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Which Strategy Do You Select?
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You are managing three views of a
conflict
• Yours
• Your belief of the other party’s view
• Your evaluation of your relationship with the
other party
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Typical to enhance your own view while
minimizing view of other
more 
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Which Strategy Do You Select?
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Others evaluate your communication
competence by how you manage conflict
Situation may require multiple styles
Style depends on what you say and how you
say it
Integrative style usually best for long-term
All styles can be effective; all have costs and
risks
more 
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Which Strategy Do You Select?
Select the strategy based on
1.
Level of emotionality in the conflict
2.
Importance of the conflict
3.
Degree which there are group norms
for handling conflict
4.
The conflict’s resolution potential
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