EntranceBehavior of managers in conflict situations. Strategies for manager behavior in conflict situations
Topic: Behavior management in conflict situations
Introduction
1. Theoretical foundations of conflict management
1.1 Definition and characteristics of conflict
1.2 Conflict as a process
1.3 Types of conflicts
2. Ways and methods of behavior in conflict situations
2.1 Characteristics of role conflicts
2.2 Styles and strategies of behavior in conflict
2.3 Conflict resolution methods
2.4 Behavior and actions of a leader in conflict situations
Conclusion
The causes of a conflict are not always amenable to logical reconstruction, because they may include an irrational component, and external manifestations often do not give an idea of their true nature. The reasons that underlie any conflict can be organizational, industrial and interpersonal.
Organizational conflicts arise due to a mismatch between formal organizational principles and the actual behavior of organization members. For example, an employee for some reason does not fulfill the requirements imposed on him by the organization (performs his duties poorly, violates labor discipline, etc.).
Organizational conflict can also arise as a result of poor quality job descriptions(when requirements for an employee are contradictory, non-specific), ill-considered distribution of job responsibilities."
Industrial conflicts usually arise as a result low level labor organization and management. The reasons for this kind of conflict may be obsolete equipment, poor work premises, unreasonable production standards, insufficient awareness of the manager on a particular issue and unqualified management decisions, low qualifications of workers, etc.
“Interpersonal conflicts mainly occur due to a mismatch of values, norms of behavior, attitudes, personal hostility towards each other, etc. These conflicts can occur both in the presence and absence of objective organizational or intra-production reasons, and can also be a consequence of organizational or industrial conflict. In this case, disagreements on a business basis turn into mutual personal hostility."
This type of conflict can also manifest as a clash of personalities, where people with different personality traits, views and values are unable to get along with each other. Such people work poorly together and spend a lot of time developing this conflict and defeating the enemy.
Organizational and industrial conflicts are often constructive in nature and cease as soon as the problem that caused the conflict between the parties is resolved. Interpersonal conflict, as a rule, takes a more severe form of flow and is more protracted.
In management theory there are also following types conflicts: intrapersonal, interpersonal, between the individual and the group and intergroup.
“Intrapersonal conflict is a unique type of conflict that does not seem to correspond to the definition of conflict given above. But if an employee receives contradictory or mutually exclusive tasks, then he has an internal conflict.
There are other forms of intrapersonal conflict. For example, it may arise in a situation where a goal or methods of achieving it conflict with the values or certain moral principles of an individual. In this case, achieving a goal and satisfying a significant need is accompanied by negative experiences and remorse. In general, with an intrapersonal conflict, a person is characterized by mental tension, emotional dissatisfaction, split personality (struggle of motives), etc. The painful emotional state experienced and irritability form the basis for an emotional explosion, the cause of which can be any trifle. Intrapersonal conflict is often a precursor to interpersonal conflict.
Interpersonal conflict is the most common. The reasons for it are varied and can have a production or organizational basis or be purely psychological. In production, this is the struggle of managers for limited resources, labor, work time, project approval, etc.
“Conflicts between an individual and a group include conflicts between a leader and a group, a group member and a group. When analyzing such a conflict, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the group as an enemy in the conflict.”
Examples of situations in which this type of conflict arises may be the following: a manager comes to a department from the outside or takes over leadership of an already established team. In these cases, conflict can arise for various reasons:
a) if the team has achieved high level development, and the newly appointed manager does not correspond to this level;
c) if the management style and methods of the new manager differ sharply from the working methods of the previous manager.
Conflict may arise between an individual and a group if that individual takes a position different from that of the group. As is known, informal groups monitor the behavior of their members and require them to comply with the norms and rules adopted in the group; violation of these rules can lead to conflict,
“An intergroup conflict can have a very detrimental effect on the results of an organization’s activities and cause great damage to the company, since this conflict involves representatives of structural units, departments, managers at different levels, creative groups etc. These opposing groups may consist of a significant number of people, and the activities of the organization may be paralyzed as a result of the conflict."
A striking example of intergroup conflict is the conflict between a trade union and the administration.
All conflicts have several reasons, the main ones being the limited resources that need to be shared, differences in goals, values, ideas, differences in the level of education, behavior patterns of organizational members, etc.
The question of the causes of the conflict is one of the important and complex ones, because often the main cause of the conflict is layered with secondary and secondary ones, and it is not easy to understand the problem.
You should always look for genuine, underlying reasons and not confuse them with an external reason for the conflict. Positive conflict resolution involves finding out what the parties to the conflict want and achieve.
The main types of intrapersonal conflict: motivational, moral, conflict of unfulfilled desire, role, adaptation and conflict of inadequate self-esteem.
Of these, the most common form of role conflict is when one person is presented with conflicting demands about what the result of his work should be, or, for example, when work requirements are not consistent with personal needs and values.
To summarize, we can say that in communicating with people and in business contacts, hidden or overt conflicts may arise due to a lack of understanding of the true motives of behavior. In contacts with people it is necessary to show tolerance and restraint. Very often the motives for behavior are not at all what can be attributed. Arrogance and arrogance can hide timidity, shyness, and vulnerability. Fear and anxiety can masquerade as anger and anger. Bad mood can be explained by fatigue. If a conflict arises in the team, you should not walk away from it. It is very important to be able not to transform a conflict situation into a conflict, since the impact of force is usually associated with emotional experiences. If the conflict situation has already developed into a conflict, then it is very important to work with the emotional mood of the participants. The ability to resolve conflicts depends on the ability to transform the mutual understanding of participants from enemies to partners. The inability to defuse a conflict situation, to understand mistakes and miscalculations can cause constant tension. It must be remembered that conflict must be skillfully managed before it becomes so strong that it acquires destructive properties. The main reason for conflict is that people depend on each other, everyone needs sympathy and understanding, location and support of the other, they need someone to share their beliefs. Conflict is a signal that something wrong has happened in communications between people or some significant disagreements have arisen. Many people do not have special conflict management skills; they need guidance and appropriate practice. As basic recommendations regarding behavior in conflict conditions, we can point to the following guidelines:
The ability to distinguish the important from the secondary. It would seem that it could be simpler, but life shows that it is quite difficult to do this. Almost nothing except intuition can help a person. It is necessary to analyze conflict situations, the motives of your behavior, if you try to understand what is really a “matter of life and death” and what is simply your own ambitions, and learn to discard the unimportant.
Inner peace. This is a principle of attitude towards life that does not exclude a person’s energy and activity. On the contrary, it allows you to become even more active, to react sensitively to the slightest nuances of events and problems, without losing composure even at critical moments. Inner peace is a kind of protection from all unpleasant life situations; it allows a person to choose the appropriate form of behavior;
Emotional maturity and stability are essentially the ability and readiness to act worthy in any life situations;
Knowledge of how to influence events, meaning the ability to stop oneself and not “pressure” or, conversely, speed up an event in order to “control the situation” and be able to adequately respond to it;
The ability to approach a problem from different points of view, due to the fact that the same event can be assessed differently, depending on the position taken. If you consider the conflict from the position of your “I,” there will be one assessment, but if you try to look at the same situation from the position of your opponent, perhaps everything will seem different. It is important to be able to evaluate, compare, and connect different positions;
Preparedness for any surprises, the absence (or restraint) of a biased line of behavior allows you to quickly adapt, respond in a timely and adequate manner to changing situations;
Perception of reality as it is, and not as a person would like to see it. This principle is closely related to the previous one; following it helps to maintain mental stability even in cases when everything seems devoid of internal logic and meaning;
The desire to go beyond problematic situation. As a rule, all “unsolvable” situations are ultimately solvable; there are no hopeless situations;
Observation, which is necessary not only for assessing others and their actions. Many unnecessary reactions, emotions and actions will disappear if you learn to observe yourself impartially. It is much easier for a person who can objectively assess his desires, motives, and motives, as if from the outside, to manage his behavior, especially in critical situations;
Foresight as the ability not only to understand the internal logic of events, but also to see the prospects for their development. Knowing “what will lead to what” protects against mistakes and incorrect behavior, prevents the formation of a conflict situation;
The desire to understand others, their thoughts and actions. In some cases this means coming to terms with them, in others it means correctly determining your line of behavior. Many misunderstandings in Everyday life happen only because not all people are able or do not take the trouble to consciously put themselves in the place of others. The ability to understand (even without accepting) an opposing point of view helps to predict people's behavior in a given situation;
The ability to extract experience from everything that happens, i.e. “learn from mistakes”, and not only from your own. This ability to take into account the causes of past mistakes and failures helps to avoid new ones.
At the same time, you should always remember: Do not expand the conflict zone; Offer positive solutions; Do not use categorical forms; Reduce the number of claims; Sacrifice the unimportant; Avoid insults.
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Conflict management is an activity carried out at all stages of their occurrence, development and completion. Conflict management includes their prevention and constructive resolution.
Conflict is a complex phenomenon that has many divergent and opposing foundations. Conflict is a dynamically developing process that has not only forms of manifestation, but also stages of development. At the same time, the conflict can and should be managed, and managed in such a way that its negative, destructive consequences can be minimized, and constructive opportunities enhanced
There are several effective ways conflict management. They can be divided into two categories: structural and interpersonal. A simple difference in character should not be considered the cause of conflicts, although, of course, it can become a cause of conflict in a particular case.
Conflict management is a conscious activity in relation to it, carried out at all stages of its occurrence, development and completion of the conflict. It is important not to block the development of a contradiction, but to strive to resolve it in non-conflict ways. Conflict management includes their prevention and constructive resolution.
The manager must begin by analyzing the actual causes and then use the appropriate methodology. In order to avoid conflicts with employees and between employees, it is necessary:
when communicating with subordinates, use a calm tone and politeness combined with firmness, avoid rudeness in dealing with employees, because rudeness cannot achieve the desired effect, on the contrary, the manager most often receives a negative result, since the subordinate, instead of working, becomes fixated on resentment and delays;
· scold an employee for poor quality work only face to face, since a backstage conversation saves him from shame, and in return the manager can count on gratitude and assurances that this will not happen again; otherwise, the employee, instead of correcting the mistake, will waste time worrying about the shame he experienced;
· praise an employee for quality work in front of the entire team, since a person is always pleased when his efforts are noticed by a manager, and even more so when he does this in front of all employees; otherwise, he will begin to believe that no one needs his successes, and in the future he will not try to work efficiently;
· do not allow familiarity in relations with subordinates; observance of subordination is necessary, otherwise it will become impossible to demand anything from your subordinates;
· be objective in relation to all employees, which means that the manager must promote or demote, fine and dismiss employees fairly, treating all employees equally (the criterion for promotion can only be the consistently successful work of an employee, and for punishment - consistently bad), having favorites and unloved employees is unacceptable.
· to act as an arbitrator, and not a lawyer for one of the parties, it is best to objectively listen to both sides, and then make an objective decision;
· be out of conflict, do not participate in squabbles and squabbles, do not pass on gossip, since, being out of conflict, it is easier to eliminate it in time;
· resolutely suppress squabbles, gossip and sneaking, for which you can first fine the employee caught in this and strictly warn him about the inadmissibility of such behavior, and if this does not help, then this employee must be fired so as not to create precedents; the same should be done with those who are accustomed to “speaking out” on any occasion, thereby preventing others from working;
· if reconciliation between two employees is impossible, do not
it is necessary to oblige them to communicate on business, since work should not
suffer because of someone's emotions.
Conflict prevention is the creation of objective, organizational, managerial and socio-psychological conditions that prevent the emergence of pre-conflict situations and the elimination of personal causes of conflicts.
Managers must spend their working time resolving conflicts. Because managers inevitably work in conditions of intergroup conflicts, they are forced to resolve them. Failure to do this can have disastrous consequences. Conflicts can make employees feel alienated, reduce productivity, and even lead to resignations.
The manager must remember that conflicts can be resolved through official bodies of a third party. The third party may be a larger organization that simply orders an end to controversial behavior under threat of dismissal (as in the case of government prohibitions on strikes and lockouts in labor disputes that threaten the national interest), or it may be mediators.
Managers must recognize that since the causes of conflicts vary, the methods for resolving them also vary depending on the circumstances. The choice of an appropriate method for resolving conflict depends on many factors, including the reasons for its occurrence and the nature of the relationship between managers and the conflicting groups.
Measures to minimize conflict include: taking time to pause and think before acting; measures to build trust; efforts to understand the motives behind the conflict; listening to all stakeholders; maintaining a position of equal exchange; sensitive training of all participants in techniques for working with conflicts; willingness to admit mistakes; maintaining equal status for all parties to the conflict.
A leader can influence the development of a conflict in the following ways:
As a result of negotiations with opponents and reaching a compromise, the basis of the conflict may disappear.
The leader has the opportunity to change the subject of the conflict, and therefore change the attitude towards it.
Separate disputes between conflicting parties from the problem that needs to be solved. It is necessary to focus on the benefits, evaluate alternative solutions and select the best one based on this moment mutually acceptable to the parties to the conflict.
4. Strive to create ideal jobs. After all, where order and good mood reign, where well-coordinated work is in full swing, there is little room for conflicts. The workplace should radiate joy and peace for the employee himself. Managers must create such conditions within the organization that it becomes a second home for the employee.
5. System A complex approach to minimize conflict situations, namely:
Prevention of conflict situations by increasing the reliability of the personnel management system;
Development of conflict resolution algorithms for scientific basis and a clear scheme of actions of the administration in specific situations (conciliation procedures in conflict situations);
Creation of an adequate system of mental self-regulation and high emotional stability of personnel; application of psychotechnologies for positive impact on personnel;
Conflict-free procedures for relocation (redistribution), part-time employment and dismissal (reduction) of personnel.
If the conflict is based on objective conditions, then its simple interruption without taking effective measures to eliminate the causes can put the manager in an even more difficult situation, since after the conflict is interrupted, the conflict situation persists. In this case, the conflict simply fades away, but can flare up with renewed vigor.
6. An important way to prevent conflict is to make compromise decisions. Compromise can be achieved in four ways through: mutual understanding that among the possible solutions there is not a single one acceptable to all interested parties; achievements mutual concessions for all interested parties; suppression of the needs and interests of one of the parties; preliminary consideration and satisfaction of the key needs and interests of all interested parties.
Only an integrated approach to conflict prevention can achieve sustainable, good results. Below is an example of a conflict resolution algorithm (Table 1).
Table 7. Conflict resolution algorithm
People behave differently in conflict situations: some more often give in, giving up their desires and opinions, others rigidly defend their point of view.
Conflict behavior - These are the specific actions of the parties to the conflict. These actions implement processes hidden from external perception in the mental, emotional and volitional spheres of opponents. The alternation of mutual reactions aimed at realizing the interests of each side and limiting the interests of the opponent constitutes a visible part of the conflict. Since the actions of opponents largely influence each other, follow from the previous actions of the other, i.e. are interdependent, then in any conflict they acquire the nature of interaction.
Conflict behavior has its own principles, strategies (methods) and tactics (techniques). Among basic principles conflict confrontation are distinguished:
- concentration of forces;
- coordination of forces;
- striking at the enemy's most vulnerable spot;
- saving effort and time, etc.
N. Obozov identifies three types of behavior in conflict: the behavior of a “practitioner”, “interlocutor”, and “thinker”.
“Practik” operates under the slogan “The best defense is attack.” The most important thing for him is the transformation of the environment and the completion of all actions. The “effectiveness” of people of the practical type contributes to increasing the duration of the conflict. A high need to transform the external environment, including changing the positions of other people, can lead to various clashes and tension in relationships. When solving problems that arise in the “manager-subordinate” system, conflict is inevitable if their relationship is defined by official instructions. The “practitioner” is less sensitive to minor omissions, so as a result of the conflict, relationships are greatly disrupted.
The “interlocutor” is characterized by the slogan “Better a bad world than good war" The main thing for him is communication with people. “Interlocutors” are more superficial in relationships. Their circle of acquaintances and friends is quite large. “Interlocutors” are not capable of long-term confrontation in a conflict. They know how to resolve conflict in such a way as to affect deep feelings as little as possible. This type of personality is sensitive to changes in the partner’s mood, and strives to smooth out the emerging contradiction at its very beginning. “Interlocutors” are more open to accepting the other’s opinion and are not very eager to change this opinion, initially preferring cooperation.
“Thinkers” tend to have the attitude “Let him think that he has won!” The “Thinker” is focused on understanding oneself and the world around us. In a conflict, he builds a complex system of proof that he is right and that his opponent is wrong. Only a third party or a change in life circumstances can bring the conflicting parties out of the impasse. The “Thinker” thinks through the logic of his behavior well and is more careful in his actions, although less sensitive than the “interlocutor”. In communication, “thinkers* prefer distance, so they are less likely to find themselves in conflict situations, but are more vulnerable in personal relationships, where the degree of involvement in the conflict will be very high.
People are sensitive to contradictions and conflicts that affect them in different ways. Thus, “thinkers” are most sensitive to contradictions and conflicts in the sphere of spiritual values or ideas; “practitioners” are more important than the unity of practical outcomes and goals of joint activity. “Interlocutors” react sharply to assessments of their emotional and communication abilities, while assessments of their intellectual qualities or practical acumen affect them much less.
Strategy of behavior in conflict is considered as the orientation of an individual (group) in relation to the conflict, an orientation toward certain forms of behavior in a conflict situation. The following strategies for behavior in conflict are distinguished.
Rivalry(competition) consists of imposing on the other party a solution that is preferable to oneself.
Cooperation(problem-solving strategy) allows you to search for a solution that would satisfy both parties.
Compromise involves mutual concessions in something important and fundamental for each of the parties.
Application of strategy device(concession) is based on lowering one’s aspirations and accepting the opponent’s position.
At avoidance(inaction) the participant is in a situation of conflict, but without any active actions to resolve it.
As a rule, combinations of strategies are used in conflict, with one of them dominating.
Federal State Educational Budgetary Institution of Higher Education
“FINANCIAL UNIVERSITY under the Government Russian Federation»
Course work
in the discipline “Theory and History of Management” on the topic
"Managing behavior in conflict situations"
Introduction
Chapter 1. The concept and essence of conflict
1.1Conflict as a social phenomenon
1.2 The concept of conflict, its essence.
3 Conflict as a process
4 Types of conflicts
5 Causes of conflict
6 Conflict management models
7 Conflict resolution strategies
Chapter 2. Level assessment social conflict in the organization and identifying its causes
1 a brief description of Department information technologies SB Sberbank JSC
2 Description of conflict situations that arose in the Information Technology Department of SB Sberbank JSC
3 Causes of conflict situations in DIT SB Sberbank JSC
4 Proposal of ways to overcome the conflict in DIT SB Sberbank JSC
5 Determination of stress resistance of employees of the Information Technology Department of SB Sberbank JSC
Chapter 3. Development of a communication management strategy in conflict conditions
1 Developing a strategy for a leader’s behavior during a conflict
2 Conflict management
Conclusion
List of used literature
Annex 1
Appendix 2
Introduction
Conflict is the most acute way of resolving contradictions in interests, goals, views that arise in the process of social interaction, which consists in the opposition of the participants in this interaction and is usually accompanied by negative emotions, going beyond rules and regulations.
A variety of circumstances can cause conflicts, for example, a conflict regarding material values, resources or life priorities; conflicts related to the problem of power and dominance, regarding social status etc. Conflicts cover all spheres of human activity, all possible social relations and interactions, the subjects and participants of which are individuals, various social groups and organizations. However, conflict interaction presupposes confrontation between the parties, i.e. actions of subjects directed against each other.
The purpose of this course work is to research theoretical foundations conflict, analyzing conflict situations in the organization and developing recommendations for communications in conflict conditions.
The first chapter examines the concept and essence of conflict and examines the theories developed in the study of conflict. The types of conflicts and typical causes of conflict situations are also considered.
The second chapter assesses conflict situations in the Information Technology Department of SB Sberbank JSC, and also describes tests to determine the level of stress resistance of employees.
Chapter 1. The concept and essence of conflict
1Conflict as a social phenomenon The main condition for the emergence of a conflict is the presence of motives or judgments of different form and content among the subjects of social interaction, which in turn can lead to a state of confrontation. Confrontation between parties to a conflict can occur in three areas: behavior, communication and activity. To understand the essence of conflict as a social phenomenon, it is necessary to consider the functional component of the conflict. The functions of conflict are ambiguous; they are characterized by duality. For example, one and the same conflict can have different emotional orientations in the lives of the opposing parties; it can be constructive and destructive at different moments of its development. It is necessary to understand for which of the subjects of the conflict it is constructive and for whom it is destructive. Below we will look at these two functions. Design features: ) Conflict eliminates possible contradictions arising due to imperfect organization of joint activities, management errors, etc. ) Conflict makes it possible to assess the psychological characteristics of the people participating in it. ) Conflict is a kind of impetus for personality development, interpersonal relationships. ) Conflicts between by individuals are a mechanism for the socialization of the individual and contribute to a person’s self-affirmation in society. Destructive functions: ) The pronounced negative impact of most conflicts on the mental state of the participants. ) Troubled conflicts can be accompanied by psychological and physical violence. ) Conflict accompanied by stress ) A conflict that forms a negative image of the opponent - the “image of the enemy.” Classification of social conflicts Several parties always take part in a conflict (it doesn’t matter whether these are departments of the psyche of one person, or different people, or groups of people). Therefore, the basic classification of the conflict is made precisely according to the nature and characteristics of the parties involved in the conflict. Besides, the most important feature conflict is the nature of the need for the satisfaction of which a person is struggling. According to A. Maslow's hierarchy of needs, human needs can be grouped into five hierarchically related levels: physiological, safety and security, social needs, respect, and self-expression needs. If any of these needs are not met, conflict may arise. 1.2 The concept of conflict, its essence Conflict is a collision of two or more differently directed forces with the aim of realizing their interests in conditions of opposition. Conflict does not only cause harm. It can clarify relationships and promote progress. Also, conflict is understood as a clash of oppositely directed tendencies in the psyche of an individual person, in the relationships of people, their associations, due to differences in views and points of view. In an organization, conflict always results in certain behavior, actions that violate the interests of others. 3 Conflict as a process Conflict can be viewed broadly as a process consisting of several stages. At the first stage, a conflict situation arises in which there are opposing parties, and these parties themselves have certain interests. The encroachment of one side on any of the needs of the other side creates the basis for conflict. A conflict situation is a contradiction that has not yet turned into a conflict. This is a combination of human needs and interests that creates the ground for various confrontations between social actors. A conflict situation can develop objectively, against the will and desire of the warring parties (reduction of staff in the workforce), or it can be created or deliberately provoked by one or both parties. However, each situation is determined by the events taking place and its subjective meaning depends on what explanation each side gives to these events, in accordance with which it begins to act during the development of the conflict. The main feature of this situation is the emergence of a subject of conflict. The subject of the conflict is the main contradiction for the sake of resolving which the parties enter into a struggle. The conflict situation may escalate under the influence of an incident, which represents the second phase of the conflict. This is an event or circumstance that serves as an impetus or reason for a collision. It can be purposefully provoked or occur due to prevailing circumstances, exist in reality or be subjective opinion each of the parties. Here the confrontation becomes open and is expressed in various types conflict behavior, which is directly or indirectly aimed at preventing the opponent from realizing his interests. As a result, the conflict continues to escalate. Participants in any social conflict, be it interpersonal or interstate conflict, are people. They can act in a conflict as private individuals (family conflict), as officials (vertical conflict) or as legal entities (representatives of institutions and organizations). The object of the conflict is the core of the problem. The object of the conflict can be a material, social or spiritual value (for example, a resource, power or idea), which both opponents strive to possess or use. The micro environment and macro environment are the conditions in which participants operate. Microenvironment is the immediate environment of the parties. Macroenvironment - social groups of which the party is a representative and whose qualities it has inherited. 4 Types of conflicts The following main types of conflicts that disrupt the successful implementation of the organization’s activities are identified. Organizational conflict can also arise as a result of poor quality job descriptions and ill-conceived distribution of job responsibilities. Industrial conflicts, as a rule, arise as a result of a low level of labor organization and management. The reasons for this kind of conflict may be obsolete equipment, poor work premises, unreasonable production standards, insufficient awareness of the manager on a particular issue and unqualified management decisions, low qualifications of workers, etc. Organizational and industrial conflicts are often constructive in nature and cease as soon as the problem that caused the conflict between the parties is resolved. According to their direction, conflicts are divided into horizontal (in which persons subordinate to each other are not involved), vertical (in which persons subordinate to each other are not involved) and mixed (both “vertical” and “horizontal” components are represented). In management theory, there are also the following types of conflicts: intrapersonal, interpersonal, between the individual and the group, and intergroup. Intrapersonal conflict is a type of conflict when a goal or methods of achieving it conflict with the values or certain moral principles of an individual. In this case, achieving a goal and satisfying a significant need is accompanied by negative experiences of the employee. With intrapersonal conflict, a person is characterized by mental tension, emotional dissatisfaction, struggle of motives, etc. Intrapersonal conflict is often a precursor to interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict is the most common type of conflict. The reasons for it are varied and may have industrial or organizational roots or be purely psychological. In production, this is the struggle of managers for limited resources, labor, working time, project approval, etc. Conflicts between an individual and a group include conflicts between a leader and a group, a group member and a group. For example, when a manager comes to a department from the outside or takes over the management of an already established team. In these cases, conflict can arise for various reasons: a) if the team has reached a certain level of development, and the new manager does not correspond to this level; b) if the team has a leader who, in the opinion of the employees, should be the formal leader, and the higher management, contrary to the opinion of the team, appoints another person; c) if the management style and methods of the new manager are very different from the working methods of the previous manager. Intergroup conflict can greatly affect the results of an organization's activities in a negative way - causing great damage, since this conflict involves representatives of structural units, departments or managers at different levels. These opposing groups may consist of a significant number of people, and the activities of the organization may be paralyzed as a result of the conflict. A striking example of intergroup conflict is a conflict between two departments of the same bank, or between departments of the same department. 5 Causes of conflict Every conflict has its own cause. Objective causes of conflicts may include: Management factors: imperfection of the organizational structure of the enterprise; unclear distribution of rights and responsibilities between employees; disproportionality of rights and responsibility for performance results; contradictions between the functional responsibilities enshrined in job descriptions and the requirements for the employee. Organizational factors: unsatisfactory work organization; violation of the work and rest schedule; low level of labor and performance discipline; excessive workload of the employee, leading to constant haste when completing tasks; vagueness of tasks, which makes it difficult to choose the means to complete them, leads to uncertainty in actions; lack of publicity. Professional factors: low professional level of subordinates, inhibiting the completion of tasks; imperfection of the personnel selection and placement system; uncertainty of prospects for professional and job growth. Sanitary factors: unfavorable working conditions; violation of the operating mode. Logistical factors: deficit in provision of necessary funds and equipment; old equipment and technical support. Economic forces: imperfection of the remuneration and bonus system; delays in payment. Subjective causes of conflicts are related to the personality of both the manager himself and the organization’s employees. Erroneous actions of managers leading to conflicts can be grouped into three areas: ) violations of official ethics; ) violations of labor legislation; ) unfair assessment of subordinates and the results of their work. Violations of professional ethics include: rudeness, arrogance, disrespectful attitude towards subordinates; imposing one's opinion; failure to fulfill promises, obligations; intolerance to criticism, which can lead to a complete outflow of creative, active workers and the creation of an atmosphere of flattery and ingratiation with the manager; inability to correctly criticize the actions of subordinates; the presence of shadow activities on the part of the manager, for example, in the distribution of social benefits; suppression of information necessary for a subordinate to perform his duties. 6 Conflict management models The manager needs to know what features of human behavior are inherent in a conflict personality. These include the following: inadequate self-esteem of one’s capabilities and abilities, which can be both overestimated and underestimated. In both cases, it may contradict the adequate assessment of others - this can become the basis for a conflict; the desire to dominate where this is impossible; conservative thinking, beliefs and views, unwillingness to overcome outdated traditions; excessive straightforwardness in statements and judgments, excessive desire to speak “straightforward.” When communicating with conflicting people, forms of behavior can be very diverse. For example, when talking with “inconvenient” opponents, you can focus on their personal characteristics. A “quarrelsome person” is unrestrained, impatient, and unconsciously pushes his colleagues to disagree and argue with him. The form of behavior is to remain within the framework of a professional conversation and try to remain calm; his nonsense statements should be refuted with reason, resorting to the help of other employees. “Know-it-all” - always knows everything better than others, demands the floor, interrupts everyone. The form of behavior is to demand that the other interlocutors express a certain position regarding his statements. “Chatterbox” - often and tactlessly interferes in the conversation, does not pay attention to the time he spends on his questions and digressions. The form of behavior is to stop him with maximum tact, limit the time of his speech, politely but firmly direct him to the subject of the conversation. “Unapproachable interlocutor” - closed, often feels out of time and space, since everything is unworthy of his attention The form of behavior is to interest in the exchange of experience, recognize his knowledge and experience, give examples from his range of interests. 7 Conflict resolution strategies Conflict management is a process of purposeful influence on the organization’s personnel in order to eliminate the causes that gave rise to the conflict and bring the behavior of the participants in the conflict into line with established norms of relationships. Let's consider four models of behavior of conflict participants: It must be remembered that there are two main methods of resolving conflict: negative and positive. Negative includes all types of struggle, its goal is to achieve victory of one side over the other. Positive - these are various types of negotiations and constructive dialogue with the possible involvement of a mediator controversial issues in order to achieve agreement on both sides of the conflict. conflict social resistance to stress List of used literature Key resources: Levin S., “Conflict resolution. From conflicts to cooperation”, 2008; Glukhov V.V. Management: Textbook for universities, 2008; Vikhansky O.S., Naumov A.I. Management: Textbook, M.: graduate School, 2002; 4. Kevashin A.V. Organizational personnel management, - M.: INFRA-M, 2010; 5. Management: a textbook for university students studying economics / ed. MM. Maksimtsova, M.A. Komarova. - M.: UNITY-DANA, 2012. 6. Management: Educational and practical manual / Ignatieva A.V., Maksimtsov M.M., Vdovina I.V. and others - M.: University textbook, INFRA - M, 2010. Tikhomirova O.G., Varlamov B.A. Organization management: history, theory, practice: Tutorial. - M.: INFRA-M, 2012. Electronic resources 1. Shcherbakov I.D. “Conflicts in an organization, the causes of their occurrence and methods of resolution.” Economics and management innovative technologies. 2014. Stress resistance test. Questionnaire 3. Methodology for determining stress resistance and social adaptation by Holmes and Rahe. Annex 1 Test to assess the degree of irritability Does it irritate you: A crumpled newspaper page you want to read? An older woman dressed like a young girl? Excessive proximity of the interlocutor during conversation? A woman smoking on the street or in a public place? A person coughing in your direction? When someone bites their nails in front of you? When does someone laugh out of place? When someone tries to teach you what and how to do? When your beloved girl (boy) is constantly late? When in a cinema the person sitting in front of you is constantly spinning around and discussing the film? When the story is told to you interesting novel, which you are just about to read? When do people give you unnecessary things? Loud conversation on public transport? Is the perfume smell too strong? A person gesturing while talking? A colleague who often uses foreign words? For each answer, the subject is awarded: “yes, definitely” - 3 points; “yes, but not very much” - 1; "no, under no circumstances" - 0. The points are added up. The maximum possible number is 48. More than 36 - you cannot be considered one of the patient and calm people. Almost everything irritates you, even the smallest things. You are quick-tempered and lose your temper easily. This weakens your nervous system, increasing friction with others. From 13 to 36 - You belong to the most common group of people. Only very unpleasant things irritate you. Without dramatizing everyday troubles, you are able to easily forget about them. Less than 13 - You are a fairly calm person who looks at life realistically. You are not so easily unbalanced. And this is a guarantee against stress. Appendix 2 Stress resistance test No. Life situation Points 1 Death of a spouse 1002 Divorce 733 Spousal separation, breakup 654 Imprisonment 635 Death of a close family member 636 Trauma or illness 537 Marriage or wedding 508 Dismissal from work 479 Reconciliation of spouses 4510 Retirement 4511 Change in the health status of family members 4412 Pregnancy of a partner 4013 M gender problems3914Birth of a child3915Reorganization at work3916Change in financial situation3817Death of a close friend3718Change vocational guidance, change of job 3619 Increasing conflict in relationships with a spouse 3520 Loan or borrowing for a large purchase (for example, a house) 3121 Expiration of the loan or loan repayment period 3022 Change of position, increase in official responsibility 2923 Son or daughter leaves home 2924 Problems with relatives of the husband (wife) 2925 Outstanding personal achievement, success 2826 Spouse quits job or starts work 2627 On start or completion of studies at an educational institution 2628 Changes in living conditions 2529 Refusal of some individual habits, changes in behavioral stereotypes 2430 Problems with superiors, conflicts 2331 Changes in working conditions, hours of work 2032 Change of place of residence 2033 Change of place of study 2034 Changes in habits associated with leisure and vacation 1935 Changes in habits associated with religion 1936 Change in social activity 18 37Loan or borrowing for the purchase of less than large items (car, TV)1738Change in habits associated with sleep disorders1639Change in the nature and frequency of meetings with other family members1540Change in eating habits1541Vacation1342Christmas, New Year's Eve, birthday1243Minor violation of law and order (for example, a fine)11 Processing is carried out in the form of adding up the scores of events that were present in the life of the test taker over the past year. Key to the test Total points Degree of resistance to stress 150 or less Large 150-199 High 200-299 Threshold 300 or more Low Interpretation of the results obtained. High degree of resistance to stress - the employee exhibits a high degree of resistance to stress. Such a person is characterized by a minimal degree of stress load. Any activity of an individual, regardless of its focus and nature, is more effective the higher the level of stress resistance. This makes it possible to talk about managerial activity as one that is highly stressful. Increasing the level of stress resistance of an individual directly and directly leads to prolongation of life. High degree of resistance to stress - the employee exhibits a high degree of resistance to stress. The employee does not spend his energy and resources on combating negative psychological states that arise during stress. Therefore, any activity, regardless of its focus and nature, becomes more effective. This makes it possible to talk about management activity as one that is stressful. Threshold (average) degree of stress resistance - characterized by an average degree of stress load. Workers' stress resistance decreases with increasing stressful situations in life. This leads to the fact that the individual is forced to spend most of his energy and resources on combating negative psychological states that arise during the process of stress. This makes it possible to talk about management activities as those that are to a small extent stressful in nature. It should be noted that a believer, as a rule, is more resistant to stress, thanks to his internal ability for spiritual self-restraint and humility. Low degree of stress resistance - characterized by a high degree of stress load. You reveal a low degree of stress resistance (vulnerability). This leads to the fact that the individual is forced to spend the lion’s share of his energy and resources on combating negative psychological states that arise during the process of stress. A large number of points (more than 300) is an alarm signal, therefore, something needs to be done to eliminate stress.
The psychological essence of the conflict, its main features.
Under conflict is understood as the most acute way of resolving significant contradictions that arise in the process of social interaction, which consists in the opposition of the subjects of the conflict and is usually accompanied by negative emotions and feelings experienced by them in relation to each other.
Prerequisites for the emergence of conflicts are: lack of communication skills, discrepancy in views on events taking place in the organization, the desire to dominate without any reason, a person’s demonstration of selfishness and arrogance, emotional incontinence, the use of brute force, etc.
The conflict has the following essential characteristics: properties:
the presence of a contradiction between interests, values, needs, goals, views, motives;
opposition, confrontation between the subjects of the conflict, the desire to inflict material or moral damage on the opponent by any means;
negative emotions and feelings towards each other.
Depending on the characteristics of the conflicting parties, it is customary to distinguish:
intrapersonal conflict - a clash between approximately equal in strength, but oppositely directed interests, needs, and drives of one person.
interpersonal conflict – two or more members of the same group pursue incompatible goals and implement conflicting values, or at the same time, in a conflict struggle, strive to achieve the same goal, which can only be achieved by one of the parties (one of the most common types of conflicts). Many managers believe that the only reason for it is the dissimilarity of characters. However, such conflicts are based not only on subjective, but, above all, objective reasons;
between individual and group – a collision of conflicting interests, needs, values, goals between an individual and a group of people. In foreign trade organizations, examples of such conflicts can be conflicts between the head of a department and the team, between an ordinary employee and the team, between a leader and a microgroup;
intergroup conflict – when the conflicting parties are social groups (firms, organizations) pursuing incompatible goals and preventing each other from achieving them. An organization consists of many formal and informal groups, within and between which conflicts may arise (for example, between the administration and the organization’s trade union, between employees of different departments, etc.).
The classification of conflicts according to the last two criteria may look like this:
|
Realistic (subject) |
Caused by the dissatisfaction of certain demands of the parties to the conflict and aimed at achieving a specific result |
|
|
Functional (constructive) |
Dysfunctional (destructive) |
|
|
Contribute to making informed decisions, achieving goals, and developing relationships |
Prevents making informed decisions, achieving goals, and developing relationships |
|
|
Unrealistic (pointless) |
The goal is the open expression of accumulated negative emotions. Such conflict is not a means to an end, but an end in itself |
|
The following can be added to the criteria for classifying conflicts:
the scope of the conflict (local or wide);
duration of the flow (short-term or long-term);
the power of influence on the participants in the conflict (affecting the role status of the individual or not affecting the fundamental interests of the individual);
consequences (positive or negative).
Behavioral styles of a manager in conditions of interpersonal conflict: ignoring, adapting, competition, cooperation, compromise.
There are the following five typical styles of human behavior in conflict:
Rivalry as the desire to achieve the satisfaction of one’s personal interests to the detriment of another.
Device, meaning sacrificing one’s interests for the sake of maintaining good relations and peace.
Compromise as reaching an agreement through mutual and approximately equal concessions.
Avoidance, which is characterized by both a lack of desire to satisfy the interests of the partner and a lack of tendency to achieve one’s own goals.
Cooperation when the parties to the conflict come together to a solution to the contradiction that satisfies both parties.
Rivalry appropriate when:
the outcome of the conflict is very important to you, and you rely on your solution to the problem that has arisen;
you need to make a decision quickly, and you have enough power to do this;
You are in a critical situation that requires immediate response;
if it is necessary to restore order for the sake of everyone's well-being.
the tension is too great and you feel the need to reduce its intensity;
You need to buy time to obtain additional information or gain support;
the outcome is not very important for you, the subject of the conflict is not related to your main goals and interests;
time is needed to restore calm and create conditions for a cool, balanced assessment of the situation.
Compromise should be chosen if:
you need to make an urgent decision, but you are experiencing an acute shortage of time and information;
You may be satisfied with a temporary solution;
other ways to solve the problem turned out to be ineffective;
both sides present convincing arguments in favor of mutually exclusive positions;
the decision is not of fundamental importance for you, and you can revise your initial goals without significant losses;
The compromise strategy is characterized by accepting the other party's point of view, but only to a certain extent. The search for an acceptable solution is carried out through mutual concessions.
The ability of one party to compromise in conflict situations is highly valued by the opponent, as it reduces ill will in the relationship and allows the conflict to be overcome relatively quickly. But after some time, the dysfunctional consequences of a compromise solution often appear, for example, dissatisfaction with a “half-hearted” solution. In addition, the conflict in a slightly modified form may arise again, because the problem that gave rise to it has not been fully resolved.
Device has the “right to life” if:
You are not interested or concerned about what happened;
the conflict will resolve itself precisely due to the fact that the parties continue to maintain friendly relations;
Confrontation over minor disagreements adds undue stress to the relationship between the parties;
You understand that the outcome of the conflict is much more important for the other person than for you.
Thus, adaptation (compliance) presupposes a person’s renunciation of his own interests, the willingness to sacrifice them to another, to meet him halfway.
Cooperation possible when:
Your and their proposals are extremely important and do not allow for compromise;
the parties involved in the conflict have equal powers of power or are oriented on equal terms to seek a solution to the conflict situation;
You have a close, long-term and interdependent relationship with the other party;
it is absolutely necessary to bring together the opinions of the parties having different approaches to solve the problem;
You and the other party are able to listen to each other and work together to resolve the conflict.
The one who relies on cooperation when resolving a conflict does not try to achieve his goal at the expense of others, but looks for a solution to the problem. Briefly, the attitude towards cooperation is usually formulated as follows: “It’s not you against me, but we are together against the problem.” The manager should consider the cooperation strategy to be the main one, since it is this that most often makes the conflict functional and constructive.
Factors influencing a manager's choice of an appropriate style of behavior.
On the one hand, it is advisable to know what form of behavior in a conflict situation your colleagues, subordinates, and friends are more oriented toward; on the other hand, based on a specific conflict situation, it is necessary to choose the most appropriate option for one’s own behavior in the conflict.
___________________________
*(for reference)
The sequence of actions of a manager when resolving a conflict in which he is one of the participants. Necessary:
a) clearly understand the need and possibility of a non-conflict resolution of the existing contradiction.
b) minimize your own negative emotions associated with the conflict;
c) deeply and impartially assess why the conflict actually arose and is developing.
d) think through several options for resolving the main contradiction.
e) choose a criterion for the fairness of a particular decision.
f) minimize the opponent’s negative emotions towards the manager.
g) have an open conversation.
1. Confrontation (actively defends one’s position)
2.Evasion (trying to avoid participating in the conflict)
3. Accommodations (trying to work out a solution that satisfies both parties)
4. Cooperation (looks for ways to solve a problem in a common way that satisfies both parties)
5. Compromise (looks for solutions that are based on mutual actions) The research results show that most often managers give preference
compromise and cooperation; They are also inclined to avoid participating in the conflict and strive to avoid confrontation. But they all feel comfortable collaborating on problem solving, accommodation, and, more or less, compromise.
The main goal Such research was intended to help managers realize that there are several approaches to conflict resolution, each of which may only be useful for each manager in a conflict situation.
For further work of managers on themselves, another technique is proposed - assessment
effectiveness of using conflict resolution styles, the results of which can also be
submit in table form:
Table 3.3
Assessing the effectiveness of using conflict resolution styles
Using this form, the manager can analyze the most important conflicts that he faces and evaluate an alternative approach that could be applied with greater success (a different style, words and actions, the reaction of other conflict participants, etc.).
Conflicts can be prevented by knowing the main groups of causes and carrying out preventive work at different levels. Primary conflict prevention is associated with psychological education and the popularization of psychological knowledge. Employees must gain an understanding of the essence of the conflict, the causes that give rise to it, as well as the consequences; know how the stages of a conflict unfold.
In the process of this work, recommendations are given on conflict-free communication, the rules of behavior in a conflict situation are learned, individual and group consultations are provided based on self-knowledge of positive and negative qualities, the behavior of workers in a conflict situation, which already has a small place in life and professional experience (not necessarily their own), is analyzed, the degree of adequacy of the situation.
At higher peer prevention, active learning methods are usually used: group discussion, business and role-playing games, psychodrama. Communication training is organized for risk groups (conflict groups). Psychocorrection work is aimed at relieving negative states (frustration, stress), at developing confidence in one’s abilities and the ability to independently resolve conflicts.
The most important factor, which determines a healthy socio-psychological climate, is the level of organization of collective activity. It is determined by the entire system of social relations, the improvement of existing leadership and management practices, the improvement of the general culture in society and in the activities of the leader (a prerequisite for the civilized prevention and resolution of conflicts within the enterprise, the enterprise with other organizations and representatives of government bodies).
The process of conflict management depends on many factors, many of which are difficult to manage. Stereotypes, perceptions, and prejudices can sometimes undermine the efforts of those who develop a solution. Depending on the type of conflict, different services can be involved in finding solutions: the management of the enterprise, the personnel management service, the department of psychologist and sociologist, the police, and the courts.
Five methods of conflict resolution are used.
ь Evasion is, in essence, avoiding conflict. This form of behavior is chosen when an individual does not want to defend his rights, cooperate to develop a solution, refrains from expressing his position, and avoids arguing. This style suggests a tendency to avoid responsibility for decisions. This method may be appropriate if the subject of disagreement is not of great value to a person, if the situation can resolve itself, or if there are no conditions for a productive resolution of the conflict, but after some time they will appear. In other cases, in my opinion, this style of behavior can lead to increased confrontation.
ь Smoothing - renunciation of one's own interests. The reason for this behavior may be the desire to win the favor of a partner for the future. This kind of consent can be partial and external. It is rational to do this when the subject of disagreement is of less value to a person than the relationship. This behavior often has nothing to do with solving the problem that is the source of the conflict. On the contrary, problems, like emotions, are driven deeper and accumulate in this form, and become a source of conflict in the future, even more destructive. To effectively lead subordinates, this strategy should not be dominant.
ь Coercion is a way of eliminating conflict through the use of power. In this case, the conflicting party is suppressed by the power of the authorities. Coercion is often accompanied by aggressive behavior, ignoring the opinions of others, and indignation opposite side. This is an unfavorable and unproductive outcome of the conflict. In a team, when this method is used, management suppresses the initiative of subordinates and can lead to repeated outbreaks due to the deterioration of relationships. Effective in situations that threaten the existence of the organization or prevent it from achieving its goals.
ь Compromise - accepting to a certain extent the point of view of the other side. The search for an acceptable solution is carried out through mutual concessions. The advantage of this outcome is the mutual balance of rights and obligations and the legalization of claims. Compromise relieves tension. In some cases bad decision better than no solution. The ability to compromise in managerial situations is highly valued, as it reduces ill will and allows the conflict to be resolved relatively quickly, but after some time the dysfunctional consequences of a compromise solution may appear, for example, dissatisfaction with “half-hearted solutions.” In addition, the conflict in a slightly modified form may arise again, since the problem that gave rise to it has not been fully resolved.
ь Problem solving is a way to resolve a conflict, which presupposes the willingness of the conflicting parties to acknowledge the existence of different points of view on the problem, familiarize them with them and find solutions that suit both parties. This way of resolving the conflict is considered to be optimal. It does not involve achieving one's goals at the expense of others and is aimed at finding ways to solve a problem that suit both parties.
I would also like to mention the Thomas-Kilmann system in which, in addition to the considered methods of resolving the conflict, there is another one - this is competition. Competition is competitive interaction that is not oriented toward obligatory damage to the other party.
He depicted his graphical model of behavioral styles in the following diagram, which was called the Thomas-Kilmann grid.
Thus, the conflict is overcome by various means, and the success of its resolution depends on the nature of the confrontation, the degree of its protractedness, the strategy and tactics of the conflicting parties.
So what actions should a leader take if conflict in the organization is obvious? First of all, reveal this conflict. Correctly assess the situation. Distinguish the external cause from the real cause of the collision. The reason may not be realized by the conflicting parties themselves or may be deliberately hidden by them, but it, like in a mirror, is reflected in the means and actions that everyone uses to achieve their goal. It is necessary to understand how contradictory the interests of the disputants are. For example, no matter how much you want, it is impossible for two departments to work on one computer at the same time. This is a tough conflict where the issue is resolved “either - or”. To neutralize the displeasure of the bypassed, it is necessary to give him the opportunity to win in another. Often interests are more compatible, and through “negotiations” it is possible to find an option that partially satisfies both sides without winners or losers.
Conflict in management and leader behavior in a conflict situation.
Conflict management is an activity carried out at all stages of their occurrence, development and completion. Conflict management includes their prevention and constructive resolution.
Conflict is a complex phenomenon that has many divergent and opposing foundations. Conflict is a dynamically developing process that has not only forms of manifestation, but also stages of development. At the same time, the conflict can and should be managed, and managed in such a way that its negative, destructive consequences can be minimized, and constructive opportunities enhanced
There are several effective ways to manage conflict situations. They can be divided into two categories: structural and interpersonal. A simple difference in character should not be considered the cause of conflicts, although, of course, it can become a cause of conflict in a particular case.
Conflict management is a conscious activity in relation to it, carried out at all stages of its occurrence, development and completion of the conflict. It is important not to block the development of a contradiction, but to strive to resolve it in non-conflict ways. Conflict management includes their prevention and constructive resolution.
The manager must begin by analyzing the actual causes and then use the appropriate methodology. In order to avoid conflicts with employees and between employees, it is necessary:
when communicating with subordinates, use a calm tone and politeness combined with firmness, avoid rudeness in dealing with employees, because rudeness cannot achieve the desired effect, on the contrary, the manager most often receives a negative result, since the subordinate, instead of working, becomes fixated on resentment and delays;
· scold an employee for poor quality work only face to face, since a backstage conversation saves him from shame, and in return the manager can count on gratitude and assurances that this will not happen again; otherwise, the employee, instead of correcting the mistake, will waste time worrying about the shame he experienced;
· praise an employee for quality work in front of the entire team, since a person is always pleased when his efforts are noticed by a manager, and even more so when he does this in front of all employees; otherwise, he will begin to believe that no one needs his successes, and in the future he will not try to work efficiently;
· do not allow familiarity in relations with subordinates; observance of subordination is necessary, otherwise it will become impossible to demand anything from your subordinates;
· be objective in relation to all employees, which means that the manager must promote or demote, fine and dismiss employees fairly, treating all employees equally (the criterion for promotion can only be the consistently successful work of an employee, and for punishment - consistently bad), having favorites and unloved employees is unacceptable.
· to act as an arbitrator, and not a lawyer for one of the parties, it is best to objectively listen to both sides, and then make an objective decision;
· be out of conflict, do not participate in squabbles and squabbles, do not pass on gossip, since, being out of conflict, it is easier to eliminate it in time;
· resolutely suppress squabbles, gossip and sneaking, for which you can first fine the employee caught in this and strictly warn him about the inadmissibility of such behavior, and if this does not help, then this employee must be fired so as not to create precedents; the same should be done with those who are accustomed to “speaking out” on any occasion, thereby preventing others from working;
· if reconciliation between two employees is impossible, do not
it is necessary to oblige them to communicate on business, since work should not
suffer because of someone's emotions.
Conflict prevention is the creation of objective, organizational, managerial and socio-psychological conditions that prevent the emergence of pre-conflict situations and the elimination of personal causes of conflicts.
Managers must spend their working time resolving conflicts. Because managers inevitably work in conditions of intergroup conflicts, they are forced to resolve them. Failure to do this can have disastrous consequences. Conflicts can make employees feel alienated, reduce productivity, and even lead to resignations.
The manager must remember that conflicts can be resolved through official bodies of a third party. The third party may be a larger organization that simply orders an end to controversial behavior under threat of dismissal (as in the case of government prohibitions on strikes and lockouts in labor disputes that threaten the national interest), or it may be mediators.
Managers must recognize that since the causes of conflicts vary, the methods for resolving them also vary depending on the circumstances. The choice of an appropriate method for resolving conflict depends on many factors, including the reasons for its occurrence and the nature of the relationship between managers and the conflicting groups.
Measures to minimize conflict include: taking time to pause and think before acting; measures to build trust; efforts to understand the motives behind the conflict; listening to all stakeholders; maintaining a position of equal exchange; sensitive training of all participants in techniques for working with conflicts; willingness to admit mistakes; maintaining equal status for all parties to the conflict.
A leader can influence the development of a conflict in the following ways:
As a result of negotiations with opponents and reaching a compromise, the basis of the conflict may disappear.
The leader has the opportunity to change the subject of the conflict, and therefore change the attitude towards it.
Separate disputes between conflicting parties from the problem that needs to be solved. It is necessary to concentrate on the benefits, evaluate alternative solutions and choose the best one at the moment, mutually acceptable to the parties to the conflict.
4. Strive to create ideal jobs. After all, where order and good mood reign, where well-coordinated work is in full swing, there is little room for conflicts. The workplace should radiate joy and peace for the employee himself. Managers must create such conditions within the organization that it becomes a second home for the employee.
5. Systematic integrated approach to minimizing conflict situations, namely:
Prevention of conflict situations by increasing the reliability of the personnel management system;
Development of conflict resolution algorithms on a scientific basis and a clear scheme of administration actions in specific situations (conciliation procedures in conflict situations);
Creation of an adequate system of mental self-regulation and high emotional stability of personnel; application of psychotechnologies for positive impact on personnel;
Conflict-free procedures for relocation (redistribution), part-time employment and dismissal (reduction) of personnel.
If the conflict is based on objective conditions, then its simple interruption without taking effective measures to eliminate the causes can put the manager in an even more difficult situation, since after the conflict is interrupted, the conflict situation persists. In this case, the conflict simply fades away, but can flare up with renewed vigor.
6. An important way to prevent conflict is to make compromise decisions. Compromise can be achieved in four ways through: mutual understanding that among the possible solutions there is not a single one acceptable to all interested parties; achieving mutual concessions for all interested parties; suppression of the needs and interests of one of the parties; preliminary consideration and satisfaction of the key needs and interests of all interested parties.
Only an integrated approach to conflict prevention can achieve sustainable, good results. Below is an example of a conflict resolution algorithm (Table 1).
Table 7. Conflict resolution algorithm
| Behavior of the conflicting parties | Mechanism for reaching an agreement between the parties |
| 1. Acknowledge the conflict | Don't ignore a conflict; if you feel it's brewing, state it directly. |
| 2. Outline the conflict zone | Define the boundaries of the conflict. Identify the parties involved in the conflict. Establish the reasons that led to the conflict, its depth and the positions of the parties. |
| 3. Show your interest in resolving the conflict | Create an atmosphere of cooperation and business communication when negotiating with conflicting parties. Agree on cooperation |
| 4. Establish the procedure, regulations and rules of negotiations | Most conflicts cannot be resolved immediately. In this regard, it is necessary to develop a specific joint action plan and a procedure for monitoring the implementation of this plan. |
There can be no hard and fast recommendations here. Everything depends on the nature of a particular conflict and the conditions under which it occurs. There are several solutions to conflicts, as well as the results of these decisions, and all of them can be correct. It does not matter which of them will be developed, the main thing is that it satisfies the warring parties to the greatest extent. Intervention in conflict requires a high level of professionalism.
Each of the methods-strategies and tactics used has its own strengths and weak sides and may be more or less effective depending on specific conditions or situations.
Any manager is interested in ensuring that a conflict that arises in his organization or division is overcome (exhausted, suppressed or terminated) as quickly as possible, because its consequences can cause considerable damage. It is possible to evaluate the efforts and effectiveness of a manager’s use of conflict resolution activities based on a number of criteria:
1. Clarifies interests:
By promoting the common and non-conflicting interests of both groups;
By informing the other group about each group's interests,
By eliminating the danger of blackmail based on such interests.
2. Creates normal working relationships:
Allowing groups to effectively resolve their differences in a given dispute; - stimulating the kind of relationships that groups would like to have;
Making it easier for groups to interact when the next conflict arises.
3. Helps identify successful options:
Encouraging groups to explore many options before evaluating and selecting them;
By encouraging groups to find ways to articulate values that provide shared benefit;
By instilling in groups the feeling that the resulting decisions will be fair and just.
4. Based on the availability of procedural alternatives to the parties:
Allowing both parties to realistically evaluate their options and those of the other party;
Improves contacts:
By encouraging testing and evaluation of existing assumptions;
Facilitating understanding and discussion of the parties' submissions;
Establishing effective two-way contacts between groups.
5. Leads to reasonable agreements:
By allowing groups to develop agreements that are realistic and workable;
Allowing the parties to resort to litigation if they are unable to reach a final agreement or if it is not implemented.
It is very important for a leader to be able to avoid turning a conflict situation into a conflict. It must be remembered that conflict must be skillfully managed before it becomes so strong that it acquires destructive properties. Many people do not have specific conflict management skills and need guidance and practice.
The causes of a conflict are not always amenable to logical reconstruction, because they may include an irrational component, and external manifestations often do not give an idea of their true nature. The reasons that underlie any conflict can be organizational, industrial and interpersonal.
Organizational conflicts arise due to a mismatch between formal organizational principles and the actual behavior of organization members. For example, an employee for some reason does not fulfill the requirements imposed on him by the organization (performs his duties poorly, violates labor discipline, etc.).
An organizational conflict can also arise as a result of poor quality job descriptions (when the requirements for an employee are contradictory, non-specific), ill-conceived distribution of job responsibilities."
Industrial conflicts, as a rule, arise as a result of a low level of labor organization and management. The reasons for this kind of conflict may be obsolete equipment, poor work premises, unreasonable production standards, insufficient awareness of the manager on a particular issue and unqualified management decisions, low qualifications of workers, etc.
“Interpersonal conflicts mainly occur due to a mismatch of values, norms of behavior, attitudes, personal hostility towards each other, etc. These conflicts can occur both in the presence and absence of objective organizational or intra-production reasons, and can also be a consequence of organizational or industrial conflict. In this case, disagreements on a business basis turn into mutual personal hostility."
This type of conflict can also manifest as a clash of personalities, where people with different personality traits, views and values are unable to get along with each other. Such people work poorly together and spend a lot of time developing this conflict and defeating the enemy.
Organizational and industrial conflicts are often constructive in nature and cease as soon as the problem that caused the conflict between the parties is resolved. Interpersonal conflict, as a rule, takes a more severe form and is more protracted.
In management theory, there are also the following types of conflicts: intrapersonal, interpersonal, between the individual and the group, and intergroup.
“Intrapersonal conflict is a unique type of conflict that does not seem to correspond to the definition of conflict given above. But if an employee receives contradictory or mutually exclusive tasks, then he has an internal conflict.
There are other forms of intrapersonal conflict. For example, it may arise in a situation where a goal or methods of achieving it conflict with the values or certain moral principles of an individual. In this case, achieving a goal and satisfying a significant need is accompanied by negative experiences and remorse. In general, with an intrapersonal conflict, a person is characterized by mental tension, emotional dissatisfaction, split personality (struggle of motives), etc. The painful emotional state experienced and irritability form the basis for an emotional explosion, the cause of which can be any trifle. Intrapersonal conflict is often a precursor to interpersonal conflict.
“Conflicts between an individual and a group include conflicts between a leader and a group, a group member and a group. When analyzing such a conflict, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the group as an enemy in the conflict.”
Examples of situations in which this type of conflict arises may be the following: a manager comes to a department from the outside or takes over leadership of an already established team. In these cases, conflict can arise for various reasons:
a) if the team has reached a high level of development, and the newly appointed manager does not correspond to this level;
c) if the management style and methods of the new manager differ sharply from the working methods of the previous manager.
Conflict may arise between an individual and a group if that individual takes a position different from that of the group. As is known, informal groups monitor the behavior of their members and require them to comply with the norms and rules adopted in the group; violation of these rules can lead to conflict,
“Intergroup conflict can have a very detrimental effect on the results of an organization’s activities and cause great damage to the company, since this conflict involves representatives of structural units, departments, managers at different levels, creative groups, etc. These opposing groups can consist of a significant number of people and activities organizations may be paralyzed as a result of the conflict."
A striking example of intergroup conflict is the conflict between a trade union and the administration.
All conflicts have several reasons, the main ones being the limited resources that need to be shared, differences in goals, values, ideas, differences in the level of education, behavior patterns of organizational members, etc.
The question of the causes of the conflict is one of the important and complex ones, because often the main cause of the conflict is layered with secondary and secondary ones, and it is not easy to understand the problem.
You should always look for genuine, underlying reasons and not confuse them with an external reason for the conflict. Positive conflict resolution involves finding out what the parties to the conflict want and achieve.
The main types of intrapersonal conflict: motivational, moral, conflict of unfulfilled desire, role, adaptation and conflict of inadequate self-esteem.
Of these, the most common form of role conflict is when one person is presented with conflicting demands about what the result of his work should be, or, for example, when work requirements are not consistent with personal needs and values.
To summarize, we can say that in communicating with people and in business contacts, hidden or overt conflicts may arise due to a lack of understanding of the true motives of behavior. In contacts with people it is necessary to show tolerance and restraint. Very often the motives for behavior are not at all what can be attributed. Arrogance and arrogance can hide timidity, shyness, and vulnerability. Fear and anxiety can masquerade as anger and anger. A bad mood can be explained by fatigue. If a conflict arises in a team, you should not avoid it. It is very important to be able not to transform a conflict situation into a conflict, since the impact of force is usually associated with emotional experiences. If the conflict situation has already developed into a conflict, then it is very important to work with the emotional mood of the participants. The ability to resolve conflicts depends on the ability to transform the mutual understanding of participants from enemies to partners. The inability to defuse a conflict situation and understand mistakes and miscalculations can cause constant tension. It must be remembered that conflict must be skillfully managed before it becomes so strong that it acquires destructive properties. The main reason for the conflict is that people depend on each other, everyone needs sympathy and understanding, the location and support of the other, they need someone to share their beliefs. A conflict is a signal that something went wrong in communications between people or that some significant disagreements have arisen. Many people do not have specific conflict management skills and need guidance and practice. As basic recommendations regarding behavior in conflict conditions, we can point to the following guidelines:
The ability to distinguish the important from the secondary. It would seem that it could be simpler, but life shows that it is quite difficult to do this. Almost nothing except intuition can help a person. It is necessary to analyze conflict situations, the motives of your behavior, if you try to understand what is really a “matter of life and death” and what is simply your own ambitions, and learn to discard the unimportant.
Inner peace. This is a principle of attitude towards life that does not exclude a person’s energy and activity. On the contrary, it allows you to become even more active, to react sensitively to the slightest nuances of events and problems, without losing composure even at critical moments. Inner peace is a kind of protection from all unpleasant life situations; it allows a person to choose the appropriate form of behavior;
Emotional maturity and stability are essentially the ability and readiness to act worthy in any life situations;
Knowledge of how to influence events, meaning the ability to stop oneself and not “pressure” or, conversely, speed up an event in order to “control the situation” and be able to adequately respond to it;
The ability to approach a problem from different points of view, due to the fact that the same event can be assessed differently, depending on the position taken. If you consider the conflict from the position of your “I,” there will be one assessment, but if you try to look at the same situation from the position of your opponent, perhaps everything will seem different. It is important to be able to evaluate, compare, and connect different positions;
Preparedness for any surprises, the absence (or restraint) of a biased line of behavior allows you to quickly adapt, respond in a timely and adequate manner to changing situations;
Perception of reality as it is, and not as a person would like to see it. This principle is closely related to the previous one; following it helps to maintain mental stability even in cases when everything seems devoid of internal logic and meaning;
The desire to go beyond the problematic situation. As a rule, all “unsolvable” situations are ultimately solvable; there are no hopeless situations;
Observation, which is necessary not only for assessing others and their actions. Many unnecessary reactions, emotions and actions will disappear if you learn to observe yourself impartially. It is much easier for a person who can objectively assess his desires, motives, and motives, as if from the outside, to manage his behavior, especially in critical situations;
Foresight as the ability not only to understand the internal logic of events, but also to see the prospects for their development. Knowing “what will lead to what” protects against mistakes and incorrect behavior, prevents the formation of a conflict situation;
The desire to understand others, their thoughts and actions. In some cases this means coming to terms with them, in others it means correctly determining your line of behavior. Many misunderstandings in everyday life happen only because not all people are able or do not give themselves the trouble to consciously put themselves in the place of others. The ability to understand (even without accepting) an opposing point of view helps to predict people's behavior in a given situation;
The ability to extract experience from everything that happens, i.e. “learn from mistakes”, and not only from your own. This ability to take into account the causes of past mistakes and failures helps to avoid new ones.
At the same time, you should always remember: Do not expand the conflict zone; Offer positive solutions; Do not use categorical forms; Reduce the number of claims; Sacrifice the unimportant; Avoid insults.
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