Conflict is an often unavoidable component of your relationships at work, at home and in your personal life. As you confront conflict, you have a choice of how you decide to deal with it. Each way of handling conflict presents its own distinct advantages and disadvantages, and one method of handling conflict may not work for all types of conflict situations. Understanding the various ways of handling conflict can help you choose the appropriate response and end the conflict effectively.
Avoidance
Conflict avoidance is sometimes confused with conflict prevention. Conflict prevention deals with ensuring that conflict does not happen in the first place, while conflict avoidance refers to a way of dealing with conflict by refusing to acknowledging it or avoiding those who are involved. Conflict avoidance can have negative results, as the conflict can fester and poison functioning relationships. It is not an effective way to deal with conflict, and can be a short-term fix rather than a real solution.
Accommodation
Accommodation refers to handling to conflict by simply giving up your position and allowing the other party to have what he is requesting. For instance, if your teenage son wants to use your car on the weekend, and you would rather he not, you end the conflict by simply accommodating him and allowing him to have what he wants. This is typically known as a "win-lose" situation where someone is the clear winner and the other person may be dissatisfied with the results, notes ManagementHelp.org.
Compromise
Compromise is an effective way to deal with conflict as it causes both parties to give a little to come to an end solution. While it can seem like a concession to both parties, since it is a fair and just way to deal with conflict, both parties walk away feeling satisfied and the conflict is often resolved. The Pennsylvania State University Extension Service recommends using compromise to handle conflict when there is a time constraint and both parties are willing to concede, but warns that resolution satisfaction may be reduced due to the concessions.
Competition
Through competition you refuse to concede on any point of your conflict and simply wait for the other party to wear down and concede completely. Those who compete wish for someone who will accommodate their conditions so there is one clear winner and one clear loser. In the example of a teenage son wishing to use a car, you would simply say no and refuse to compromise or concede any point. This can cause further conflict or hard feelings in the future.
Collaboration
The most effective way to handle conflict is through collaboration. Through collaboration all of the parties involved scrap their original grievances to brainstorm and select a solution that works for the greater good. Witt Communications notes that through collaborations, all of the parties listen to the others' points of view and come together to decide on a completely separate solution that works without the hidden agendas and win-lose situations of other methods of conflict management.
