Styles to Use in Resolving Workplace Disputes

Misunderstandings and disagreements are a fact of life. People do not see eye to eye all the time. Small or serious disputes happen between friends, family members, neighbors or classmates. But it doesn’t mean that a disagreement has to ruin the relationship among people. It is a natural occurrence that is required to balance out things.

Disputes also happen in the workplace. Some employees though, seem to take it more seriously compared to others. That is why many disputes start from a simple joke and turn into critical lawsuits. Resolving disputes at work should be done by both the employer and the conflicting employees. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model Instrument provided the usual styles of dispute resolution that can be used at work.

• Accommodating: The accommodator is one of the conflicting parties who tend to give in to the needs of the other, even at the expense of his own. The person who uses this style is not assertive and highly cooperative. Usually, a person gives in to accommodation when he thinks that the issue is more important to the other person, when making peace is more important, or when the person just want to collect a “favor” from the other (this may not be returned though, making this style unlikely to give the best outcome).

• Avoiding: This style is done by evading conflict through accepting default decisions on controversial matters in order to not hurt anyone’s feelings. However, this is a weak and ineffective approach in many situations.

• Collaborative: Those who use this approach try to meet the needs of everyone involved in the dispute. People who prefer this style are highly assertive, but cooperate and acknowledge the importance of everyone involved.

• Competitive: “Competitive” people know what they want, and they stand for it. This style is perfect in case of emergency that needs a prompt decision, when a decision is unpopular, or when defending against someone who’s trying to take advantage of the situation. However, it’s not always satisfying and may leave people resentful if used in unimportant situations.

• Compromising: To compromise is to find a solution that may partially satisfy everyone involved, usually by giving up or relinquishing something. Compromise is useful when the cost of conflict is higher than the losing ground, when opponents are of equal strength, or when there’s an upcoming deadline.

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