Identifying Levels of ConflictIdentifying Levels of Conflict

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Chapter OverviewChapter Overview

1.1. Identifying Levels of ConflictIdentifying Levels of Conflict

2.2. Steps for Problem SolvingSteps for Problem Solving

3.3. Building ConsensusBuilding Consensus

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Lesson OverviewLesson Overview

• What are problems and conflicts?What are problems and conflicts?

• What are types of problems in groups?What are types of problems in groups?

• What are levels of conflict in groups?What are levels of conflict in groups?

• What are patterns of reacting to conflict?What are patterns of reacting to conflict?

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Quick WriteQuick Write

Think about the last group or team project Think about the last group or team project you worked on you worked on

Write a brief paragraph about how the Write a brief paragraph about how the group performedgroup performed

Did the group have any problems? If so, Did the group have any problems? If so, what were they? How did the group what were they? How did the group

resolve them? resolve them?

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Solving Problems and ConflictsSolving Problems and Conflicts

• When a group of people works together When a group of people works together toward a goal, many obstacles can fall in its toward a goal, many obstacles can fall in its path path

• A A problemproblem is a difficulty that a group is a difficulty that a group experiences in pursuing its goals experiences in pursuing its goals

• A A conflictconflict is a clash among people is a clash among people

• Conflicts are caused by internal forces; Conflicts are caused by internal forces; problems come mainly from the outsideproblems come mainly from the outside

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Types of ProblemsTypes of Problems

Problems with Relations

Problems with Direction

Operational Problems

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Problems With RelationsProblems With Relations

• A A problem with relationsproblem with relations is a difficulty in is a difficulty in the way people get along with each otherthe way people get along with each other

• Problems with relations usually are Problems with relations usually are caused by personality differences among caused by personality differences among team membersteam members

• Such differences can create obstacles to Such differences can create obstacles to group work group work

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Problems With RelationsProblems With Relations

Personality types that can cause problems Personality types that can cause problems with relations include:with relations include:

• overbearing membersoverbearing members

• dominating membersdominating members

• reluctant membersreluctant members

• feuding membersfeuding members

Photo courtesy of Clipart.co

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Problems With DirectionProblems With Direction

• A A problem with directionproblem with direction occurs when occurs when team members want to pursue different team members want to pursue different goals goals

• FlounderingFloundering—floundering teams may have —floundering teams may have trouble at all stages of a project trouble at all stages of a project

• WanderingWandering—wide-ranging, unfocused —wide-ranging, unfocused conversations are common in a group that is conversations are common in a group that is wandering wandering

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Operational ProblemsOperational Problems

• An An operational problemoperational problem is a difficulty is a difficulty that is linked with conflicts over that is linked with conflicts over procedure, method, or approach procedure, method, or approach

• Problems with operations may arise when Problems with operations may arise when team members want to pursue the same team members want to pursue the same goals, but use different meansgoals, but use different means

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Operational ProblemsOperational Problems

• Rush to accomplishmentRush to accomplishment is common to is common to teams that are pushed by one or more teams that are pushed by one or more members who are impatient for results members who are impatient for results

• Many teams will have at least one “do Many teams will have at least one “do something” member who is impatientsomething” member who is impatient

• These members urge the team to make These members urge the team to make hasty decisions and discourage further hasty decisions and discourage further discussion discussion

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Levels of ConflictLevels of Conflict

• Problems with relations often result from Problems with relations often result from conflicts inconflicts in perspective perspective

• Problems with direction are frequently Problems with direction are frequently tied to conflicts intied to conflicts in purpose purpose

• Operational problems involve conflicts inOperational problems involve conflicts in practicepractice

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Conflicts in PerspectiveConflicts in Perspective

• Conflicts in perspective involve what people do and Conflicts in perspective involve what people do and why they do itwhy they do it

• They have to do with team members’ differing They have to do with team members’ differing beliefs and values beliefs and values

• If people try to solve perspective-level conflicts by If people try to solve perspective-level conflicts by ignoring or working around them, the conflicts will ignoring or working around them, the conflicts will continue continue

• That’s because the participants have not addressed That’s because the participants have not addressed the underlying issuesthe underlying issues

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Conflicts in PerspectiveConflicts in Perspective

• Conflicts in perspective are difficult, and Conflicts in perspective are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to resolvesometimes impossible, to resolve

• At times, people must agree to disagree At times, people must agree to disagree and work out the best compromise and work out the best compromise possiblepossible

Photo courtesy of Clipart.co

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Conflicts in PurposeConflicts in Purpose

• Conflicts in purpose involve what people Conflicts in purpose involve what people want to achievewant to achieve

• For example, one team member might say, For example, one team member might say, “I don’t care what grade we receive on this “I don’t care what grade we receive on this assignment. I just want to get it done.”assignment. I just want to get it done.”

• Another member might say, “I want us to Another member might say, “I want us to put together an A+ presentation so that I put together an A+ presentation so that I will keep the highest GPA possible.”will keep the highest GPA possible.”

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Conflicts in PracticeConflicts in Practice

• Conflicts in practice have to do Conflicts in practice have to do with the team’s processes and with the team’s processes and procedures procedures

• If members can’t agree on when If members can’t agree on when the team will meet, where it will the team will meet, where it will meet, or who will lead the meet, or who will lead the meetings, they have conflicts at meetings, they have conflicts at the practice level the practice level

Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Patterns of Reacting to ConflictPatterns of Reacting to Conflict

• People react to conflict in a group or team People react to conflict in a group or team setting in one of two ways: setting in one of two ways: fightfight or or flightflight

Photos courtesy of Clipart.co

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

FightFight

• Some people Some people fightfight when they perceive a when they perceive a conflictconflict

• They become aggressive They become aggressive

• At their worst, they lash out, explode, argue, At their worst, they lash out, explode, argue, and become competitiveand become competitive

• At their best, they express their own At their best, they express their own perspectives, yet continue to work with team perspectives, yet continue to work with team members to arrive at a solutionmembers to arrive at a solution

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

FlightFlight

• When faced with conflict, other people will When faced with conflict, other people will resort to resort to flightflight

• These people are passiveThese people are passive• At their worst, they pout, withdraw, passively At their worst, they pout, withdraw, passively

resist, and avoid working through conflicts at resist, and avoid working through conflicts at all costs all costs

• At their best, they thoughtfully reflect on the At their best, they thoughtfully reflect on the issues at hand and offer their ideas to try to issues at hand and offer their ideas to try to resolve themresolve them

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Methods of Handling ConflictMethods of Handling Conflict

• Most people have developed strategies for Most people have developed strategies for handling everyday conflicts handling everyday conflicts

• Experts have identified four main ways people Experts have identified four main ways people handle conflict: handle conflict: – retreating retreating – standing still standing still – detouring detouring – encounteringencountering

Photo courtesy of Clipart.co

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

RetreatingRetreating

• RetreatingRetreating is blocking or moving away from a is blocking or moving away from a problem or conflict problem or conflict

• People who retreat don’t want to confront conflict People who retreat don’t want to confront conflict head-onhead-on

• Some people who retreat simply refuse to defend Some people who retreat simply refuse to defend their point of viewtheir point of view

• They may give up without even tryingThey may give up without even trying

• They may try to place the blame on othersThey may try to place the blame on others

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Standing StillStanding Still

• Standing stillStanding still is is avoiding a problem or avoiding a problem or conflict by using conflict by using defense mechanisms defense mechanisms

• Some people prefer to Some people prefer to stay in one place stay in one place rather than to risk rather than to risk defeat or rejectiondefeat or rejection

Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

Standing StillStanding Still

• A student with great potential who stands A student with great potential who stands still takes the easiest courses, so that he or still takes the easiest courses, so that he or she doesn’t have to work very hardshe doesn’t have to work very hard

• An adult who prefers to stand still might An adult who prefers to stand still might say, “It was good enough for my parents, say, “It was good enough for my parents, and it’s good enough for me—why change and it’s good enough for me—why change now?” now?”

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

DetouringDetouring

• DetouringDetouring is moving around, or avoiding, is moving around, or avoiding, a problem or conflict a problem or conflict

• People who constantly avoid important People who constantly avoid important issues may think they’ve dealt with a issues may think they’ve dealt with a problem, but the solution is temporaryproblem, but the solution is temporary

• The problem is bound to arise againThe problem is bound to arise again

• Displacement Displacement is a detouring behavior is a detouring behavior

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

DetouringDetouring

• CompensationCompensation is another way of detouring is another way of detouring• It involves substituting traits or attributes It involves substituting traits or attributes

that give you a more pleasant picture of that give you a more pleasant picture of yourself than your undesirable traits doyourself than your undesirable traits do

• A rejected or insecure person may A rejected or insecure person may compensate by showing off, being compensate by showing off, being sarcastic, or misbehaving—just to get sarcastic, or misbehaving—just to get attentionattention

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

EncounteringEncountering

• Encountering is the best way to handle Encountering is the best way to handle problemsproblems

• EncounteringEncountering is facing a conflict head-on is facing a conflict head-on and reaching a solution and reaching a solution

• The person who faces problems stands a The person who faces problems stands a much better chance of solving them than much better chance of solving them than the person who avoids or ignores themthe person who avoids or ignores them

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

EncounteringEncountering

• You must compromise; You must compromise; adjust to those around adjust to those around youyou

• To function in society, To function in society, you must learn to meet, you must learn to meet, encounter, and resolve encounter, and resolve those problems and those problems and conflicts conflicts

Photo courtesy of Clipart.co

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

ReviewReview

• A A problemproblem is a difficulty that a group is a difficulty that a group experiences in pursuing its goalsexperiences in pursuing its goals

• A A conflictconflict is a clash among peopleis a clash among people

• Conflicts are caused by internal forces; Conflicts are caused by internal forces; problems come mainly from the outsideproblems come mainly from the outside

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

ReviewReview

• A A problem with relationsproblem with relations is a difficulty in is a difficulty in the way people get along with each otherthe way people get along with each other

• A A problem with directionproblem with direction occurs when team occurs when team members want to pursue different goalsmembers want to pursue different goals

• An An operational problemoperational problem is a difficulty that is a difficulty that is linked with conflicts over procedure, is linked with conflicts over procedure, method, or approachmethod, or approach

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

ReviewReview

• Problems with relations often result from Problems with relations often result from conflicts inconflicts in perspective perspective

• Problems with direction are frequently Problems with direction are frequently tied to conflicts intied to conflicts in purpose purpose

• Operational problems involve conflicts inOperational problems involve conflicts in practicepractice

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

ReviewReview

• People react to conflict in a group or team People react to conflict in a group or team setting in one of two ways: setting in one of two ways: fightfight or or flightflight

• Most people have developed strategies for Most people have developed strategies for handling everyday conflictshandling everyday conflicts

• Experts have identified four main ways Experts have identified four main ways people handle conflict—people handle conflict—retreating, retreating, standing still, detouring, standing still, detouring, andand encountering encountering

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

SummarySummary

• What are problems and conflicts?What are problems and conflicts?

• What are types of problems in groups?What are types of problems in groups?

• What are levels of conflict in groups?What are levels of conflict in groups?

• What are patterns of reacting to conflict?What are patterns of reacting to conflict?

Chapter 6, Lesson 1

NextNext

• Done—identifying levels of conflictDone—identifying levels of conflict

• Next—steps for problem solvingNext—steps for problem solving

Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com