Conflict is a significant part of interpersonal interactions, arising from a perception of incompatible goals between interdependent parties. Conflict can have both positive and negative consequences, depending on the behavior of both parties. For example, two people can have shared plans to start a creative or business project, but disagree on the specifics of how it should be realized.
This constitutes a conflict, which can lead to a more robust project, as the two argue and discover stronger, more reliable solutions. However, it can also lead to negative consequences, such as failing to start entirely if the conflict escalates out of control. Alternatively, if the conflict does not escalate and a discussion of the matter is not achieved, weaker methods can worsen the project.
There are five general strategies, or styles, of conflict resolution. In the integrating and compromising strategies, both sides’ interests are accounted for, and a solution that benefits both is formulated (Gonçalves et al., 2016). The Dominating and obliging styles refer to primarily caring about the self and the other party’s interests (Gonçalves et al., 2016). Finally, the avoiding strategy seeks to avoid the conflict entirely (Gonçalves et al., 2016). The choice of strategy for a particular conflict depends on its specific nature and perceived differences.
Reference
Gonçalves, G., Reis, M., Sousa, C., Santos, J., Orgambídez-Ramos, A., & Scott, P. (2016). Cultural intelligence and conflict management styles. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 24(4), 725–742. Web.