There are various approaches to characterize conflict resolution styles, and one of them is the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory. It was developed by Mitchell Hammer in 2005 and, according to it, there are two dimensions that an individual’s conflict-solving technique consists of – the analytical one and the emotional one (Grothe, 2020). When it comes to my conflict communication style as per Hammer, I would describe it as the discussion style. The discussion style combines the direct way of expressing disagreement and the restrained way of expressing emotions (HTCEDU, 2008). In terms of disagreement, rather than trying to make hints and soften the edges, I tend to speak directly to the problem – it helps getting to the root of the issue. Emotions, in my opinion, get in the way of thinking rationally and often cause people to make hasteful decisions. That is why I prefer to keep my emotions in check and resolve issues with a level head. All of that characterizes a person whose conflict resolution style is the discussion style.
People with different approaches to problem-solving often misunderstand each other, even though both parties might genuinely want to find common ground. For example, my Asian cousin navigates conflict differently than I do, which sometimes leads to problems. The first disagreement between us took place a couple of years ago, and I could not understand why she would not simply want to discuss it. I tried to convince her to talk, but she avoided me and did not want to hear it mentioned. Later, my uncle explained to me that this was my cousin’s way to assure the conflict did not get out of control and no one got hurt by its outcomes. I found it odd but decided to let it be – and a day later, she acted as if nothing had happened. While I do not approve of this method, my understanding of it being culturally conditioned helped me make peace with it.
References
Grothe, T. (2020). Exploring intercultural communication. LibreTexts.
HTCEDU. (2008). Hennepin Technical College intercultural conflict styles [Video]. YouTube.