INTRODUCTION

• Conflict may be defined as a struggle or

contest between people with opposing
needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals.
• Conflict on teams is inevitable; however,
the results of conflict are not
predetermined.
• Conflict might escalate and lead to
nonproductive results, or conflict can be
beneficially resolved and lead to quality
final products. Therefore, learning to
manage conflict is integral to a high-
performance team.
• Although very few people go looking for
conflict, more often than not, conflict
results because of miscommunication
between people with regard to their
needs, ideas, beliefs, goals, or values.
• Conflict management is the principle
that all conflicts cannot necessarily be
resolved, but learning how to manage
conflicts can decrease the odds of
nonproductive escalation.
• Conflict management involves acquiring
skills related to conflict resolution, self-
 awareness about conflict modes, conflict
communication skills, and establishing a
structure for management of conflict in
your environment.

"Conflict" and "Conflict

Management"

Conflict: A battle, contest of opposing

forces, discord, antagonism existing
between primitive desires and instincts
and moral, religious, or ethical ideals.
Conflict occurs when two or more people
oppose one another because their needs,
wants, goals, or values are different.
Conflict is almost always accompanied by
feelings of anger, frustration, hurt,
anxiety, or fear.
Conflict management is the practice of
identifying and handling conflict in a
sensible, fair, and efficient manner.
Conflict management requires such skills
as effective communicating, problem
solving, and negotiating with a focus on
interests.
 Common causes of conflict
Causes or sources of organizational
conflict can be many and varied.
The most common causes are the
following:
• scarcity of resources (finance,
equipment, facilities, etc)
• different attitudes, values or perceptions
• disagreements about needs, goals,
priorities and interests
• poor communication
• poor or inadequate organizational
structure
• lack of teamwork
• lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities
Conflict between
individual
• People have differing styles of
communication, ambitions, political or
religious views and different cultural
backgrounds.
• In our diverse society, the possibility of
these differences leading to conflict
between individuals is always there, and
we must be alert to preventing and
resolving situations where conflict arises.

Conflict between groups of

people
• Whenever people form groups, they tend
to emphasize the things that make their
 group "better than" or "different from"
other groups.
• This happens in the fields of sport, culture,
religion and the workplace and can
sometimes change from healthy
competition to destructive conflict.

Conflict within a group of

people
• Even within one organization or team,
conflict can arise from the individual
differences or ambitions mentioned earlier;
or from rivalry between sub-groups or
factions.
• All leaders and members of the
organization need to be alert to group
dynamics that can spill over into conflict.