Pre-lecture Discussion

What are the most common causes of conflict that you

experience in the workplace?

Recognizing and Responding to Conflict Lecture One: Conflict

Types
Substantive or cognitive conflict involves:
Contrasting ideas, decisions, or actions related
to work.
Disagreement about viewpoints, strategy, use of
resources.

Personal or affective conflict involves:

Relationships with others.
Hostility, frustration or personality clashes.

Practice
Match each example to the type of conflict it represents. A type of conflict
may match to more than one example.
Conflict types

Examples

A. Substantive conflict.
B. Personal conflict.

___

Opposing ideas among web

designers planning and designing a
client's web site.
___
An employee resents another
employee for getting a promotion and
communication between them suffers.
___
A manager and an employee differ
on the relevance of a workplace policy.
___
A supervisor and employee struggle
to work together because the employee
is very quiet, which frustrates the
supervisor.

Minor and Major Conflicts

Conflict can:
Be substantive or personal.
Range in severity.
Important to respond appropriately to each conflict type.

Disagreements and Disputes

Disagreements:
Low-level dissatisfaction, difference,
dissent, unmet expectations.
Exist among individuals who are friendly.
Disputes:
Outright arguments and fights over issues.
Friendships may be severed.

Conflict Situations

Substantive Disagreements

Differing views on work

issues.

Can lead to state of synergy

if individuals:
Work together.
Make use of differences.

Substantive Disputes

Occurs if substantive
disagreement increases in
severity.

Differences no longer dealt

with constructively.

Results in win-lose
environment.

Personal Disagreements

People not getting along,

reluctant to work together.

Creates strained, negative

atmosphere.

Two common sources are:

Unresolved substantive
dispute.
Differing personalities.

Personal Disputes

Negative behavior like

arguing, retaliation, filing
complaints.

Can lead to low morale,

sabotage, legal action.

Underlying causes often left

unaddressed.

Responding to Conflict - Example

Even though Catherine has met all the goals and criteria set down and agreed
between herself and Jason, she hasn't received the promotion and has had
numerous arguments with Jason about this. Follow along as Catherine discusses
the situation.
Catherine (upset/angry): I'm at my wit's end! Jason and I formally agreed on the
goals I'd have to achieve in order to receive a promotion, and in the last six
months I've exceeded these goals. But where's my promotion?
Catherine (upset/angry): I feel I've been so patient with the whole matter. At first,
I approached Jason and attempted to discuss the issue of my promotion, but he
seemed to just ignore my concerns, and is now saying that I haven't achieved the
set goals.
Catherine (upset/angry): I've finally decided to take this matter further by
entering into a formal grievance procedure.

Discussion
Have there been times when you've witnessed or experienced a substantive
dispute escalating into a personal dispute in your workplace?
Why did the dispute escalate? Can you think of other ways the situation could
have been handled?