CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND COOPERATION

1. Conflict management

Watch the video "How to deal with conflicts":

 Source: Litmos Heroes @ YouTube Channel

Conflict at work is normal because people have different ideas and ways of doing things, therefore dealing with it is essential.  

Here are some simple steps to manage conflicts: 

Practical assignment 3.1. The following test will help you check your understanding of the main steps of conflict resolution, such as knowing the problem, speaking clearly and following up to make sure the solution works. Take the test now! 

Practical assignment 3.2. Review the following flashcards to find out how to solve the problems faster. Turn each card slowly: read the front of the card first, then click on the and at the bottom of the exclamation mark and read the tip about improvement. Do not write down any answer:

By using these steps, you can fix problems quickly and easily. This will save time and make things less stressful. Keep practicing these tips to become great at solving problems.

It is equally important to have a great team and know how to build one. Team building is about helping a group of people work together better. 

A team works well when everyone knows what they need to do, talks openly, and helps each other. Making your team stronger improves results and makes the workplace a better place to be.

Here are easy ways to help your team work well together:

Conflicts happen in every workplace, but what matters most is how you handle them. Managing conflicts calmly and finding solutions that work for everyone is key. Practice listening, speaking clearly, and showing respect every day by using the tips shared above. Focus on communicating well, sharing tasks, and supporting your colleagues. By improving yourself, you’ll also help your team work better together.

2. Identifying causes of conflict

Conflict happens when people disagree or have different needs or goals. It is normal and can happen anywhere. To solve a conflict, you need to know what is causing the problem. Once you understand the cause, it’s easier to fix it in a way that works for everyone.

At work, conflicts can happen because of poor communication, competition for resources, or differences in how people work or think. It’s important to find the cause of the conflict because if it isn’t solved, it can slow down work and make the workplace stressful. By spotting problems early, you can fix them and create a better work environment.

Let us have a peak at the most usual causes of the conflicts at work:

Take your time to review each dialog card carefully and read the situation. Think about how you would solve the problem in that scenario. Once you have your solution in mind, flip the card to see if your approach matches the suggested solution or if it’s heading in the right direction. This will help you reflect and improve your conflict-solving skills.

In order to be able to resolve the conflict, you need to first understand the reason of its cause. The first and best thing to do in such situation is to learn asking 5 core questions. Begin with a simple “What is the problem?”. It helps to clearly define the issues and help everyone to see the situation in the same way. 

Then ask “Who is involved?”. This will help to identify the people involved or affected and make sure you are addressing everyone's concerns. 

After thatm try going deeper into the cause and ask “What caused it?” as this could help to better understand the sources of pressure, different needs and possible misunderstandings within the team.  

Finally, make sure to ask “How can we fix it so everyone feels okay?” Being able to focus on the solutions which work for everyone, you encourage networking and create a more positive environment. 

Practical assignment 3.3. Take a short test to check if you recall off the key points in identifying the cause of a conflict:

Read more here:

https://lengvosmintys.lt/konfliktai-kas-juos-sukelia-ir-kaip-juos-spresti/ https://global.cityoflearning.eu/en/activities/12910

https://global.cityoflearning.eu/en/activities/12910

3. Causes of Interpersonal Conflict

The following are identified as the causes of interpersonal conflict:

Perception, which encompasses both perceived incompatible goals and limited resources. Often, people are fully convinced that they have opposing goals and cannot agree on something they could strive toward together.

Interdependence. The parties in the conflict engage in expressed struggle and hinder each other because they are dependent on one another, so interdependence is a key condition for the conflict to occur. “A person who is not dependent on another, that is, is not concerned with what the other does, does not experience conflict with that other person” (Braiker & Kelley 1979, 137).

Expressed Struggle. Often, in cases where one party openly disagrees with the other, communication behavior is easy to identify as conflict. However, in other cases, interpersonal conflict occurs not at the verbal level. For example, two friends may consciously avoid each other, both convinced that they do not want to see the other due to what the other has done. This kind of interpersonal struggle is expressed through avoidance.

Interference. For a conflict to arise, interference or the perception of interference is necessary. If another person’s presence or behavior hinders us from performing desired actions, the conflict intensifies.

Read more here: https://alcauskas.lt/konfliktai-4-tarpasmeniniu-konfliktu-priezastys/

4. Workplace Conflicts, Their Causes, and Solutions

Workplace conflicts arise for various reasons, which can be categorized into three groups: content, relationships, and process. So, how can we achieve a constructive resolution of conflicts at work? It is recommended to express your viewpoint and listen to others, be able to listen to the other person’s perspective, and try to understand it, maintain good relationships and trust. Workplace conflicts require common interests and solutions. It is important to objectively assess whether we are the cause of the conflict: whether we are stubborn, intolerant, arrogant, impulsive, aggressive, provocative, passive, submissive, or fearful. If we are manipulative, deceitful, or prone to lying.

5. Conflict Management

Conflict itself is neither harmful nor beneficial. The focus should be on managing the conflict, as this determines the outcomes. The most important elements are mutual interest, effort, and the willingness to resolve the disagreement. There are 3 stages in conflict management: identifying the conflict, analyzing the conflict, and resolving the conflict. There are five common conflict resolution methods: competition, accommodation, avoidance, collaboration, and compromise. None of them is better than the others – the choice of solution depends on the specific conflict situation.

1. Competition. This involves striving to fulfill one’s needs and desires at the expense of others (win/lose situation). The competition style is usually chosen by individuals who are the most stubborn and least inclined to cooperate (“I must win no matter what!”).
2. Accommodation. In contrast to the competition strategy, accommodation involves sacrificing one’s own needs for the benefit of the other party’s interests (lose/win situation) (“Never mind, I don’t care”).
3. Avoidance. By choosing the avoidance style, individuals do not address the conflict and are indifferent to each other’s needs (lose/lose situation). Avoidance, as a long-term strategy, is chosen when the likelihood of satisfying one’s needs is low (“I won’t gain anything anyway”).
4. Collaboration. In this strategy, the conflicting parties aim to meet the needs of both sides (win/win situation). The collaboration style requires the most commitment, time, and energy. The parties involved in collaboration are particularly interested in resolving the conflict, as it brings mutually beneficial outcomes (“We’ll gain more together!”).
5. Compromise. Compromise involves partially satisfying the needs of all conflict participants (and thus partial loss for everyone). This conflict resolution strategy is suitable when the needs of the parties involved are not so important that it would be worth spending time collaborating (“Let’s make a deal”).

Read more here:

https://www.museums.lt/Ateitis/images/Kurkime_ateities_muz_leidinys/leidinys_28_31.pdf

6. Conflict Resolution Strategies

Different conflict resolution methods and their application. Conflict resolution is a necessary skill that requires understanding and applying different strategies depending on the situation. The main conflict resolution strategies:

Know more here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUT2mQQ3gs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o97fVGTjE4w 

7. Collaboration Techniques

Collaboration is a fundamental skill that helps teams work together effectively, solve problems, and achieve common goals.

Key collaboration techniques include:

1. Clear Goals - each team member must understand the common goals and their role in achieving them;
2. Open Communication - encourage honest and open communication among team members;
3. Building Trust - strengthen mutual trust, allowing each person to feel valued and important;
4. Conflict Management - the ability to quickly and effectively resolve conflicts as they arise.

8. 2. Assertiveness vs. aggression in conflict resolution

During the phase of disagreements, the way of communication plays crucial role and can either solve the problem or make it worse. One common confusion in communication during conflicts is the difference between assertiveness and aggression. 

WHAT IS ASSERTIVENESS?

Being assertive means standing up for yourself while still being respectful of others. It’s about saying what you think or feel clearly and calmly, without putting anyone down. Think of it as:

Practical assignment 3.4. Flip the dialog cards to read the scenarios at work and refine your ability to express yourself confidently and respectfully:

WHAT IS AGGRESSION?

Being aggressive means trying to win the argument or get your way by being forceful or disrespectful. It often includes behaviors like shouting, blaming, or ignoring others' feelings. It means:

Take a moment to think about these examples of aggressive communication. Do you sometimes act like this too?

Why does it matter?

When you know how to be assertive, you can deal with conflicts in a calm, respectful way. This helps both sides feel valued and increases the chances of solving the issue. But if you’re aggressive, conflicts often become worse, damaging trust and relationships.

By understanding the difference between assertiveness and aggression, you can learn to handle disagreements in a healthier, more effective way. This will help you build better relationships and create a more positive environment at work or in your personal life.