Conflict Mode Style Worksheet

University of Phoenix Material

Individual Worksheet: Conflict Modes / Styles (Due Week Four)

In team settings, individual team members generally handle conflict in five key ways as identified in an adaptation of the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Inventory (1976): Avoidance, Accommodation, Competition, Compromise, and Collaboration. All five conflict styles can be both beneficial and/or costly to individual and team success. It can also be argued that all five conflict styles may be useful to resolve conflicts under certain circumstances. Please review the five conflict styles listed below:

Individual preferences for managing conflict within the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Inventory:

Avoidance (Lose – Lose Orientation)

a. Low concern for results/assertiveness

b. Low concern for people/cooperation

c. Uncomfortable with conflict

d. May believe that agreement is not possible

Accommodation (Lose –Win Orientation)

a. Low concern for results/assertiveness

b. High concern for people/cooperation

c. Uncomfortable with conflict

d. May be willing to sacrifice own needs in order to meet the needs of another

Competition (Win – Lose Orientation)

a. High concern for results/assertiveness

b. Low concern for people/cooperation

c. May enjoy conflict and sacrifice relationships with others in order to win

Compromise (Win-Lose : Lose-Win Orientation)

a. Moderate concern for results/assertiveness

b. Moderate concern for people/cooperation

c. May not see that a win-win is an option

d. Will give up some interests for others - meets some needs

Collaboration (Win – Win Orientation)

a. High concern for results/assertiveness

b. High concern for people/cooperation

c. Strives to meet the needs of all parties

Conflict Style Diagnosis

Four scenarios are offered below. Several questions follow each scenario that ask you to do the following:

• Identify and list the conflict style(s) exhibited by all team members.

• Describe how the conflict style is helping or hindering the accomplishment of team goals and objectives.

• Determine and list alternative strategies and state your rationale.

Provide typed responses to the questions that follow each of the four scenarios. Each question requires a response of 25-50 words.

Scenario 1

In a professional team meeting, one member of the team, Janelle, is continuously late. In fact, this is the third meeting in a row when Janelle has been more than 15 minutes late. The other members of the team (George, Felicia, and Jose) have talked among themselves about Janelle’s behavior and how it is impacting the productivity of the entire team. Janelle has key information needed to complete the team project and her tardiness generally delays the beginning of the team meeting. Jose would prefer to ignore Janelle’s tardiness and tells George he wants to exclude Janelle from the team, but so far Jose has not said anything to Janelle. Seeing Jose’s frustration, George took the time to meet one-on-one with Janelle for a few moments following the 2nd time that Janelle was late two weeks ago. Janelle promised George that she would be sure to be on time, but here they are again; Janelle is late and the members are seething.

1. What is the conflict style exhibited by each team member (choose from the options presented at the beginning of this worksheet)?

Jose is clearly showing signs of avoidance while George is exhibiting accommodation. George, Felicia, and Jose are collaborating when they talked amongst themselves about Janelle’s tardiness.

2. How is each person’s style of conflict management helping or hindering the accomplishment of team goals