HR Basics is a series of short courses, designed to highlight what you need to know about a particular human resource management topic. In today’s HR Basics, we explore workplace conflict, understanding conflict modes people bring to work and conflict management strategies.

Workplace conflict occurs when the concerns of two or more people appear to be incompatible. Conflict is completely natural. It’s the result of miscommunication, unclear expectations, differing perspectives or interests, or limited resources. And, conflict itself is neutral.

In our discussion of workplace conflict, we will consider conflict modes and conflict management strategies. People typically handle conflict in specific ways, known as conflict modes. No mode or style is better or worse than another, they’re just different.

Because no two individuals have exactly the same expectations and desires, conflict is a natural part of our interactions with others. The Thomas Kilmann Instrument (TKI) is an assessment that identifies five common styles or strategies for dealing with conflict, called conflict modes. The TKI was designed to illustrate the options we have when handling conflict. The TKI defines five approaches to resolving conflict, we’ll get to those in a minute.

Managed well, conflict is necessary and productive. In teams that engage in productive conflict, the most important and difficult issues are discussed and resolved.

Conflict is inevitable at work. By understanding how you and others prefer to and can best approach conflict, we will all be able to manage our work together more effectively.

свернуть