Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace

Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace

• Conflict is defined as a process where one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party.

Dysfunctional Conflict

• Overt conflict is rare among commercial airline crew members, but when it occurs, it can be costly for the airline and inconvenient for passengers.

Is Conflict Good or Bad?

• Conflict can have both negative and positive outcomes.
• Negative outcomes: lower performance, higher stress, dissatisfaction, and turnover.
• Positive outcomes: better decision making, tests logic of arguments, questions assumptions, generates creative thinking, and stronger team cohesion.

Task versus Relationship Conflict

• Task conflict focuses on the quality of ideas and arguments, shows respect for all participants, and avoids critiquing opponent's competence or power.
• Relationship conflict focuses on the opponent's character, tries to win an argument by undermining opponent's credibility, and relies on status and assertive behavior.

Minimizing Relationship Conflict

• Goal: encourage task conflict, minimize relationship conflict.
• Strategies to minimize relationship conflict:
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Team development
  • Psychological safety team norms

The Conflict Process

• The conflict process model involves the perception of a threat, the cognition of a conflict, the emotions and attitudes associated with the conflict, and the behavior resulting from the conflict.

Structural Sources of Conflict

• Six structural sources of conflict:
  • Incompatible goals
  • Differentiation
  • Interdependence
  • Scarce resources
  • Ambiguous rules
  • Communication problems

Interpersonal Conflict Handling Styles

• Five conflict-handling styles:
  • Problem-solving
  • Forcing
  • Avoiding
  • Yielding
  • Compromising

Cultural and Gender Differences in Conflict-Handling Styles

• Cultural differences in conflict-handling styles: preferences vary across cultures.
• Gender differences in conflict-handling styles: men use more forcing style, women use more avoiding style, and women use slightly more problem-solving and compromising styles.

Structural Approaches to Conflict Management

• Six structural approaches to conflict management:
  • Emphasize superordinate goals
  • Reduce differentiation
  • Improve communication and understanding
  • Reduce interdependence
  • Increase resources
  • Clarify rules and procedures

Types of Third-Party Intervention

• Three types of third-party intervention:
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Inquisitional strategy

Negotiation: Definitions and Approaches

• Negotiation: trying to resolve divergent goals by redefining terms of interdependence.
• Two approaches to negotiation:
  • Distributive approach (win-lose orientation)
  • Integrative approach (win-win orientation)

Bargaining Zone Model

• The bargaining zone model represents the range of possible agreements between two parties.

Know Your BATNA and Power

• BATNA: best alternative to a negotiated agreement.
• Negotiation power: higher with favorable sources and contingencies of power.

Negotiation Process; Gather Information

• Strategies for gathering information in negotiation:
  • Listen closely to the other party
  • Ask questions
  • Pay attention to nonverbal communication
  • Summarize other party's statements
  • Communicate your inner thoughts and reactions to other's proposals

Negotiation Process: Manage Concessions

• Concessions communicate priorities and motivation.
• Strategies for managing concessions:
  • Make fewer, smaller, and clearly-labeled concessions
  • State that the other party should reciprocate
  • Use multi-issue offers

Negotiation Process: Time and Relationships

• Manage time: deadline effect, exploding offers, and escalation of time commitment.
• Build the relationship: discover common backgrounds and interests, manage first impressions, signal trustworthiness, and show awareness of shared negotiation norms and expectations.

Negotiation Setting

• Location: easier to negotiate on your own turf.
• Physical setting: seating arrangements, spacing, and formality.
• Audience: negotiators are more competitive and make fewer concessions when an audience is watching.

Gender and Negotiation

• Women tend to:
  • Set lower target points
  • Accept offers near their resistance points
  • Rely less on alternatives to improve their outcomes
  • Avoid engaging in negotiation
  • Receive more deceitful tactics by other negotiators
  • Be viewed less favorably when using effective negotiation tactics