HRMN 495-Mini Case Study 5

Learning Topic

Conflict Resolution at Work While you may not be able to avoid conflict, there are certain strategies

you can use to navigate through it with ease. The Thomas‐Kilmann

Instrument, better known as the TKI model, is a great tool because it

helps to promote one‐on‐one and group conversations around conflict

and conflict resolution. It aids organizations in understanding how conflict

resolution affects both interpersonal dynamics and team dynamics.

Understanding how conflict resolution affects both the individual and the

group can help people determine the best resolution strategy for the

team.

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UMGC (n.d.). Conflict Resolution at work. Retrieved from https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/umuc/tus/hrmn/hrmn495/2225/learning- topic-list/conflict-resolution-at-work.html#

TKI Model of Conflict Resolution

Let's look at some other strategies that organizations and individuals alike

can use to navigate through conflict resolution.

Find the Cause of the Conflict

When dealing with conflict, it is more important to understand the root of

the problem than to focus on who is in the right. Instead of looking for a

person to blame for the conflict, focus on the central cause of the

disagreement. Addressing the root cause of the issue will not only help fix

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the current conflict but can also help to prevent future problems.

It is important to focus on behavior, rather than anyone's personality.

Blaming a person's personality can create additional conflict, while

focusing on behaviors and actions is a more constructive approach to a

conflict because individuals can change their behavior. It is not realistic or

helpful to focus on personality traits and emotions that cannot be

changed.

Take a Step Back

Conflict is often accompanied by emotions. This is a normal reaction in

many situations, but can create additional conflict when people let their

emotions take control. Before addressing the conflict, take a moment to

address any emotional reactions you are experiencing. Addressing your

emotions in private before addressing the conflict with others is an

effective way to approach the issue from a more objective

standpoint. Taking time to address your emotions before meeting with

your coworkers or supervisors can help you maintain a professional

demeanor.

Focus on Effective Communication

The way you communicate through a conflict can greatly influence the

outcome. Communicating face‐to‐face is often best to ensure clear

communication. Trying to address conflict via email or through a phone

conversation leaves room for misinterpretation. Tone and inflection are

extremely hard to decipher through text, which can lead well‐intentioned

messages to be misconstrued as rude or snarky. Meeting face‐to‐face

allows everyone involved in the conflict to clearly communicate their

viewpoints and frustrations.

It may also be a good idea to get the opinion of a third party before

addressing the issue (when the conflict does not involve sensitive or

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personal information that should not be shared). This will provide fresh

perspective and can help you see the conflict from a different angle.

Take Ownership

Realistically, no individual will be in the right in every conflict. It is

valuable to take ownership for misunderstandings and shortcomings

and use conflict resolution as an opportunity to learn from mistakes. It is

important to take active steps to learn from conflict. Determine what

could have been done differently to avoid the conflict, and find teachable

moments that can be used to avoid future conflicts. When you

can acknowledge how you could have handled things differently, you

can strengthen relationships and grow as a person.

Licenses and Attributions

Conflict Resolution at Work (https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm‐

humanresourcesmgmt/chapter/conflict‐resolution‐at‐

work/)  from Human Resources Management by Freedom Learning

Group and Lumen Learning is available under a Creative Commons

Attribution‐ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org

/licenses/by‐sa/4.0/)  license. UMGC has modified this work and it is

available under the original license. 

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