The conflict exit strategy is the main line of behavior of the opponent during conflict resolution.

There are five main strategies(K. Thomas): competition, compromise, cooperation, care, adaptation.

Rivalry consists in imposing on the other side a solution that is beneficial for oneself. Rivalry is justified in the following cases: the proposed solution is clearly constructive; the benefit of the result for the entire group or organization, and not for an individual or microgroup; the importance of the outcome of the struggle for those who support this strategy; lack of time to reach an agreement with the opponent. Rivalry is advisable in extreme and fundamental situations, in case of lack of time and a high probability of dangerous consequences.

Compromise consists in the desire of opponents to end the conflict with partial concessions. It is characterized by the renunciation of some of the demands that were previously put forward, the willingness to recognize the claims of the other party as partially justified, and the willingness to forgive. Compromise is effective in the following cases: the opponent understands that he and the opponent have equal opportunities; the presence of mutually exclusive interests; satisfaction with the temporary solution; threats to lose everything.

Accommodation or concession, is considered as a forced or voluntary refusal to fight and surrender of one’s positions. The opponent is forced to accept such a strategy by various motives: awareness of his wrongness, the need to preserve good relations with an opponent, strong dependence on him; frivolity of the problem. In addition, such a way out of the conflict is caused by significant damage caused during the struggle, the threat of even more serious negative consequences, the absence of a chance for a different result, and pressure from a third party.

Care from solving a problem or avoiding is an attempt to get out of the conflict with minimal losses. It differs from a similar strategy of behavior during a conflict in that the opponent switches to it after unsuccessful attempts to realize his interests using active strategies. Actually, we're talking about not about a solution, but about the extinction of the conflict. Walking away can be a completely constructive response to a long-term conflict. Avoidance is used in the absence of energy and time to eliminate contradictions, the desire to gain time, the presence of difficulties in determining the line of one’s behavior, and the reluctance to solve the problem at all.

Cooperation is considered the most effective strategy for dealing with conflict. It presupposes the desire of opponents to constructively discuss the problem, viewing the other side not as an adversary, but as an ally in the search for a solution. It is most effective in situations of strong interdependence between opponents; the tendency of both to ignore differences in power; the importance of the decision for both parties; impartiality of participants.

The choice of strategy for exiting a conflict depends on various factors. They usually indicate the personal characteristics of the opponent, the level of damage caused to him and his own damage, the availability of resources, the status of the opponent, possible consequences, the seriousness of the problem being solved, and the duration of the conflict.

The most likely is the use of a compromise, because steps towards each other, taken by at least one of the parties, make it possible to achieve asymmetrical (one side gives more, the other less) or symmetrical (the parties make approximately equal mutual concessions) agreement.

A study of conflict resolution between a manager and a subordinate showed that a third of these conflicts end in compromise, two-thirds in a concession (mostly from the subordinate), and only 1-2% of conflicts end in cooperation. In conflicts between a manager and a subordinate, in 60% of situations, the boss is right in making claims against the subordinate (through omission in work, dishonest performance of duties, negligence). Therefore, most managers consistently use the strategy of competition in conflict, achieving the desired behavior from their subordinates.

Back in 1942, American social psychologist M. Folet pointed out the need to resolve (settle) conflicts, rather than suppress them. Among the methods, she highlighted the victory of one of the parties, compromise and integration. Integration was understood as a new solution in which the conditions of both parties are met, and neither of them will suffer serious losses. Later, this method of conflict resolution was called “cooperation.”

The basis of compromise is the technology of concessions to rapprochement or bargaining. The compromise has the following disadvantages: disputes over the positions of the parties lead to a reduction in transactions; the basis for tricks is created; possible deterioration of relations, because there may be threats, pressure, termination of contacts; if there are several parties, bargaining becomes more complicated, etc.

Despite this, in real life compromise is often applied. To achieve this, an open conversation technique can be recommended, which consists of: offering to end the conflict; admit your mistakes, already made in the conflict, they probably exist and admitting them costs almost nothing for you; make concessions to the opponent, where possible, on what is not the main thing in the conflict. In any conflict, you can find a few little things in which it is not difficult to give in. You can concede on serious, but not fundamental things, express wishes regarding concessions necessary on the part of the opponent; they, as a rule, relate to the main interests in the conflict; calmly, without negative emotions, discuss mutual concessions, and, if necessary, adjust them; if we managed to reach an agreement, then somehow record that the conflict has been resolved.

It is advisable to implement the style of cooperation using the method of principled negotiations.

Separating people from the problem: distinguishing between the relationship with the opponent and the problem; put yourself in your opponent’s shoes and don’t indulge your fears; show your willingness to deal with the problem; be hard on the problem and soft on the people.

Focus on interests, not positions: Ask “why?” and “why not?”; record basic interests; look for common interests; explain the vitality and importance of your interests; Recognize your opponent's interests as part of the problem.

Offer mutually beneficial options: do not look for a single solution to the problem; separate the search for options from their evaluation; expand the range of options for solving the problem; seek mutual benefit; find out what the other side prefers.

Use objective criteria: Be open to the other side's arguments; do not give in to pressure, but only to principles, use objective criteria for each part of the problem; use multiple criteria; use fair criteria.

The combination of strategies determines the way to resolve contradictions, which is the basis of the conflict.

Conflict Resolution Techniques

This article discusses various conflict resolution methods. Conflict is a situation where the interests, needs, goals or values ​​of the parties involved collide. Conflicts are a natural part of any work process. Conflicts in an organization can arise between members of a work team, between superiors and subordinates, between departments, between clients and the company, etc. Is conflict bad? Optional. Often it provides an opportunity to improve the situation. That's why it's so important to know and apply various methods conflict resolution.

Conflict resolution methods: Coercion or Suppression

One of the parties firmly insists on its own, despite the resistance of the other party. This method may involve imposing one's point of view or firmly resisting the other person's actions.

When to use Coercion may be justified:

Conflict resolution methods:

Cooperation or Mutually Beneficial Problem Solving

Cooperation is the joint finding of a solution to a situation that would satisfy both parties. The parties openly discuss issues that cause them concern and possible solutions to the current situation. With this approach, conflict is seen as an opportunity to reach a mutually beneficial solution.

When is it better to use this method:

Conflict resolution methods: Compromise

This method is aimed at finding rational decision problems that partially satisfies both parties involved in the conflict.

When is it appropriate to use Compromise as a method of conflict resolution:

Conflict resolution methods: Avoidance/Evasion

In this case, the person is inactive, does not defend his views, goes aside, puts off discussing pressing issues, and avoids solving the problem.

When to use this method advisable:

Conflict resolution methods: Smoothing out conflict

A person tries to calm down his interlocutor, agrees with his demands to the detriment of his own interests, although in his heart he may be outraged by this.

Examples where smoothing may be appropriate:

• If you give in often, there is a risk that other people will constantly take advantage of it. It is important to learn different methods of conflict resolution, not only through concessions.
• This may prevent you from reaching mutually beneficial resolutions to issues in the future.
• Some of your supporters may not like your compliance.

What conflict resolution methods do you use?

Conflict Resolution Techniques

Disputes and conflicts are part of social life, and they also occur in business. If a conflict arises in a company, it is critically important to resolve it correctly, otherwise it will have negative consequences for team relationships and work performance. The manager responsible for relationships in the team must choose an approach to resolving the conflict that would help not only solve the problem, but also benefit from the situation.

Conviction in negative nature conflicts is a fallacy. Negative is our perception and reaction to the resulting situation. There is no need to treat the conflict as a competition, then it will be possible to direct the conflict in a direction in which both sides will remain dry when they come out of the water. Naturally, conflicts are not a simple phenomenon. To study, analyze and resolve them, there is a whole science of conflictology.

The conflict is not always positive, but it always carries information about different views on the problem and on conflict resolution methods. Each manager sees a way out of the conflict in his own way and has his own secrets, which he has tested through bitter or successful experience.

There are several constructive consequences of conflict.

1. A solution is found that is acceptable to both parties.

2. The parties are disposed to further cooperation, and not to confrontation in future conflict situations.

3. The quality of decision making increases.

Participants in a conflict get the opportunity to work out even opposing solutions to an issue as a team. According to research, managers spend about 25% of their working time resolving conflicts. Therefore, successful conflict resolution and good management are important tasks for modern leaders.

If you translate destructive conflicts into numbers, they obviously harm business. The average manager spends about 25% of his working time resolving conflicts. If a company employs 100 managers, their salary is about 40 thousand pounds sterling per year, then conflicts account for 1 million pounds.

Employees feeling misunderstood and underappreciated are the cause stressful situation, a decrease in the level of motivation, a deterioration in teamwork, and, as a result, staff turnover.

All these consequences must be taken into account not just from the point of view of human values, but from the point of view of business efficiency. You should not treat conflict as a necessary evil, but rather as a type of overhead, just like, for example, a telephone connection malfunction. The cause of the conflict can even be serious contradictions, but any conflict can be resolved by adapting the contradictions that caused it.

There are tips from Shay McConnon on how to have a constructive debate. They provide an opportunity not just to express one’s point of view, but also to support an open, constructive dialogue, the goal of which is to achieve agreement.

1. Don't talk about the problem itself, offer solutions. Talk about how you would like people to act now, rather than remembering what someone once said.

2. Do not blame the person, do not condemn or criticize. Operate with the phrases “you should have”, “you make me think that...”, “never...”.

3. Talk about what you observe, not what you think. Instead of saying: “I see that you are not interested...” use the words: “When I talk to you and don’t see your eyes, I see that you are not interested.”

4. Feedback on the person's behavior, not his personality. Say that the person's behavior is the problem, not the person himself. Avoid personal comments. Don't voice your guesses about other people's thoughts. Don't make assumptions.

5. Use the pronoun “I” in conversation. Speak your side of the truth, not what you know is the truth. Use phrases: “It seems to me that the problem is...”. And you will not become an accuser.

6. Periodically summarize the information you have heard: “As I understand it, you ...”, “So, you say that ...”.

If there is no agreement in the team, there is hostility and quarrels, then this not only harms the work, but also bothers the company’s employees.

Resentment over promotions, quarrels over trifles, resentment over low salaries - there are many reasons for dissatisfaction in every office. Man is complex by nature. Everyone has their own point of view, formed on the basis of experience and relationships with people. Each employee comes to work with different emotions, opinions, perspectives, wants and needs than other employees.

Each side of the conflict feels misunderstood and offended. Educated people It is not common to do something without a reason. The dispute begins with the desire to explain exactly the reasons. So we fall into a trap that can be called “Yes, but...”. If you want to create a global conflict, then start with these words. When you start making excuses, you are programming yourself in advance to lose and look like a loser.

Example 1. Manager Dina is talking with her boss Alex, she thinks her presentation is detailed and successful. Alex finds the presentation long and too detailed. Dina begins her answer with the words “Yes, but...”, i.e. begins to make excuses: “Yes, but advice must be received full information to make a decision."

Example 2. Dmitry approached the manager Peter with a request to raise wages. Dmitry works more than normal and believes that his dedication to the company is obvious. Peter would be happy to give a positive answer, but at present the financial situation is unstable and the level of sales has decreased. And he answered Dmitry: “Everything is clear, but now I cannot promise this.” This phrase made the misunderstanding between the parties even greater.

Let's analyze these examples. Dina began to justify why she made the presentation this way and not otherwise. She might respond by saying that Alex's presentations are superficial. But neither excuses nor attacks contribute to understanding and cooperation.

It is much more effective to approach the situation with an understanding of the other side. This requires some determination. And this does not mean abandoning your point of view at all, you just need to find out what your opponent wants, what is important to him in this situation. By thinking about the other person, you will minimize resistance because they will feel that you are listening to their opinion. This will lay the foundation for building good relations between the disputants. Dina needed to make it clear to Alex that she respected his views. She could ask Alex how he would put together a presentation. And then the moment would come to explain his option. Alex would also begin to listen to Dina’s views, and in the course of a constructive dialogue a solution to the conflict would be found.

And Peter needed to be made clear why Dmitry was asking for a salary increase. Maybe the problem is not a financial lack at all, but a lack of attention. Perhaps Dmitry believes that the organization underestimates him. Having learned Dmitry's point of view, Peter would have approached the problem completely differently and minimized the conflict.

Another pitfall is that the conflict begins with one side proposing a solution. We often feel like only we know the course of events and are eager to express our opinions.

Offering our own solution reflects only our perception of the world, which differs from the perception of other people.

It will be more effective to find out how the other side sees the solution to the current situation. Talking about your needs is not selfish. And satisfying your needs through others is selfish. To solve a problem quickly, always ask “What?” If Dina had invited Alex to express his decision, she would have attracted him to her side. In a collaborative spirit, they would solve the problem productively.

Let’s say Peter cannot immediately raise Dmitry’s salary. Then he should let him know that he is valued in the company. Peter could invite Dmitry to consider this issue in six months, or give him more responsible tasks so that Dmitry understands that he is valued.

Conflicts in the work environment often seem insoluble. But with minimal use of the necessary wording of phrases and the desire of the parties to understand each other, take into account wishes, they will help resolve the most complex conflicts and overcome wide chasms of misunderstanding. The benefit of this approach is not only to save time, but also to avoid constant stress. Good interpersonal relationships and a positive atmosphere will promote open cooperation among the company's team.

Practical ways to resolve conflict

A conflict is a confrontation between two or more people. Practical methods of conflict resolution allow you to find a way out of the current situation. In previous articles we outlined scientific definition conflict, and also considered ways to resolve it by the manager. But most often it happens that you need help resolving a conflict, but you do not have outside support. Such conflict situations can arise both at work and at home, or just on the street with stranger. It should be noted that most contradictions leave an unpleasant impression and can ruin your mood for the whole day, and sometimes can greatly affect your life. But what can a person do to ensure that the conflict situation is resolved in a way favorable to him? It is this question that we will try to answer in the article “Practical ways to resolve conflict.”

However, before considering practical methods, it is necessary to understand why the conflict arises. In any conflict situation, there is always its initiator - this is the person who shows dissatisfaction towards another person or group of people. The initiator of the conflict can also be a group of people, but at its head there is always a certain leader. Thus, the conflict arises through the fault of the initiator and is expressed in dissatisfaction and claims against the other side. Therefore, it is necessary to remember that negative attitude and the claims of the initiator are always based on reasons that are weighty for this person, which burden, torment and cause inconvenience to him.

For example, a manager at work asks his subordinates to complete a task within a specified time frame, but for some reason they forget about it and miss the deadline for fulfilling the manager’s instructions. As a result of this situation, the company incurs financial losses. In turn, the leader enters into conflict situation with subordinates, while pointing out their lack of professionalism. Thus, the cause of the conflict may be not just unfulfilled work, the absence of which in another situation the manager might not have noticed, but the financial losses incurred. At the same time, the manager, most likely, in a conversation with subordinates, will draw attention to their inadequacy as specialists, rather than reveal the real reason his dissatisfaction. This small example shows us that most conflict situations have hidden reasons their occurrence. Therefore, when they accuse you of something or try to drag you into a conflict, try to find out from the initiator the true cause of the conflict. This will allow you to choose the right direction to resolve a conflict situation.

The most important thing in regulating any conflict situation is to control the emotional state of the participants, the less involved negative emotions in a conversation between people, the greater the chance of finding a joint way out of the current situation. When people speak out of emotion, they practically do not hear each other, which complicates an even difficult situation. Therefore, most methods of regulating a conflict situation come down to influencing the emotional state of the conflict initiator.

And so, let's consider practical ways conflict resolution:

1. If the initiator of the conflict, due to dissatisfaction and complaints against you, has switched to a higher tone, then in this situation the most important thing for you is to maintain psychological balance and not succumb to the effect of emotional contagion. To do this, you can abstract yourself from this situation and not take insults and claims personally.

One of psychological techniques is the so-called "Backpack". It lies in the fact that you mentally imagine a backpack behind you, into which you put all the insults and bad words of the conflict initiator, expressed in your direction. You don’t let them pass through you, but simply “throw them into your backpack.” When your opponent is finished, you simply remove your backpack and set it aside.

The second method, which I learned about not long ago, but has already proven its worth, is focus on results. First of all, our emotions are a reaction to current events, but if you switch your attention from the present to the future and focus on the result you want to achieve, then emotions will not be able to overwhelm you, and will change their sign from negative to positive. However, you must clearly understand what you want to achieve by interacting with this person and the result should give you pleasure.

Another way is conscious switching of emotions from negative to positive. When the initiator of the conflict begins to shout at you and express insults towards you, you experience a negative emotional state. However, if you imagine that your opponent has some kind of bizarre and funny appearance, then you will no longer be able to take his words seriously. For example, some grumpy and fast-talking woman is trying to enter into a conflict situation with you on the bus, imagine that she is just a barking dog with a funny bow on her head, jumping around you and wanting to attract your attention. I assure you that in such a situation you will not have any negative feelings, and you will not come into contact with her.



2. When you have coped with your emotional state, you need to take control of the emotional state of the conflict initiator, especially if he has already become heated. If you have controlled yourself, your interlocutor will certainly feel it, and without receiving negative emotional reinforcement from you, his emotional potential will begin to decrease on its own. But before a person enters his normal state, control of his emotions on your part is necessary. To do this, follow a few simple rules:

Try to keep a distance between you and your opponent, the smaller the distance, the stronger the conflict, but at the same time, you should not run away from your interlocutor or distance yourself from him at long distances - this will not have a positive effect on resolving the conflict.

Don't interrupt your opponent and let him talk.

By following these rules, you can direct conflict towards cooperation.

3. When emotions have subsided, the mind comes into play. First of all, it is necessary to find out the true cause of the conflict. In order not to walk in circles and not to get bogged down in the abyss of misunderstanding, you should competently structure a conversation with your opponent. Most often, conflict situations arise due to the fact that people do not understand each other. Therefore, when you allow your interlocutor to express your complaints, before using your arguments, ask your opponent “Did I understand you correctly, you are unhappy that...” and retell the main points of your conversation. If your opponent agrees with you, then try to express your position on this issue. If the conflict does not find a solution, then you need to invite your interlocutor to jointly resolve the current situation, noting that you are interested in resolving the conflict. For example, “I understand you...”, “I understand your feelings”, “It is beneficial for us to solve this problem together”, “Let’s try to solve this problem together.” If the interlocutor does not meet you halfway, then you can resort to flattery, noting positive qualities the initiator of the conflict, you will subconsciously achieve his favor. By using practical ways to resolve conflict, you can achieve positive results in your interactions with people.

4. After the end of the conflict, its participants may well be left with a negative aftertaste, even under favorable circumstances. In this case, it is very important to let go of the problem and the emotional state that is associated with it. To do this, you can use the following exercise: mentally imagine a yellow fireball hovering opposite you, which draws out all the negative feelings and thoughts about the conflict that occurred. Feel how painful sensations leave you along with your thoughts. A problem that recently mattered leaves you alone. When you feel that negative feelings have turned into a ball, then throw it somewhere far away into the depths of the Universe. This situation will no longer disturb you and you will be able to adequately respond to current events.

Other, no less effective way relieve emotional stress is writing down your thoughts and feelings. To do this, take a sheet of paper and write down the time and date of making the entry, now draw a line under them from one edge of the sheet to the other and start writing everything that comes to your mind. When your thoughts run out, draw another line under them, set a time and date. A sheet of paper can be torn, crumpled or burned, but you should not store it or re-read it. Everything that is written on it is already in the past!

Thus, we have examined the main practical ways to resolve conflict. By using them, you will be able to achieve your goals in both personal life, and at work. But do not under any circumstances forget that any participant in the conflict is, first of all, a person who has his own feelings and emotions. If you take them into account, then perhaps it will be easier for you to find a common language.

Conflict is an intractable contradiction that is accompanied by strong negative emotions. This is anger, malice, rage, hatred. And in some cases it is accompanied by targeted actions. Not every contradiction can lead to a conflict, but only one that affects a person’s dignity and interests that are significant to him. The dignity of a person includes his life principles based on morality. Therefore, losing it means sacrificing principles when someone forces you to do so.

Researchers identify two groups of causes of conflicts: personal qualities and social factors. In the first case, conflicts arise among people due to the incompatibility of their interests, needs and life principles. Personal qualities individuals(envy, rudeness, rudeness, etc.) make them the initiators of conflict. However, in some cases, external factors (situation, environment) can provoke a person. Among them: failures in the professional sphere, low financial support, inability to meet expectations, lack of career opportunities, dissatisfaction with the authorities and others.

Types of conflict correspond to the reasons for their occurrence: interpersonal, social and economic. The reason for the emergence of a contradiction between people determines its content and methods of resolution. Interpersonal disagreements always affect human interests. These conflicts have a difficult resolution, since it is difficult for a person to give up his principles, and, accordingly, it is impossible to agree with his opponent.

Social and economic conflicts depend on external environment, in which the person is placed. They affect the interests of a group of people.

Ways to resolve conflict

The most difficult thing in a conflict is its resolution. At the moment when the parties start shouting, it is extremely difficult to stop the raging emotions. This is a destructive situation. Therefore, practicing psychologists often come to the conclusion that disagreement should be prevented and resolved at the first stages.

There are four options for resolving the conflict.

The first is minimizing human interaction. There are no persons causing a dispute, there is no problem itself.

The second way is to find a compromise. Compromise involves mutual concessions. In this case, both sides remain unconvinced, but sacrifice some of the principles they defend for the sake of peace. The compromise has a serious disadvantage. The feeling of dissatisfaction remains with the person. And sooner or later it will manifest itself in a new confrontation.

Open conversation is the third and most reasonable way to resolve conflict. This is a situation when one of the parties is on the path of reconciliation and is ready for discussion controversial issue. The assistance of a third party - a referee - is often used. The role of the referee can be performed by a psychologist, an official, or simply close person. In a conversation, the disputants have the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction in an acceptable form. This is important for relieving tension. Sometimes people just need to talk it out. After this, the parties try to find a satisfactory way out of the controversial situation.

The fourth way to end conflict is cooperation. He is very, because in his case the parties prefer to use disagreement in order to achieve benefits.

Topic 4. Conflicts and ways to resolve them

INTRODUCTION 3

1. The concept of conflict 4

2. Types of conflicts 5

3. Behavior 8

4. Strategy and rules of conduct in conflicts 9

5. Methods for improving relationships 11

CONCLUSION 18

REFERENCES 19

INTRODUCTION

Conflict is always a complex and multifaceted social phenomenon. It involves a variety of parties: individuals, social groups, national-ethnic communities, states and groups of countries, united by certain goals and interests. Conflicts arise for a variety of reasons and motives: psychological, economic, political, value, religious, etc. But each of us also knows that the personality itself is internally contradictory and subject to constant contradictions and stress. Who, for example, is not familiar with the internally tense situation “and you want and it’s pricking” (the desire to start a new business, to experience new sensations, on the one hand, and the fear of losing what you have, fear of punishment, on the other) or the problem of Buridan’s donkey (when you have to choose between two values ​​of equal importance).

This diversity of bases, forms, levels and motives of conflicts makes it difficult to define its concept and create a typology of conflicts.

Relevance this study is connected with the fact that every person, especially those working in the business sphere, needs to have an understanding of conflicts, the rules of behavior in conflict situations and ways to resolve them with dignity.

The purpose of this work is to study the types and types, causes of occurrence and resolution of conflicts.

When writing the work, the works of N. Grishina, E. Melibuda, A. Mindel, A. Karmina and others were used.

Practical significance The work lies in the possibility of using its materials for further study of issues related to conflicts in the workforce, as well as for conducting practical classes and seminars in the course of psychology.




1. The concept of conflict

In view of the variety of types of conflicts and differences in their definition, it is first necessary to give a definition of conflict that would be common to all its types. This in turn involves identifying the essence of the conflict and its concept.

Today in the conflict literature there are a variety of definitions of conflict. Thus, in the West, the concept of conflict, formulated by the famous American theorist L. Coser, is widespread. By it he understands the struggle for values ​​and claims to a certain status, power and resources, in which the enemy’s goals are to neutralize, damage or eliminate the opponent.

This definition reveals the conflict to a greater extent from a sociological point of view, because its essence, according to the author, is the clash of values ​​and interests of different social groups.

In Russian literature, most definitions of conflict are also sociological in nature. Their advantage lies in the fact that the authors highlight various necessary signs of social conflict, represented by diverse forms of confrontation between individuals and social communities aimed at achieving certain interests and goals. Here are some examples of conflict definitions:

L.G. Zdravomyslov: So, conflict is the most important aspect of interaction between people in society, a kind of cell of social existence. This is a form of relationship between potential or actual subjects of social action, the motivation of which is determined by opposing values ​​and norms, interests and needs.

SOUTH. Zaprudsky: Social conflict is an explicit or hidden state of confrontation between objectively divergent interests, goals and development trends of social objects, a direct and indirect clash social forces based on opposition to the existing social order, a special form of historical movement towards a new social unity.

A.V. Dmitriev: Under social conflict usually refers to the type of confrontation in which the parties seek to seize territory or resources, threaten opposing individuals or groups, their property or culture in such a way that the struggle takes the form of attack or defense.

2. Types of conflicts

In psychology, certain types of conflicts are distinguished:

Intrapersonal conflict arises due to a person’s state of dissatisfaction with any circumstances of his life, associated with the presence of contradictory friends friend's interests, aspirations, needs.

Interpersonal conflict is the most common type of conflict; it arises between people due to the incompatibility of their views, interests, goals, and needs.

Intergroup conflict occurs due to clashes of interests of different groups.

The conflict between a group and an individual manifests itself as a contradiction between the expectations of an individual and the norms of behavior and communication established in the group.

The horizontal classification of conflicts characterizes conflicts that arise between ordinary employees who are not subordinate to each other; vertically - between people who are subordinate to each other; in mixed conflicts both options are presented. Moreover, 70-80% of all conflicts are vertical and mixed.

Conflicts may arise due to various reasons and circumstances. They may result from a lack of understanding in the communication process; incorrect assumptions regarding the actions of the interlocutors; differences in plans and estimates. The causes of conflicts may be the individual and personal characteristics of the communication partner; inability (unwillingness) to control one’s emotional state; tactlessness, lack of desire to work, loss of interest in work.

Let's look at an example that is very common in conflict management. The students decided to have a party. While preparing the treat, two girls could not divide the orange and began to argue loudly, proving to each other that it was she who needed the orange. However, it turned out that one of the girls needed orange pulp to make juice, and the other needed orange zest for a cupcake. Thus, there might not have been a conflict since the girls' needs were compatible. But each of them reacted to the situation depending on how it was perceived and assessed.

Main role In the emergence of a conflict, conflictogens play a role - words, actions (or inactions) that contribute to the emergence and development of conflict. By itself, a “conflict agent – ​​a loner” is not capable of leading to conflict. To do this, a “chain of conflictogens” must arise - their escalation, that is, when we try to respond to a conflictogen addressed to you with a stronger conflictogen, often choosing the strongest of all possible.

How does the exchange of “courtesy” take place? Having received a conflictogen addressed to him, the “victim” responds with “offense for offense” in order to compensate for his psychological loss. At the same time, his answer should not be weaker, therefore, for complete confidence, it is done with a “reserve” (it is difficult to resist the temptation to teach the offender a lesson). As a result, the power of conflict agents increases. There are three main types of conflicts:

Striving for excellence;

Manifestation of aggression;

Manifestation of selfishness.

In order to avoid conflicts in the process of communication and interaction with other people, you should:

1. Remember that any careless statement can provoke a conflict (due to the escalation of conflictogens);

2. Show empathy for your interlocutor. To do this, you need to put yourself in his position, imagine how your words and actions will resonate in his soul;

3. Show a tolerant attitude towards the opinions and views of the interlocutor and accept the dissimilarity of his judgments with your own.

To understand the essence of the conflict and effectively resolve it,

it is necessary to turn to one of the conflict formulas:

Conflict situation + incident = conflict,

where a conflict situation is accumulated contradictions that create the true cause of the conflict; an incident is a combination of circumstances that give rise to conflict; conflict is an open confrontation resulting from mutually exclusive interests and positions.

Resolving a conflict means:

1. Eliminate the conflict situation;

2. End the incident.

However, as practice shows, there are many cases in life when, for objective reasons, it is impossible to eliminate a conflict situation. Therefore, in order to avoid conflict, care should be taken not to create an incident.

3. Behavior

This component of the conflict also plays an important role in its development. People interact with different levels of culture, habits, rules of behavior. These differences can be due to both character traits and education, value orientations, life experience, that is, factors associated with the process of socialization of the individual. But there are people who are simply difficult to communicate with, whose behavior is inconvenient for others and who are increased sources of conflict.

In his work “Communication with difficult people» Robert M. Bramson identified a number of such types of people who are difficult to communicate with... Let's name some of them.

1) "Aggressiveists" - they constantly bully others, say barbs and get irritated if they are not listened to.

2) "Complainers" - they always have something to complain about. They usually do little to solve the problem and do not want to take responsibility.

Best Ways to Resolve Conflict

When a person finds himself in a conflict situation, in order to more effectively solve the problem, he needs to choose a certain style of behavior.

1. Device:

> the most important task is to restore calm and stability, not to resolve the conflict;

> the subject of disagreement involves more complex issues than those being considered now, but in the meantime it is necessary to strengthen mutual trust;

> there is an opportunity to allow subordinates to act on their own so that they acquire skills by learning from their own mistakes;

> it is necessary to admit that you are wrong;

> defending your point of view requires a lot of time and significant intellectual effort;

> you are not particularly concerned about what happened;

> you understand that the result is much more important for your opponent than for you.

2. Compromise:

> the parties have equally convincing arguments;

> time is needed to resolve complex problems;

> it is necessary to make an urgent decision when there is a shortage of time;

> cooperation and directive assertion of one’s point of view will not lead to success;

> both parties have equal power and have mutually exclusive interests;

> you may be satisfied with a temporary solution;

> satisfying your demands doesn't mean much to you great value and you can slightly change the goal set at the beginning;

3. Cooperation:

> need to find general solution, if each approach to the problem is important and does not allow compromise options;

> the goals of the discussion are to gain joint work experience and obtain broad information;

> integration of points of view and convergence of employee opinions are necessary;

> it seems important to strengthen personal involvement in activities and group cohesion;

> you have a close, long-term and interdependent relationship with the other party;

> you have time to work on the problem at hand (this is a good approach to conflict resolution based on long-term plans);

> you and your opponent want to put some ideas on the table and work on coming up with a solution.

4. Neglect:

> the source of disagreement is trivial and insignificant compared to more important tasks;

> time is needed to restore calm and create conditions for a sober assessment of the situation;

> studying the situation and seeking additional information about the nature of the conflict seems preferable to immediately making any decision;

> the subject of the dispute is not relevant to the case, leads astray and at the same time is a symptom of other more serious problems;

> subordinates can successfully resolve the conflict themselves;

> the tension is too high and you feel the need to reduce the intensity;

> you know that you cannot or even do not want to resolve the conflict in your favor;

> you have little authority to solve the problem or to solve it in the way you want;

> solving the problem immediately is dangerous, since openly discussing the conflict can only worsen the situation.

5. Rivalry:

> prompt and decisive measures are required in case of unforeseen and dangerous situations;

> when deciding global problems related to the effectiveness of activities (if the manager is confident that he is right);

> when interacting with subordinates who prefer an authoritarian style;

> the outcome is very important to you and you place a big bet on your solution to the problem;

> you have sufficient authority to make a decision and it seems obvious that the solution you propose is the best;

> you feel that you have no other choice and that you have nothing to lose.

Although in each individual case the cause of the conflict is quite specific, all conflicts have a similar basis: the actual state of affairs is in conflict with people's expectations. If this is so, then we can outline two strategic ways to resolve the conflict: either make changes to the real state of affairs in accordance with the expectations of opponents, or try to change their attitude towards it.

In practice, you need to act in the following sequence:

1. Create an atmosphere of cooperation. During the first meeting of the conflicting parties, and then at each subsequent meeting, it is worth spending a few minutes in an informal conversation. It’s a good idea to organize tea, a shared meal or other event.

2. Strive for clarity of communication. Prepare the necessary information for negotiations. Agree on terminology from the very beginning to eliminate different understandings of the same words.

3. Acknowledge the conflict. Oddly enough, this is the hardest thing. Unfortunately, human nature is characterized by the following trait: to put up with the intolerant and not admit the obvious. The existence of a conflict should be openly and honestly stated. This will free you from incorrect reasoning and give you freedom to negotiate.

4. Agree on the procedure. If the conflict is inevitable and it is clear that it is protracted, do not engage in fruitless disputes, agree where, when and how you will start working together to overcome it. It is best to agree in advance who will take part in the discussion. Since “houses and walls help,” it is good to gather either in a neutral place or in turn at each of the parties.

5. Define the boundaries of the conflict. The parties must analyze the situation: what the conflict is, what each party contributes to it. Find out what each side does not see or recognize, identify motivations, personal ambitions, grievances that can obscure the real essence of the conflict and prevent its resolution. Focus on specific actions, parties' demands, and controversial issues.

6. Explore possible solutions. The “brainstorming” technique is widely known: any proposals are made and recorded regardless of who their author is. None of the proposals are criticized. The goal is to develop as many options for solving the problem as possible. A “wild” idea after discussion may turn out to be fruitful, or, on the contrary, it may turn out to be so wild that it will unite the parties in its denial, that is, it will ultimately turn out to be useful, since it will help mutual understanding and rapprochement of positions.

7. Get an agreement. At this stage, you need to discuss and evaluate the proposals made, and then choose the most acceptable one. Naturally, it must take into account the requirements of both parties, i.e. be an agreement. A protocol needs to be drawn up.

8. Set a deadline for the decision. It is important to agree and accept deadlines.

9. Put the plan into action. Measures to implement the decision should be included in the final negotiation document. It is advisable to begin measures to resolve the conflict immediately after the conclusion of the agreement. Delays may cause doubts and mutual suspicions between the parties.

Psychologists identify the following five typical strategies for behavior in conflict situations:

1. Device

Changing your position, restructuring your behavior, smoothing out contradictions to the detriment of your interests.

2. Compromise

Resolving disagreements through mutual concessions.

3. Cooperation

Joint development of a solution that satisfies the interests of all parties: albeit lengthy and consisting of several stages, but beneficial to the cause.

Ignoring the conflict

The desire to get out of a conflict situation without resolving it.

Rivalry, competition

Open struggle for one's interests, persistent defense of one's position.

This text is an introductory fragment.

Instructions

The first thing to remember during a conflict is that it must be resolved somehow, sooner or later. Such understanding will give you the opportunity to look at the situation from the outside and see the full picture of what is happening. To do this, you need to remain calm, monitor your emotions, not get angry or do anything that could escalate the conflict. Instead of trying to show the wrongness of the position of the other side of the conflict, think about what you can do to resolve the current situation.

It is impossible to resolve a conflict if you do not listen to what he says opposite side. If you want the conflict situation to disappear, listen carefully to what they tell you, otherwise your answers will be completely unsubstantiated, and the dispute will continue and escalate. You can hear a lot unpleasant words to your address. Remember that emotions and anger on the part of the opponent are an attempt to defend themselves; perhaps he is not fully aware of his speech at this moment. Your job is not to take such words too seriously and try to find out what exactly his position is. After some time the person will calm down. Without encountering resistance from you, he will begin to speak at a calm pace, his position will become more and more clear.

Try to be as tactful as possible when expressing your arguments. Your words should not be perceived as an attempt to fight off your opponent. Present your arguments so that the person will pay attention to them, and not to your emotional state. You can also maintain your opponent’s concentration on the subject of the dispute by using a reasonable amount of doubt about your position. Allow for the possibility that someone else’s point of view is right, say that you both have something to discuss in order to resolve the current situation.

If you have a conflict with someone at work, never get personal with them. You should concentrate on the subject of the dispute, and not on fighting the person himself. A conflict situation is characterized by strong emotional intensity. Some people in such a situation find it easier to attack the other person than to try to communicate with him. Do not allow such developments to happen.

Ask the right questions. If you are in conflict with a work colleague or customer, do not ask him questions that require explanations from him. For example, don't start your questions with "why." Such questions can be perceived as interrogation. Let the person decide for themselves how they will convey their point of view to you. Ask questions that will sound like an invitation to conversation. For example, ask your opponent what his position is, what he thinks about your words, how he sees the conflict situation, etc.