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Conflict and Conflict Management Printable Version PRINTABLE VERSION
by quacy, Guyana Apr 19, 2003
Peace & Conflict  

  


“Conflict is the source of all growth and is an absolute necessity if one is to be alive”.
Jean Miller

Conflict is an evitable and pervasive aspect of human life. It occurs within individuals (intra-personal conflict), between individuals (inter-personal conflict), within groups, organisations, communities and nations (intra-group or national conflict) and between groups, organisations, communities and nations (inter-group or international conflict). Conflict is sometimes physically violent, that is, expressed with fists, guns or bombs. However, much of it exists within the mind and is expressed in words. It can erupt suddenly or it can smoulder for years or even for generations.

There are positive and negative effects of conflict. Although conflict is popularly associated with fighting and is generally viewed as destructive, unpleasant and undesirable, conflict can also be something very good. It can promote new ideas, encourage better understanding, strengthen personal relationships, stimulate growth, and facilitate more effective solutions to problems. On the other hand, it commonly provokes negative responses, which have detrimental effects on the individual, on relationships and on groups. It can break down the communication process, destroy relationships and lives, increase problems, and erect barriers.

Conflict management is a multi-disciplinary, analytical, problem-solving approach to conflict that seeks to enable the participants to work collaborately towards its management. Why do I use conflict ‘management’ and not ‘resolution’? John Burton, one of the world’s leading scholars in the field of conflict ‘resolution’, had commented that: “…conflict ‘resolution’ means terminating conflict by methods that are analytical and that get to the root of the problem”. However, can conflict be “terminated”? To terminate simply means to “bring to an end”. As an example, when one has arrived at the bus terminal, it means that one has come to the end of his or her journey. Conflict is essentially based on perceptions (for example stereotypes) rather than reality; and feelings rather than facts among other things such as values, emotions, power and needs. Hence, in my opinion, conflict can not be resolved or eliminated, but it can be managed. Management connotes ‘settlement’, workable solution or consensus. There is no simple formula that makes conflict vanishes, but there are approaches that can minimize the destructive effects of conflict and maximize the possibility of management.

Finally, how can we manage conflict? The following are some steps that can be employed in conflict management:

1. Analyzing the situation: Not all aspects of conflict can be resolved externally, and therefore effective internal (or intra-personal) techniques of management may be necessary. These may include stress management, peer support, counselling or therapy. In addition, one needs to have an understanding or perception of what happened and at times it is necessary to separate a person from what he or she did or his or her behaviour. Additionally, consultation is very important in analyzing the situation.

2. Developing strategies: A flexible, adaptive, collaborative approach to conflict is generally more effective but it can be changed to a more directive approach where necessary. Collaborating is an assertive and cooperative way of solving problems by attempting to develop a mutually satisfying situation. In order to collaborate, both parties must identify underlying concerns and develop a solution to satisfy all of them. Collaboration is the opposite of avoidance. The effective management of conflict almost inevitably requires talking about it, preferably with the person or persons involved. However in using this approach, one has to examine the communication process carefully; ensuring that what one is delivering is actually being received by the other person or persons through effective feedback. It should also be noted that “listening” is very important in conflict management. Even if one does not agree with the other person’s or persons’ opinions, one should always learn to have a listening ear and an open mind.





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Comments


Ronella Hill | Feb 24th, 2005
I likethis article and moreso the latter part of it which speaks of "conflict management" rather than 'resolution.' I totally agree with that paragraph and appreciate the fact that Quacy took a different approach to conflict rather than the usual cliche.

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