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PART E: PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS 
 
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5.2.1 Managing conflict in the team 
Management responses to the handling of conflict 
(not all of which are effective). 
Response 
Comment 
Denial/withdrawal
'Sweeping it under the carpet'. If the conflict is very trivial, it may indeed 
blow over without an issue being made of it, but if the causes are not 
identified, the conflict may grow to unmanageable proportions. 
Suppression
'Smoothing over', to preserve working relationships despite minor 
conflicts. 
Dominance
The application of power or influence to settle the conflict. The 
disadvantage of this is that it creates all the lingering resentment and 
hostility of 'win-lose' situations. 
Compromise
Bargaining, negotiating, conciliating. To some extent, this will be 
inevitable in any organisation made up of different individuals. However, 
individuals tend to exaggerate their positions to allow for compromise, 
and compromise itself is seen to weaken the value of the decision, 
perhaps reducing commitment. 
Integration/collaboration
Emphasis must be put on the task, individuals must accept the need to 
modify their views for its sake, and group effort must be seen to be 
superior to individual effort. 
Encourage co-operative 
behaviour
Common goals may be set for all teams/departments. This would 
encourage co-operation and joint problem-solving. 
QUESTION 
Conflict resolution
 
In the light of the above consider how conflict could arise, what form it would take and how it might be 
resolved in the following situations. 
(a) 
Two managers who share a secretary have documents to be typed. 
(b) 
One worker finds out that another worker who does the same job as he does is paid a higher 
wage. 
(c) 
A company's electricians find out that a group of engineers have been receiving training in 
electrical work. 
(d) 
Department A stops for lunch at 12:30pm while Department B stops at 1pm. Occasionally the 
canteen runs out of puddings for Department B workers. 
(e) 
The Northern Region and Southern Region sales teams are continually trying to better each 
other's results, and the capacity of production to cope with the increase in sales is becoming 
overstretched. 
ANSWER 
(a) 
Both might need work done at the same time. Compromise and co-ordinated planning can help 
them manage their secretary's time. 
(b) 
Differential pay might result in conflict with management – even an accusation of discrimination. 
There may be good reasons for the difference (eg length of service). To prevent conflict such 
information should be kept confidential. Where it is public, it should be seen to be 
not arbitrary
. 
(c) 
The electricians are worried about their jobs, and may take industrial action. Yet if the engineer's 
training is unrelated to the electricians' work, management can allay fears by giving information. 
The electricians cannot be given a veto over management decisions: a 'win-lose' situation is 
inevitable, but both sides can negotiate. 
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CHAPTER 18
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PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND COMMUNICATION