In many conflict situations, we can choose how to behave and how to respond. It is well worth reflecting on some of the most common ways of handling conflict because this will increase our awareness of possible responses. It will also enable us to check out our usual reactions and consider whether they are appropriate for what we are trying to achieve in a particular situation.
There are five main styles which can be adopted to handle conflict: competing, soothing, avoiding, compromising, or joint problem-solving.
Competing is assertive and uncooperative. It involves an individual pursuing their own concerns at another person’s expense. This is a power-oriented mode in which one uses whatever power seems appropriate to win one’s own position, one’s ability to argue, one’s rank, or economic sanctions. Competing might mean standing up for your rights, defending a position which you believe is correct, or simply trying to win.
Soothing is unassertive and cooperative; often tantamount to giving in. A soothing individual attempts to preserve the relationship at all costs, emphasising areas of agreement and failing to confront thorny issues.
Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative. The individual does not immediately pursue his/her own concerns or those of the other person. He/she does not address the conflict. Avoiding might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping the issue, postponing the issue till a later/better time, or simply withdrawing from a threatening position.
Compromising is intermediate between assertiveness and cooperativeness. The objective is to find expedient, mutually acceptable solutions that partially satisfy both parties, it falls in the middle ground between competing and accommodating. It addresses issues more directly than avoiding them, but it doesn’t explore them in as much depth as in joint problem-solving. Compromising might mean “splitting the difference”, exchanging concessions, or speaking a quick middle-ground position.
Joint Problem Solving is both assertive and cooperative – the opposite of avoiding. It involves an attempt to work with the other person to find some mutually satisfying solution. It means digging into an issue to identify the underlying concerns of the two individuals and to find an alternative that meets both sets of concerns. Joint problem solving might take the form of exploring a disagreement, in order to learn from each other’s insights.
E-Learning Structure
The duration of this online course is 100 hours. This consists of 8 in-depth lessons:
- Conflict Management and Anger
- Listening
- Negotiation
- Mediation
- Facilitation
- Balance of Power
- Discussion and Group Work
- Crisis Analysis and Responses
Course Aims
- Describe the nature of human conflict and ways to manage it.
- Explain the importance of listening when dealing with conflict situations, and appreciate different listening techniques.
- Define negotiation and discuss the process of negotiation
- Define mediation and discuss the process of mediation
- Define facilitation and discuss the process of facilitation
- Discuss problems that may arise through negotiation, in particular, the balance of power and its connotations
- Explain the importance of working in groups as a means of learning how to deal with group conflicts
- Explain ways of understanding and dealing with different types of crises.
How Does A Warnborough Online Course Work?
You can start the course whenever is convenient for you. You will be studying from home and have access to support from our qualified tutors. Practical exercises and research tasks will be set at the end of each lesson – including an assignment. You will submit this assignment to your course tutor, who will mark your work and give you constructive feedback and suggestions.
If you have any questions please contact us.
