Reducing the Costs of Conflict

By Irving Stackpole

Conflict is inevitable; it is how we navigate and resolve it that defines success. There is no history or human narrative without conflict. Seeking out conflict (aggressive) and avoiding it (complacent) are both seen as pathological when taken to extremes. The highly rational among us believe that conflict can be resolved with facts and logic, while the more emotive of us need to experience emotional closure. Neither of these positions is exclusively right or wrong. The very breadth of the topic, and the depth of emotion it can evoke, makes processing conflict at work a significant challenge.

It is no exaggeration to say that managing conflict is a critical strategic and tactical imperative for every healthcare organization. Conflict can paralyze a nursing unit, a department, and can immobilize an entire organization, leading to financial failure. (1)

The painful part is that extended difficulties and disruptions created by unmanaged conflict are unnecessary. The author can say this with confidence after three decades of assisting healthcare organizations around the world process conflict. What the Buddha said about physical pain versus psychological suffering is analogous to conflict. While conflict itself is unavoidable and inevitable, the negative consequences – “suffering” – are optional. 

Choosing to do nothing to resolve conflict is part of the problem. “Hope” is not a strategy.

Some definitions

Conflict is the human experience which spans both the rational and the irrational. The Merriam-Webster dictionary suggests conflict is:

“…discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.”

There are interpersonal conflicts, organizational conflicts, and situational conflicts. For example, Maria may have been offended by a comment John made at a staff meeting (interpersonal). They may disagree over responsibilities for specific job-related tasks (organizational), or they may be at loggerheads over coverage for the next shift (situational). 

It is also possible (and probably common), that Maria and John disagree with the way the schedules are generated by the HR department,  creating both situational and organizational conflict. There are many different models for depicting or portraying conflict. 

Simply put, conflict can be personal, organizational, or situational or any combination of the three.

The cost of unresolved conflicts

All of us know how disruptive unresolved or unmanaged conflicts can be. The research is abundantly clear: Unresolved conflicts reduce efficiency, decrease staff satisfaction leading to turnover, increase frictions, result in more errors and poor patient care.(2)

Resolving conflicts is a myth. Managers or supervisors cannot swoop into situations and “solve” conflict problems. Employees at every level in any organization must be equipped with skills and tools to better manage interpersonal, situational, and organizational conflicts. 

At an organizational level, the established models for equipping workers to manage conflict generally provide employees with ways to “reframe” the conflict so that problems and situations can be openly discussed and managed. Conflict can overwhelm the individuals involved. Finding ways to deconstruct the dynamic is extremely useful.

One such model for understanding and reframing conflict is the Thomas-Killman Conflict Mode Instrument (TKCMI). (3) This is an easy-to-use way for groups – and entire organizations – to deconstruct conflict into manageable, understandable components. The TKCMI:

• Provides a model and language with which to analyze conflict situations that arise.
• Develops options for constructively resolving conflicts.
• Helps individuals within a team to start addressing unproductive conflict resolution behavior.

At a deeply personal level, each of us has a “preferred” response to disagreement or conflict. When applied in a group environment, this collective understanding creates a way for the individuals and the workgroup to better understand how others respond to conflict and equips everyone to effectively manage disagreements. 

For example, if Maria is highly “Accommodating” and John is highly Competing”, and they know this about each other, they can learn a new way to discuss and process disagreements. 

In addition to improving one-on-one interpersonal interaction, when the TKCMI is used, individuals who are not directly involved in the interaction can offer assistance by using the framework. After using this tool, the author has overheard one worker say to another, “That’s just your avoidance response to her; we all need to collaborate together on this issue.” 

You’ve got skills!

At an individual level, there are skills which reduce the negative effects of conflicts. These skills, when judiciously applied, can also improve the resilience of individuals, improve the efficiency of teams and satisfaction among workgroups.

• Acknowledgement: Recognize, restate, and acknowledge the position of the other person in the conflict which may have emerged.
• Promptness: This is the ability or courage to quickly address issues of conflict so that they do not fester.
• Actively Listening: The behavioral skill of using eye contact and rephrasing repeating what was being said.
• Search for Common Ground: The ability to find shared facts, intentions, or interests.
• Clarify Misunderstandings: The presence of mind and patience to restate and or ask, “Do you mean right now, or aft: Since disagreement about “what to do” is very often at the heart of conflict, open-minded searching for solutions with others is a valuable skill.
• Develop Action Plans: An action plan is needed, and agreed to by the parties involved.
• Flexibility: The assumed resolution may not work because situations change.
• Follow-Up: Revisit the resolution (not the conflict) to see if it worked, and if the resolution was acceptable. 

Developing greater organizational capacity and resilience, and improving individual skills are needed by every healthcare organization.

Stuck in conflict? 

When groups get mired in conflict, a facilitated intervention may be necessary. A third-party perspective might be sufficient to reach an acceptable resolution. Stackpole & Associates has three decades of experience addressing and resolving organizational challenges. 

Contact us at: info@stackpoleassociates.com, or +1-617-719-9530 

Download here: