In this episode, I discuss conflict resolution. I am going to specifically review 5 strategies that you can use for resolving conflicts, whether it be in your engineering job or life. The strategies that I am going to review are those of Thomas and Kilmann’s Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI).
Engineering Success quotes:
Here are the 5 strategies from Thomas and Kilmann’s Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI).that can be used to help resolve conflict:
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Accommodating and Smoothing
- This strategy is a unassertive and co-operative approach.
- When accommodating, you’re going to neglect your own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person.
- There is an element of self-sacrifice when you take this approach.
- Taking this approach is always a great way to foster positive communication in an attempt to resolve conflict.
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Avoiding
- This is more of an unassertive and uncooperative approach.
- With this approach, you are going to deal with the problem.
- It might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue or postponing an issue until a better time or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation.
- I don’t see a lot of positive uses for this strategy in the engineering world, with the exception of if there is a problem that has developed, but it doesn’t have to be addressed immediately, and in fact maybe better addressed later when the problem has had some time to work itself out.
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Collaborating
- This can be both an assertive and co-operative approach. This is a win/win approach.
- This involves an attempt to work with others to find a solution that fully satisfies their concerns.
- Collaborating between two different parties might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each others insights.
- This is a much more practical and realistic strategy for the engineering world.
- This strategy forces you to look at the desires and needs of each of the parties involved.
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Compromising and Negotiating
- This strategy can be associated as both an assertive and co-operative approach.
- The objective of this strategy is to find a mutually acceptable solution that will partially satisfy both parties.
- There must be a little bit of give and take in this strategy. It’s between the idea of competing with someone and accommodating someone, which can be appealing.
- This approach will allow you to address the issue more directly, than avoiding it.
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Competing or Forcing
- This approach is a very assertive and very uncooperative approach.
- This approach can be seen as an I win, you loose approach.
- This is where you would pursue your own concerns at the other person’s expense.
- This isn’t a route that you want to take often, because you don’t want to add negativity and friction to a situation, which could make a situation much worse.
More in this episode…
In the Take Action Today segment of the show, I will give you one extra very important guideline to conflict resolution.
Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand – Colin Powell
Resources and links mentioned in this session include:
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How can I Resolve Conflict in my Engineering Career and Life?
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