Conflict Management

If you have to deal with other people, you will, sooner or later, have to deal with conflict. Conflict is not inherently bad. Since no two people view the world exactly the same way, disagreement is quite normal. In fact, conflict simply stems from differing viewpoints. In many cases conflict occurs when individuals or groups are not obtaining what they need or want and are seeking their own self-interest. Sometimes the individual is not aware of the need and unconsciously starts to act out. Other times, the individual is very aware of what he or she wants and actively works at achieving the goal. However, the outcome and the value of the result depend on the way conflicts are perceived and managed.

Regardless of the type of conflict, AUL expects from each employee to take responsibility for their own actions and emotions, and to work out differences they may have with fellow team members. The employee's ability to handle conflicts positively impacts personal development and an individual's readiness for promotion. Confronting conflicts and dealing with them in a positive way is beneficial for the organization. On the other hand, if it is handled destructively, the consequences can be very damaging for the individuals involved and for the company.

Every manager at AUL is required to complete a seminar teaching ways to manage conflict. There are five approaches to conflict management from the perspective of their relative emphasis on cooperativeness and assertiveness. The approaches include the following: Avoid, Accommodate, Compete, Compromise, and Collaborate.

* Avoid-Withdrawal from the conflict or failure to take a position.

Many people avoid conflict because they are afraid of the outcome. They think that if they just ignore the situation it will get better. Avoidance may also occur if someone is unaware that others experience the conflict and have opposing needs, interests, and ideas.

* Accommodate-Overlook your own concerns and allow others to obtain what they want

Accommodation, or lack of assertiveness, may be confused with politeness. It may take the form of selfless generosity, obeying another person's order when you would prefer not to, or yielding to another person's point of view.

* Compete- A person defends his or her position vigorously and strives to obtain objectives at the expense of others

Competing, in this context, is used to find weakness in other people's arguments, to counterattack,