2.1 Preventing conflicts
Conflict management involves early elimination of the causes of conflicts and thereby preventing the occurrence of conflicts.
Measures to prevent conflicts (conflict prevention) are characterized by the coordination of interests and actions (coordination). If this fails, then a conflict management measure comes into play.
Coordination is understood as the coordination of subgoals and behavior in the interests of the main goal or solution of a common problem.
Such coordination is carried out between organizational units at various levels of the hierarchical structure (vertical coordination); or at organizational levels of the same rank (horizontal coordination); or in the form of a mixed form of both options (lateral coordination).
Coordination can be carried out through personal, authoritarian and hierarchical intervention of the manager (personal order, instructions) or general regulation (office instructions, decision-making rules). .
Instead of hierarchical regulation, independent or group coordination to prevent conflict can be used, the tools of which are discussed in Table 1.
Table 1. Coordination tools for conflict prevention
| Coordination Tools | Conflict Prevention Measures |
| Alignment on purpose and goals Premium management Structural coordination Personal measures Communications | Achieving unity of motives and goals of participants: a) through motivation, employee training, loyalty requirements, establishing a business culture; b) by carrying out activities that correspond to mutual understanding (job changes, meeting of employees of different sections). Management through remuneration by introducing awards, bonuses, and deductions within the enterprise for the provision of certain services. Coordinated cooperation between groups or within the same group through the creation of headquarters, commissions and conferences. Measures to resolve conflicts may consist of a change in competence, relocation or dismissal. The effectiveness of communications depends on information and technological activities aimed at collecting information about the emergence of conflict zones in the organization’s activities. |
The effectiveness of coordination tools is influenced by the following factors: the size of the enterprise, the production and information technology used, the sales program, the market situation, the external environment. If there are no coordination measures or they are insufficient, then conflicts arise and measures are needed to resolve them.
One of the ways to resolve conflicts is to recognize and understand conflicts.
Hidden conflicts make it difficult to implement or resolve them. Recognition and awareness of hidden and imaginary conflicts make it possible to overcome them as open conflicts. To implement identification and awareness, bodies representing the interests of the enterprise (works council) or a complaint bureau can be created. Group activities and one-on-one conversations increase awareness of conflicts. .
2.2 Ways to resolve conflicts. Advice from psychologists
Depending on the specific features of the conflict, a restructuring of the organization can be carried out: changing goals, organizational structure, management system, etc. Ways to overcome open conflicts are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Ways to resolve conflicts
| Alternatives for overcoming conflicts | Conflict resolution activities |
| 1. Bypassing the conflict: Avoiding conflict Insulation Deprivation of opportunity crowding out Changing direction Coexistence 2. Conflict resolution Force resolution Resolution by sentence Mediation solution Resolution with through negotiations Joint decision Problems | The participant in the conflict is encouraged to fulfill the tasks assigned to him (for example, in exchange for receiving other advantages) or reluctant submission due to the awareness of the futility of persistence (for example, intimidating examples). Participants in the conflict are isolated, thereby reducing their conflicts (for example, vacation, moving) The means of power needed to pursue their interests are taken away from the parties to the conflict. The conflict is directed in a different direction, for example, towards common goals or against external enemies of the conflicting parties; "scapegoats". Thanks to the awareness by the conflicting parties of the priority of common goals and the tacit agreement of common interests, the participants refuse to resolve the conflict. Conflicting parties (struggle) or a third party (for example, a manager through coercion) strive to win the interests of one side while suppressing the interests of the other, using forceful means - information means, power decisions, sanctions, for example, dismissals, obstacles to promotion and increase in money content, resistance or demotion, damage to reputation. Resolution of a conflict is achieved through a decision (judgment), such as a majority decision (voting), a decision by a disinterested third party (arbiter's decision), or a drawing of lots (random decision). Managers delegate conflict resolution to institutional organizations (for example, commissions, conciliation services, labor courts). A third party who enjoys the general trust of the conflicting parties is involved in overcoming the conflict, and she achieves a resolution through negotiations (persuasion or reconciliation) or using her own authority. Through negotiations according to certain rules after mutual concessions, a compromise can be reached that satisfies both conflicting parties. Both conflicting parties, equally and with mutual respect, try to reach a common solution (consensus). This may be a voluntary transition to other goals or coordination of the satisfaction of interests in time and place. |
The feasibility of conflict management measures should be guided by the objectives of conflict management, as well as by the effectiveness criteria and limitations that impede the resolution of conflicts.
More reliable resolution or avoidance of conflicts, reduction of their intensity and duration are criteria for the effectiveness of conflict management.
The limitations of conflict management are legal restrictions (for example, prescribed methods of application) or restrictions determined by business ethics (for example, deliberate misleading of the shareholders of the enterprise, refusal of forced decisions).
In the practice of managing conflict situations, it is important not to follow only your natural, natural emotional reactions, but to develop experience in choosing the most correct tactics of behavior, depending on the prevailing circumstances. Perhaps the cooperation strategy is the most effective in most cases. But it cannot be said that it is acceptable in all management situations. When it comes to the principled defense of goals, values, positions on which the viability of an institution depends, the only way to resolve the conflict is confrontation. While maintaining strength and emotional potential in minor conflicts, tactics of concession, compromise and avoidance are possible.
Analysis of the causes and types of conflict allows you to take a rational and balanced approach to the situation and choose the most effective strategy of behavior. The managerial conflict resolution procedure requires patience, emotional flexibility, understanding of the opponent’s state, and willpower to self-regulate one’s own mental state at all stages of the conflict resolution procedure.
A step-by-step action plan for resolving a conflict situation. .
Step one. Acknowledge the conflict. This can often be very difficult to do. But by declaring the conflict publicly, you will clear the atmosphere of misunderstandings and open the way to negotiations. Remember that conflicts are inevitable. The main thing is how to deal with them.
Step two. Agree on a conflict resolution procedure. If the conflict is recognized and obvious, then it will not be resolved through emotions. Agree where, when and how you will start working together. This is the first step towards resolving it. It is necessary to discuss in advance: who will take part in the discussion, where and when the meetings will take place.
Step three. Determine the features of the conflict situation. It is important to define the conflict within the framework of the problem to be resolved. Both sides must speak out: where they see the contradictions, what feelings it causes. It is especially important that each side evaluates its “contribution” to the situation. As far as possible, try to eliminate hidden interests, personal ambitions or grievances that could distort the essence of the conflict and complicate its resolution.
Step four. Explore possible solutions. At this stage, it is advisable to use group analysis methods, since the goal is to develop as many solution options as possible.
Step five. Get an agreement. When evaluating the proposals put forward, you should choose the most acceptable for both parties, that is, come to an agreement. Sometimes one meeting and the very fact of negotiations are enough to resolve differences. In other cases, multiple meetings are necessary.
Step six. Put your plan into action. It is important to begin resolving the conflict situation as quickly as possible after the agreement is accepted. If necessary, draw up a document documenting the results of the negotiations: clearly define what should be done, where and by whom.
Step seven. Evaluate the decision made. Even with the most successful agreement, dissatisfied and offended parties to the conflict may remain. This can manifest itself in conversations in the form of hints and nonverbal reactions (facial expressions, gestures). Give each participant in the conflict the opportunity to speak openly, namely, ask the following questions: “How satisfied are you with the progress of the negotiations? Do you have the impression that a ready-made solution is being imposed? Were mutual benefits achieved as a result of the decision? During the decision-making process, what caused you negative emotions? What additional things do you think should be included in the decision? What do we need to do at the next meeting to improve things.”
The process of conflict management depends on a wide variety of factors, many of which, for example, the views, motives, and needs of the participants, are difficult to control. Nevertheless, practical psychology has developed many ways of constructive behavior in various conflict situations.
Conflicts in an organization are inevitable, because the team consists of completely different people who pursue their own personal interests and have their own ideas about life. Participants in a conflict spend a lot of energy searching for those who are right. And it is important for a leader to learn to identify disagreements in a timely manner and translate them into a constructive direction.
In order to promptly identify emerging conflicts, it is necessary to pay attention to their first signs. If you see that disputes have become more frequent in the team, employees have stopped communicating openly with each other, and rushed to the “smoking room”, became distrustful and suspicious of each other, it means that a conflict is brewing in the team.
The manager does not need to get involved in every disagreement. Only the most serious and significant ones need to be managed. A sign of a serious conflict of interests is the fact that the situation begins to require more attention from you, causes irritation, the discussion of problems becomes more and more aggressive, and more and more participants are involved in the conflict. Groups may be formed, participation in which is determined by belonging to one or another conflicting party. Such signs are a signal that it is time for the manager to intervene in the course of the matter.
Possible mistakes. The biggest mistake a manager can make is to completely ignore conflicts that arise between employees. It is important to show interest in and care for employees and never put off resolving disagreements until later.
Managers often prefer to use “forceful” methods of influencing subordinates. The manager tries to save the situation by not trusting his employees enough and not listening to their opinions. This method of solving the problem is ineffective from the point of view of preserving both the manager’s own psychological resources and the resources of his employees. After a while, the leader begins to feel exhausted, anxious, scared and vulnerable. In this state, it is difficult for him to solve work problems, so mistakes and rash decisions become more frequent. A manager in this state prefers a “quick fix” strategy and tries to solve everything himself, underestimating the capabilities of his employees.
Triangles in communication. When tension arises between two people, they feel uncomfortable and strive to stabilize their relationship. To do this, they both need to focus their attention on something third - a person, an organization, or a third issue. In a similar way they form so-called triangles. Triangles can consist of three people, or three groups, or three issues.
In the triangle, everyone has their own role, Fig. 1. Thus, when communicating, one of the partners often becomes a “generator” that generates anxiety. For example, such a “generator” could be a manager who returned from a seminar and immediately set about making changes. An “amplifier” is an employee who is upset about the changes that the manager has decided to implement. He says: “Listen, we have a problem. Ivan Ivanovich has picked up new ideas and is going to change everything." Such a person increases anxiety. But there is also someone who calms down, muffles anxiety - a “calmifier.” He says: “Nothing, everything is fine. Maybe it will work out.” Often in the role of “ "pacifier" is a person prone to distancing, or a senior member of the team.
How to destroy triangles? There is a basic rule: the relationship between the two sides of the emotional triangle is maintained in a state of balance by how the third party relates to them. A third party usually cannot directly change the relationship of the other parties. The more the third party tries to change the relationship of the other two, the more stress it experiences. Trying to relieve stress, you can go on vacation, but when you return, you will find yourself in the same stressful situation. Sometimes a person finds himself caught in many triangles.
In a hierarchical system in an organization, such triangles can be created by the manager himself. For example, he invites one of his subordinates to deal with some employee with whom he himself was unable to build a relationship. In this case, the subordinate finds himself caught in a triangle, because he cannot correct another person for the needs of the manager. Therefore, it is necessary to remember: we can only change those emotional relationships in which we ourselves participate.
The first way to get out of the triangle is to imagine the whole picture. Each person on the team must be perceived as part of a system in which everything is interconnected and each element affects the system as a whole. Therefore, it is important for the manager to imagine how this or that decision, this or that person will affect the work of the entire team. Only through this approach will it be possible to restore broken connections and use the potential of each employee.
The second way is effective communication. Talk to your team and discuss ways you would like to change their behavior. An organization can adopt certain rules that would eliminate the possibility of triangles forming. For example, the actions of all employees are discussed only in the presence of the entire team. A manager cannot talk to one employee about other team members outside of their presence. Remain neutral when someone approaches you. If one of the employees comes up and starts complaining about another, remain calm and do not react emotionally or take sides. Solutions should not be offered; let the person himself look for a way out of the current situation.
The third way to get out of conflict is to stay in contact with everyone who is affected by the tension. Often, when experiencing stress, a person wants to run away, he begins to avoid communication with others - colleagues, bosses, loved ones. This happens precisely when it is especially important to maintain contacts.
For example, in one company, during the reorganization, the director gave orders in writing or communicated them by e-mail. The whole enterprise consisted of many triangles, and most of them appeared because this leader was not in contact with the members of his organization. .
The fourth way is not to keep secrets and understatements. Secrets in organizations distort perceptions because no one says anything.
And decisions and actions are sometimes based on inadequate information. Alliances are formed in secrets.
For example, two employees will be close to each other because they have a secret against a third employee. Secrets slow down productivity because employees' energy is spent on secrets rather than on the organization's goals. This increases anxiety in the work system, it “smokes” managers out of the organization or reduces their ability to change. Therefore, if a conflict arises between two employees and one of them complains to the manager, he should be explained that he himself must talk to his opponent. This behavior will not help maintain the secret and will thereby encourage the first employee to approach the second directly.
... (confrontation between managers at various levels). Managers come at different levels and have varying degrees of influence over decision making. In this work, we will look at leadership styles in case of status-role conflicts of a middle manager. As noted above, leadership style is, first of all, the leader’s making a decision that would satisfy the interests of everyone...
Introduction
1. Conflict prevention as an element of conflict management
2. The human factor as a parameter for optimizing the interaction between specialists and clients of social services
3. Psychological methods of conflict prevention in the course of social work
4. Practical examples from life
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
Prevention of conflicts is more important than the ability to resolve them constructively, because it is better if a possible conflict is diagnosed in advance, which means it will not happen at all, or will be resolved as soon as possible. In addition, prevention requires less effort, time and money. Conflict prevention activities are very diverse and, in addition, multi-level.
Likewise, according to experts, preventing a possible conflict is of primary importance compared to resolving an already existing confrontation.
The object of this abstract work is conflict, the subject is conflict prevention. The subject of conflict management in our case is a social work specialist. Conflict prevention is associated with the ability of the subject of management (social worker) to generalize the available theoretical and practical data, to apply the acquired knowledge in the course of preventing a possible confrontation. According to experts, conflict prevention is a type of management activity aimed at early recognition, elimination or weakening of conflict-generating factors. Prevention will limit the possibility of their occurrence or negative development in the future. It is conflict prevention that eliminates the possibility of negative and destructive conflict situations unfolding.
In addition to external conditions that contribute to the emergence of conflict, there is a person’s predisposition to conflict behavior, the stressful situation in which he may find himself, and the psychological compatibility/incompatibility of interacting individuals.
1. Conflict prevention as an element of conflict management
Conflicts cannot always be interpreted as a positive or negative phenomenon. At the same time, conflicts that cause irreparable harm to people must be limited or, better yet, prevented. The efforts of both public and state institutions are aimed at preventing conflicts. Anticipating possible scenarios for the development of events creates the conditions for effective management of them. Forecasting the occurrence of conflicts is the main prerequisite for effective efforts to prevent them. Forecasting and preventing conflicts are important factors in regulating social contradictions.
Conflict management is a conscious activity carried out at all stages of the emergence, development and completion of a conflict.
Conflict management includes: symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, warning, mitigation, settlement, resolution.
There are also such control influences as suppression, extinction, overcoming, and elimination of conflict.
The concept of "prevention of social conflict"
An important way to manage conflicts is their prevention. Prevention (prophylaxis, prevention, prevention) of a conflict is understood as the process of influencing it at the pre-conflict (latent) stage in order to eliminate the sources of contradictions or their mitigation, localization, suppression, etc. Conflict prevention is a set of measures aimed at overcoming social contradictions in in order to preserve and strengthen the normal state, order in a certain area or society as a whole. Conflict prevention consists in organizing the life activities of subjects of social interaction in such a way that eliminates or minimizes the likelihood of conflicts arising between them.
Conflict prevention is their prevention in the broad sense of the word. The goal of conflict prevention is to create such conditions for the activity and interaction of people that would minimize the likelihood of the emergence or destructive development of contradictions between them. It is much easier to prevent conflicts than to resolve them constructively. Therefore, the problem of constructive conflict resolution, which at first glance seems more important, is actually not so.
Prevention, prophylaxis and conflict prevention are synonymous concepts. They reflect only some features of one and the same phenomenon.
Conflict prevention is traditionally understood as preventing its unwanted development through measures taken in advance. It consists of influencing the sources and causes of social contradictions that provoke social tension until open confrontation arises, i.e. until opponents realize the significance and fundamental nature of the urgent problems.
As a result of preventive measures, social conflict is either eliminated, i.e. is eliminated completely or partially, or is mitigated, i.e. weakens, becomes more moderate, with less severe consequences, or is localized.
Conditions for preventing social conflict.
Objective social factors for preventing social conflict, according to conflict experts, are:
stability in society, a calming economic, political, ecological environment surrounding a person, material provision for the well-being and reproduction of the family, etc.;
the population's confidence in the future, a high level of social mobility as a result of favorable living conditions;
equal opportunities in realizing the positive potential of people, in meeting their vital economic, political, social, and spiritual needs;
fair and transparent distribution of material and other benefits;
development of normative procedures for preventing and resolving social contradictions, etc.
If the listed factors are present in society, anti-conflict action is implemented spontaneously with a positive effect, and without specially organized managerial influence on the situation. Otherwise, targeted, systematic anti-crisis work is necessary.
The general logic of preventing social conflict includes, as scientists emphasize, the following interrelated points:
) recognition and identification of contradictions that provoke social conflict as early as possible;
) collection of complete, objective, comprehensive operational information about the essence, sources and causes of the conflict;
) structural-dynamic analysis and diagnostics of the unfolding confrontation;
) conflictological analysis of the totality of resources, technological methods, techniques, means available in reserve, and identification of opportunities for the purpose of mitigating, weakening, suppressing or localizing the confrontation;
) forecasting the development of a conflict situation in order to determine possible options and situations of future confrontation;
) determination of the rules of conflict interaction.
The success of preventive work is determined by a number of prerequisites:
knowledge of the general principles of managing social structures;
the level of general theoretical knowledge in conflictology on the essence, types, stages of development of social conflict;
depth of analysis of the conflict situation;
knowledge of technological methods of conflict management (to prevent the conflict from moving into the development stage);
the adequacy of the methods and means used to prevent conflict;
the ability to use psychological mechanisms of influence on conflict participants.
organizational and administrative, based on legislative, regulatory acts, orders, etc.;
economic, conditioned and supported by material incentives, allowing to take into account and satisfy the economic interests of the conflicting parties, etc.;
socio-psychological, related to the formation of certain value guidelines in the worldview and behavior of social groups, etc.
The content of the methods is specified depending on the situation, goals and objectives of management influence on the conflict. Conflict prevention in society as an element of social management is a kind of science and art that requires special knowledge, skills and abilities. On a psychological, individual level, eliminating the causes of the conflict is closely related to the impact on the motivation of the participants and involves the establishment of standards that would block the initial aggressive intentions of the conflicting parties.
A reliable way to prevent conflict is to establish and strengthen cooperation. Conflict experts have developed a number of methods for maintaining and developing cooperation:
agreement, consisting in the fact that a possible enemy is involved in joint activities;
practical empathy, which involves “entering” the position of a partner, understanding his difficulties, expressing sympathy and willingness to help him;
maintaining the partner’s reputation, treating him with respect, although the interests of both partners at a given time diverge;
mutual complementation of partners, which consists in using such features of the future rival that the first subject does not possess;
exclusion of social discrimination, which prohibits emphasizing the differences between cooperation partners, any superiority of one over the other;
non-sharing of merit - this achieves mutual respect and removes such negative emotions as envy and resentment;
psychological mood;
psychological “stroking”, which means maintaining a good mood and positive emotions.
The methods mentioned above for maintaining and strengthening cooperation are, of course, not exhaustive. But everything that can help maintain normal business relations between people, strengthen their mutual trust and respect, “works” against the conflict, prevents its occurrence, and if it does arise, helps resolve it.
Cooperation in order to prevent labor conflicts in enterprises, as a rule, is aimed at “preventing” possible labor conflicts. Conflict prevention activities can be carried out by the participants in social interaction themselves, heads of organizations, psychologists, social workers and social educators - i.e. specialists with specific professional training in the field of conflicts. It can be carried out in four main directions:
) creation of objective conditions that prevent the emergence and destructive development of pre-conflict situations;
) optimization of organizational and managerial conditions for the creation and functioning of organizations (an important objective-subjective prerequisite for preventing conflicts);
) elimination of socio-psychological causes of conflicts;
) blocking personal causes of conflicts.
Prevention of most types of conflicts should be carried out simultaneously in all four areas.
There are objective circumstances that contribute to the prevention of destructive conflicts:
creating favorable conditions for the life of workers in the organization;
fair and transparent distribution of material goods in a team or organization;
development of legal and other regulatory procedures for resolving typical pre-conflict situations;
calming material environment surrounding a person.
There are a number of objective conditions that influence the emergence of conflicts between people. The objective-subjective conditions for conflict prevention include organizational and managerial factors:
situational management conditions (making optimal management decisions and competently assessing the performance of other employees, especially subordinates).
For conflict specialists, the socio-psychological conditions for conflict prevention are also of great interest. They are more easily amenable to managerial influence compared to objective and organizational-managerial prerequisites.
Social interaction is consistent when it is balanced. There are several relationships, basic balances, the conscious or unconscious violation of which can lead to conflicts:
role balance (if a person accepts (internalizes) the role assigned to him, then role conflict does not occur);
balance of interdependence in decisions and actions (every person initially has an inherent desire for freedom and independence);
balance of mutual services (If: a person provided a non-standard service to a colleague, and in return did not receive services of approximately the same value over time, then the balance of services is disturbed);
balance of damage (if a person has suffered significant damage, then he feels a desire to cause retaliatory damage to those people through whose fault he suffered);
balance of self-esteem and external assessment.
Undoubtedly, these and other conditions provided for in the contract help to avoid conflict situations and keep the parties from ill-considered actions.
Methods of regulatory regulation:
informal method (establishes the optimal option for everyday behavior);
method of formalization (written or oral recording of norms in order to eliminate the uncertainty of the requirements expressed by the parties and differences in their perception);
localization method ("tying" norms to local characteristics and conditions);
individualization method (differentiation of norms taking into account personal characteristics and resources of people);
information method (explaining the need to comply with standards);
method of advantageous contrast (norms are deliberately raised, and then gradually “lowered” and fixed at a psychologically acceptable level, which is higher than their starting level).
Ultimately, the state of the human body and psyche is influenced by the entire material environment with which it interacts. Consequently, it indirectly affects its conflict potential. Social and psychological methods of conflict prevention are of a more private nature. In the interests of preventing the occurrence of specific conflicts, you can use various techniques, of which there are much more than conditions and methods. Regulatory methods of conflict prevention mean not only the establishment of norms, but also monitoring their compliance. In such cases, the purpose, means and rules of the control itself are indicated.
The human factor as a parameter for optimizing the interaction between specialists and clients of social services
The possibility of a specialist’s productive, conflict-free behavior during work is determined by his individual characteristics. Conflict of a personality is its integral property, reflecting the frequency of entry into interpersonal conflicts. With high levels of conflict, the individual becomes a constant initiator of tense relationships with others, regardless of whether this is preceded by conflict situations.
Personality conflict is caused by:
) psychological factors - temperament, level of aggressiveness, psychological stability, level of aspirations, current emotional state, character accentuations, etc.;
) socio-psychological factors - social attitudes and values, attitude towards the opponent, competence in communication, etc.;
) socio-physiological factors - characteristics of psychosomatic health, living and activity conditions, relaxation opportunities, social environment, general level of culture, opportunities to meet needs, etc.
The level of conflict of a personality is influenced by the development of its volitional and intellectual qualities: a) the higher the degree of tension, the higher the level of intrapersonal conflict; b) the more developed a person’s determination, emotional stability, and independence are, the lower the severity of the experience of intrapersonal conflicts; c) such volitional qualities as equanimity and obsession are characteristic of a person with a high level of intrapersonal conflict; d) the development of independence and normative behavior does not have a noticeable effect on intrapersonal conflict; e) people with high intelligence experience intrapersonal conflicts more acutely.
In general, conflicting individuals are characterized by a lack of general culture and psychological culture of communication. Participants in conflict interactions who do not have theoretical knowledge of conflict management and practical skills of behavior in conflict often make mistakes when reacting to a conflict situation, which leads to the aggravation of conflict relations.
Also, in order to prevent conflict, it is necessary to take into account that it can be caused by a person’s stressful state. Although stress is a typical human reaction to a conflict situation, we must not forget that it can itself lead to conflict.
The problem of controlling and preventing stress in professional activities is associated not so much with necessarily dealing with stress, but with competent and responsible stress management and reducing the likelihood of stress developing into distress.
When under stress, it is important to follow several rules:
observe yourself as if from the outside;
look for ways to restrain yourself, for example, take a break from communication;
transfer your energy into another form of activity that is not related to stress (distract yourself);
identify factors that help relieve stress (do what pleases you the most, is good at, captivates).
Methods by which stress is neutralized:
Planning the daily routine and solving work and personal problems.
Physical exercise.
Diet.
Psychotherapy (performing special exercises to relieve stress).
Meditation and relaxation.
In the process of personal interaction, the fact of the presence or absence of psychological compatibility of communicating persons becomes of no small importance. Psychological compatibility is interpreted as a situation of coincidence among the interacting parties of the main life goals and values, as well as the absence of insoluble contradictions between the parties.
Psychological compatibility is achieved thanks to:
the natural properties of characters, temperaments, as well as the common goals and values of individuals;
purposeful work of psychologists and conflict specialists to strengthen the psychological compatibility of team members.
Psychological compatibility can be developed by following certain rules:
know well the characteristics of the people with whom you interact, their character, habits and preferences; show attention to them, interest, find mutual understanding;
be able to determine the required distance in relationships with each individual;
focus on the “rule of diversity” - the more partners have coinciding interests, the less the possibility of conflicts arising between them;
control your behavior, do not focus on your merits, do not demonstrate a sense of superiority over others;
to give another person the opportunity to feel like a necessary, significant person.
To overcome barriers in communicating with an opponent, you should develop a sense of self-esteem and self-confidence, and see behind every inappropriate action a person makes as a manifestation of his psychological characteristics or, perhaps, serious problems. This approach is ensured by taking into account the human factor in the communication process at the level of personal interaction. The integrated use of psychological methods will help prevent conflict, avoid it, mitigate it, or lead it in a favorable direction.
Psychological methods of conflict prevention in the course of social work
The professional tasks of a social worker are consonant with the ideas of humanistic psychology: a person’s creative potential must be fully realized for the benefit of society. A social worker can help change a client’s victimogenic attitudes, or, on the contrary, provoke their further development. Inappropriate and ill-considered actions of a social worker can cause harm. Prevention of social inhibition lies in the implementation of the psychological principles of the social worker’s activities and his professional position in relation to the client.
The psychological principles of social work include:
the principle of congruence (the unity of the goals, objectives and areas of activity put forward by the social worker related to solving the client’s problems);
the principle of impartiality (an unbiased approach in communicating with the client, the social worker’s lack of personal interest in the results of communication with the client);
the principle of confidentiality (information about social support should be confidential);
the principle of positively oriented activity (a social worker implements various functions in his activities that determine the level of his professional activity, which, in turn, determines the client’s activity).
An important task that the profession sets for a modern social worker is the desire to return to the client the ability to act independently in any life situation, without the “insurance” of a social worker, which is considered a criterion of professional success. To solve this problem, social workers must have psychological knowledge and master special technologies for communicating with clients, different social groups (children, family, disabled people, pensioners, etc.), as well as skills to develop activity and independence in their clients.
In the event of life circumstances that threaten to disrupt the optimal process of personal development and her inner world, psychologists advise using the following recommendations:
accept difficult life situations as a fact of life;
form life values and follow them;
be flexible and adaptive;
giving in on small things, do not turn it into a system;
hope for the best developments;
do not be a slave to your desires;
learn to manage yourself;
develop strong-willed qualities;
adjust the hierarchy of roles for yourself;
strive for a high level of personal maturity;
ensure the adequacy of self-esteem;
don’t accumulate problems;
don’t take on everything at once;
don't lie;
do not panic.
A person in need of social assistance quite often perceives himself as a victim of a social situation. The victim complex manifests itself in a decrease or loss of self-esteem, a feeling of inability to take any active action, a feeling of the futility of one’s own efforts, especially in conditions of conflict interaction.
Practical examples from life
Let us study various situations from life in which data from the theoretical part of our work also provides a theoretical justification for the emergence of these situations.
First, let's consider situations with increased conflict of an individual. [p.11] From a friend I heard a story about a friend of hers who had been boxing professionally for several years. This girl has already developed certain self-defense mechanisms. How did she behave in a conflict situation? One day, the girl had a conflict with a bank employee, after which, according to the athlete, she came to her senses when she had already attacked the employee and strangled her. In this situation, we clearly see how an initially high level of conflict does not give a person the right to choose a reaction to a stimulus.
The situation with my friend can serve as an example. Her mother repeatedly used physical punishment in raising her daughter, after which her daughter grew up unbalanced and overly nervous. When communicating with her husband, she often cannot simply resolve a domestic problem, but breaks into a scream and becomes offended; for this reason, minor domestic quarrels drag on, while the problem and disagreement could be resolved in a more favorable way. After all, conflicts in our lives are the most drastic and destructive way to eliminate contradictions and an attempt to establish mutual understanding, which often ends in failure. In order for a person with increased conflict to independently prevent an impending confrontation, he needs to calm down, understand for himself what his goal is in relation to a specific person, and how best to achieve mutually beneficial conditions. In addition, if it becomes clear that a person is susceptible to stress, he should rest more, play sports, and do special psychotherapeutic exercises for relaxation. You need to increase your self-esteem.
Now let's talk about conflicts between employees in large and small enterprises. Before entering the university, I worked for some time at the Kashin Electrical Equipment Plant, so I can imagine the relationships between employees in a team in practice. Initially, there are abnormal working conditions in production, low earnings in relation to the large volumes of work. Departments have fixed wages, so completing the amount of work does not affect earnings. Maybe this is why employees are focused not on work, but on the gossip that exists in the team. According to my observations, specialists spent most of their time resting rather than working, so to speak “sitting out” their working hours. The conflict arose in the fact that, having been transferred from the workshop to the chief designer’s department, I began to perform work at the specialist level, without having this education. My job was to copy engineers' drawings on tracing paper. This work did not make much sense, given that it would be more efficient to use a computer with a specialized program, which is what I did. Almost all the specialists who had been working in this department for a long time could not learn how to make drawings on a computer, and my successful work in this direction touched them. They began to file complaints with the Quality Control Department (technical control department) that I was doing work for which I did not have the authority, while the control department rated the work done on the computer very highly, and I did it competently. Let's turn to theory again. Where did the preconditions for this conflict come from? Let us turn to the objective-subjective conditions for preventing conflicts in enterprises. The following were not sold at the plant:
structural and organizational conditions for preventing conflicts (optimizing the structure of the company, on the one hand, as an organization, on the other, as a social group);
personal-functional conditions for preventing conflicts (compliance of the employee with the maximum requirements that his position may impose on him);
situational management conditions (making optimal management decisions and competently assessing the performance of other employees, especially subordinates). [page 9]
Also related to the causes of conflict is the lack of an objective social factor in preventing social conflict, such as ensuring equal opportunities in realizing the positive potential of people. Because of these inconsistencies, the reasons for the conflict described above become clear. If the activities of the entire team were aimed at cooperation, then the conflict would not arise, because such methods of establishing cooperation would be used as: consent, practical empathy, mutual complementation of partners, exclusion of social discrimination, non-division of merit. [page 7]
And in conclusion, I would like to consider the concept of psychological compatibility. As mentioned above, psychological compatibility can be developed by following certain rules: [p.13]
It is good to know the characteristics of the people with whom you interact, their character, habits and preferences; show attention to them, interest, find mutual understanding.
My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years. This is my first relationship, and during this time I learned for the first time what is called establishing psychological compatibility. At first, when we began to live together, we had a lot of conflicts due to the fact that everyone has their own habits and foundations. Over time, we learned to give in to each other in some things, and previous mistakes, even if they were repeated, no longer developed into conflict. I learned to calmly explain to him why I was offended, what I didn’t like, what I would like from this situation. And I learned to always give specific examples from our lives, and not just blame him, and asked the same from him.
Be able to determine the required distance in relationships with each individual.
It is clear that when communicating with close people there is a shorter distance, but it should still be there. In a relationship with a partner, common interests appear over time, but my mother always taught me that both partners should have “their own territory” where people can take a break from each other. This is necessary so that the relationship does not become boring. It’s good to be socially active separately from your partner for some time and provide him with this opportunity, and then return to each other and share news. I spend a lot of time at rehearsals at the theater, and my boyfriend goes out with friends. At the initial stage of the relationship, it was difficult to let him go, but over time the level of trust in the relationship has increased, and now we spend quality time both together and separately.
Focus on the “rule of diversity” - the more partners have coinciding interests, the less the possibility of conflicts arising between them.
This point in our relationship is more difficult, but I hope that over time we will have more common interests. However, my boyfriend comes to my performances and is always open to listening to me and supporting me.
Control your behavior, do not focus on your merits, do not demonstrate a sense of superiority over others.
In this area, the young man and I do not compete. He is good with computers, plays the guitar, repairs equipment, is an excellent cook, and speaks excellent English. I perform on stage, knit toys, try to get the highest grades at university, and am responsible for cleanliness at home. I also know English well, but I don’t worry about being weaker in it. We always support each other and are proud of each other's successes.
Give someone else the opportunity to feel like a necessary, significant person.
This, of course, is the most important thing in a relationship - to understand that you are important to your partner, and to give him a feeling of confidence in this, as well as to celebrate his successes and achievements.
At this point, we looked at several real-life examples and established their relationship with theoretically studied information. The conclusion that can be drawn is that practical cases from life are inextricably linked with the theory of conflict prevention. Such knowledge for a social work specialist will be useful both in work and in personal life.
Conclusion
Results of this work:
The concepts of “conflict management”, “conflict prevention”, “conflict prevention” are considered.
The prerequisites for the success of preventive work, methods of conflict management, methods of maintaining and developing cooperation, methods of normative regulation, psychological methods of conflict prevention, the main directions of professional training in the field of conflict prevention, objective circumstances contributing to the prevention of destructive conflicts, the relationships of social interactions (main balances) have been studied.
The conditions for preventing social conflict have been studied, such as: objective social factors, objective-subjective conditions (organizational and managerial factors).
The factors of personality conflict and the influence on it of the development of its volitional and intellectual qualities have been studied.
Methods of dealing with stress and methods of establishing psychological compatibility have been studied.
In the practical part, real-life situations are considered in connection with the studied theoretical data.
There is always a place for stress and conflict in our lives. And we have the opportunity to prevent or neutralize them. This applies to both personal interactions and work with clients. Knowing methods for preventing conflicts and the causes of their occurrence, a social worker will be able, in the worst case, to resolve an existing conflict, and in the best case, prevent it from developing. But we must also remember that a conflict is not just a problem, but a signal of some differences in the opinions of the conflicting parties. By analyzing these discrepancies, the social work specialist will be able to peacefully resolve the discrepancies, and take the relationship between people, employees or enterprises to a new level in the most effective way.
Bibliography
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Dedov N.P. Social conflictology: Textbook for universities / Dedov N.P., Suslova T.F., Sorokina E.G.; Moscow State Social University; Ed. A.V.Morozova; Rec. A.Ya.Antsupov, V.T.Yusov. - M.: Academy, 2002, p. 301-308.
Kilmashkina T.N. Conflictology. Social conflicts: A textbook for university students / Kilmashkina Tatyana Nikolaevna; Rec. S.V. Gushchin and others - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - M.: UNITY-DANA: Law and Law, 2009, p. 69-79.
Belinskaya A.B. Conflictology in social work: Textbook / Belinskaya Alexandra Borisovna; Rec. S.A. Belicheva, N.F. Basov; Chief editor A.E.Illarionova. - M.: Dashkov and K, 2010, p. 179-204.
Antsupov A.Ya., Shipilov A.I. Dictionary of conflict specialist. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2009.
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Cordwell M. Psychology. A - Z: Dictionary - reference book / Transl. from English K. S. Tkachenko. M.: FAIR PRESS, 2000.
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Conflict prevention
All conflict prevention activities represent one of the concrete expressions of the human ability to generalize existing theoretical and empirical data and, on this basis, predict and predict the future, thus extending the realm of the known to the yet unknown. This human ability is of particular importance in management activities. It is rightly said that to lead means to foresee.
Conflict prevention is a type of management activity that consists of early recognition, elimination or weakening of conflict-generating factors and thus limiting the possibility of their occurrence or destructive development in the future. The success of this activity is determined by a number of prerequisites:
1) knowledge of the general principles of management of social organizations, formulated by modern management theory, and the ability to use them to analyze conflict situations;
2) the level of general theoretical knowledge about the essence of conflict, its causes, types and stages of development, which are formulated by conflictology;
3) the depth of analysis on this general theoretical basis of a specific pre-conflict situation, which in each individual case turns out to be unique and requires a special set of methods and means to resolve it;
4) the degree of compliance of the selected methods for correcting the current dangerous situation with its specific content; this adequacy of the means used to the real situation depends not only on the depth of theoretical knowledge of possible participants in the conflict, but also on their ability to rely on their experience and intuition.
It follows that conflict prevention activities are not easy. Therefore, the possibilities of preventive activities should not be overestimated, although they should not be neglected. In order to ensure its effectiveness, we must clearly see the difficulties that await us along this path.
There are a number of obstacles that reduce the possibility of preventing conflicts and directing their development in a constructive direction Burtovaya E.V. Conflictology. Textbook - M., - 2002.
1. This obstacle is of a psychological nature and is associated with such a generic quality of human psychology, which is characterized as an irresistible human desire for freedom and independence. In this regard, people tend to perceive negatively any attempts to interfere in their relationships, assessing such actions as an expression of the desire to limit their independence and freedom.
2. The existence of some generally accepted moral norms governing human relationships. Based on them, people consider their behavior to be a purely personal matter, and the intervention of a third party is considered a violation of generally accepted moral norms, one of which is privacy.
3. This obstacle is of a legal nature and is due to the fact that in countries with developed democratic traditions, some universal moral norms have acquired the form of legal norms that protect fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual. Their violation in one form or another can be qualified not only as not entirely moral, but also as illegal, especially since a number of countries have already adopted special laws prohibiting companies from interfering in the personal lives of their employees.
Therefore, successful conflict prevention activities can only be carried out within the boundaries established by:
1) psychological,
2) moral and 3) legal requirements for the regulation of human relationships. Moreover, such activity becomes advisable only if there is a real danger of personal or group relationships escalating into destructive, destructive forms, such as, for example, the breakdown of personal relationships, the breakdown of a family, the collapse of a work group, inter-class, inter-ethnic or inter-state clashes.
Conflict prevention is, at its core, an impact on those socio-psychological phenomena that may become elements of the structure of a future conflict, on its participants and on the resources they use. Since every conflict is associated with the infringement of certain needs and interests of people, both material and spiritual, its prevention should begin with its distant, deep preconditions, with the identification of those causes that potentially contain the possibility of conflict.
Objective or social reasons are the economic, political and spiritual contradictions of social life. These are various kinds of distortions in the economy, sharp contrasts in the standard of living of social groups, ineffective management, spiritual intolerance, fanaticism, etc. Methods for preventing the causes of conflicts at this level are quite well known and boil down to: pursuing economic and cultural policies based on the principles of equality and social justice; strengthening the principles of law and order in all spheres of society; increasing the cultural level of the population, an essential element of which is conflict management literacy.
The implementation of these social programs is the most reliable means of eliminating destructive conflicts, as well as many other negative phenomena, from social life.
Conflictology identifies among the causes of conflicts, in addition to social ones, also causes of a different kind - psychological. These are conflicts generated by feelings of betrayed trust, mutual hostility, injured pride, doubts about the correctness of the chosen path in life and other purely psychological reasons. Moreover, despite their ephemeral, ideal nature, these motives can take on very visible, dramatic forms of aggressive actions by participants in the conflict.
It is possible to prevent or weaken a conflict at the psychological level only by neutralizing the aggressive feelings and aspirations of people, which is a very, very difficult task. It is possible to achieve transformation of existing aggressive attitudes, thoughts and feelings only on the basis of a deep analysis of the psychological situation, if possible at the earliest stages of the emergence of corresponding motives among the warring parties. Only on this basis is it possible to block the development of the conflict into a destructive phase with the use of violence and other destructive means.
Achieving this lofty goal is possible only as a result of the consistent implementation of a whole set of well-thought-out measures to strengthen relations of cooperation and mutual assistance between people.
Therefore, every leader, aware of not only the difficulties, but also the real possibilities of solving this most important management task, is called upon to the best of his ability to counteract any manifestations of disorganization, especially those that bring into life the danger of a destructive conflict. A universal way to prevent such conflicts is to pursue a line of strengthening cooperation, which is consistently carried out both at the social and psychological levels.
Maintaining and strengthening cooperation and mutual assistance relationships is the central problem of all conflict prevention tactics. Its solution is complex and includes methods socio-psychological, organizational, managerial and moral-ethical nature Conflictology. Questions and answers: Textbook. allowance for universities / Ed. V.P. Ratnikova. - M. UNITY-DANA, 2004. .
The most important socio-psychological methods aimed at correcting people’s thoughts, feelings and moods are the following:
1. Consent method involves carrying out activities aimed at involving potential conflictants in a common cause, during which potential opponents acquire a more or less wide field of common interests, they get to know each other better, get used to cooperating, and jointly solving emerging problems.
2. Benevolence Method, or empathy, developing the ability to empathize and sympathize with other people, to understand their internal states presupposes the expression of the necessary sympathy for a workmate, partner, and readiness to provide him with practical assistance. This method requires the exclusion of unmotivated hostility, aggressiveness, and impoliteness from relationships. The use of this method is especially important in crisis situations, when the expression of compassion and empathy, broad and prompt information about ongoing events become especially important.
3. Method of maintaining a partner's reputation, respect for his dignity. When any disagreements arise that are fraught with conflict, the most important method of preventing negative developments is to recognize the dignity of the partner and express due respect for his personality. By recognizing the dignity and authority of the opponent, we thereby stimulate the corresponding attitude of the partner towards our dignity and authority. This method is used not only to prevent conflict, but also in all forms of interpersonal communication.
4. Another effective tool for conflict prevention is complement method. It involves relying on a partner’s abilities that we ourselves do not have. The method of complementarity is especially important when forming working groups, which in this case often turn out to be very strong. Taking into account and skillful use of not only the abilities, but also the shortcomings of people who are closely related to each other, help strengthen mutual trust and respect of people, their cooperation, and therefore help to avoid conflicts.
5. The method of preventing discrimination against people requires avoiding emphasizing the superiority of one partner over the other, and even better, any differences between them. For this purpose, management practice, especially in Japanese companies, often uses elements of equalizing material incentives for all employees in the company. From the point of view of conflict prevention, the equal distribution method has undoubted advantages, allowing one to avoid the emergence of such negative emotions as feelings of envy and resentment, which can provoke conflict confrontation. Therefore, in the interests of increasing the anti-conflict potential of the organization, it is advisable to share merits and awards among everyone, even if they largely belong to one person. This principle is widely applied in everyday life.
6. Method of psychological stroking. He assumes that people’s moods and feelings can be regulated and require certain support. For this purpose, practice has developed many ways, such as anniversaries, presentations, various forms of joint recreation for members of work collectives. These and similar events relieve psychological stress, promote emotional release, evoke positive feelings of mutual sympathy, and thus create a moral and psychological atmosphere in the organization that makes it difficult for conflicts to arise.
Organizational and management methods include:
(1) Principle long-term goals suggests that the goals of the organization should not be momentary, but long-term, thorough, designed for 10-15 years. They should be aimed at the comprehensive development of production and the manufacturer, including modernization of production, training of workers, and ensuring continuous improvement of the quality of products or services. It is the manager’s ability for long-term, strategic planning that is recognized today as the most valuable quality of a modern leader, on which the stability of the organization and its ability to withstand conflicts largely depend. Moreover, this principle applies not only to economic management, but to any other type of social management.
(2) Principle risk appetite involves relying not on an obedient worker who is most afraid of making a mistake, but on people who are capable of taking calculated risks, despite the increasing possibility of mistakes. A modern manager sees his task as creating a social and psychological atmosphere in the group that, while allowing for the possibility of mistakes, at the same time ensures the dynamic development of the organization and its rapid growth.
(3) Principle recognition of new ideas as the main value of any business. The ways to implement this principle formed the content innovation management, which has recently emerged as a special section of management theory. In accordance with this principle, companies create a climate for encouraging innovation, which is characterized by a free, informal atmosphere and tolerance for possible failures in any new business. Some firms pay innovators a portion of the profits made from innovations.
(4) Principle effectiveness focuses the attention of managers on the fact that the goal of business is not the generation of new ideas, but the production of high-quality goods and services and deriving high profits from this. It follows from it that any discussion of innovative ideas must necessarily end with a decision on specific actions, unless, of course, these ideas relate to the universal foundations of existence.
(5) Principle simplification involves the systematic blocking of a stable tendency towards the complication of production and other social structures. This trend leads to swelling of staff and management levels, each of which potentially contains the possibility of conflicts. Successful companies usually have a simple management system, a small staff and a minimum number of management levels. The principle of simplification, without requiring additional costs, can provide a significant increase in production efficiency and improve the psychological climate in the organization.
(6) Principle selection and education effective professional employees. This principle presupposes a formulation of management work in which the most ordinary people provide extraordinary results. Its implementation involves, first of all, the selection of specialists who are capable of performing this work. The overall result of the implementation of this principle is the formation of professional employees in the company, the main features of which are:
rare absence from work;
ability to work without external pressure;
high-quality and timely completion of work;
willingness to provide additional services to the company;
good work in the absence of a boss;
improving your work;
desire to prevent conflict and contribute to strengthening the atmosphere of cooperation.
(7) And finally, the principle cooperation summarizes, integrates in its content all previous guidelines for effective anti-conflict management and is implemented only on the basis of their full implementation.
Methods of a moral and ethical nature:
1. Don't be late. Being late may be seen by your partner as a sign of disrespect for him. If you are delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, it is better to inform us in advance. This rule applies not only to showing up for work or meetings, but also to meeting deadlines for completing work. To avoid delays, you should allocate time to complete the work with some reserve. It is generally accepted that punctuality is an essential requirement of business etiquette.
2. Be laconic, don't say too much. The point of this requirement is to protect company secrets in the same way as your personal secrets. It is well known that the protection of official secrets is one of the most important business problems, which often become a source of serious conflicts. This norm also applies to the secrets of a colleague’s personal life that became known to you by chance. Moreover, this applies to both good and bad news from the personal lives of your colleagues.
3. Be friendly and welcoming. Compliance with this rule is especially important when colleagues or subordinates find fault with you. And in this case, you must behave politely and kindly with them. We must remember that no one likes to work with people who are unbalanced, grouchy, or capricious. Politeness and friendliness are needed for communication at all levels: with bosses, subordinates, clients, customers, no matter how provocatively they sometimes behave.
4. Empathize with people, think not only about yourself, but also about others. Respect the opinions of others, even if they do not coincide with yours. In this case, do not resort to sharp objections, if you do not want to end up in the category of people who recognize the existence of only two opinions: yours and the wrong one. It is people of this type who often become the instigators of conflict.
5. Watch your clothes and appearance. This means that you need to be able to organically fit into your environment at work, the environment of workers at your level. Moreover, this does not exclude the possibility of dressing with taste, choosing the appropriate color scheme, etc.
6. Speak and write in good language. This means that everything you say and write must be presented in literate, literary language. Be careful never to use swear words, even in personal conversations, as this can develop into a bad habit that will be difficult to break.
These basic rules of business ethics serve as the most important prerequisite for the formation of an atmosphere of cooperation that creates a reliable barrier against destructive conflicts.
Borodkin Borodkin F. M. Koryak N. M. Attention: conflict! - Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1989 identifies four structural methods to prevent the emergence of a conflict situation:
Clarification of job requirements. Clarification of what results are expected from each employee and department. Parameters such as the level of results to be achieved, who provides and who receives various information, the system of authority and responsibility, and clearly defined policies, procedures and rules should be mentioned here. Moreover, the manager clarifies all these issues not for himself, but so that his subordinates understand well what is expected of them and in what situation.
Coordination and integration mechanisms. One of the most common mechanisms is the chain of command. As Weber noted long ago Weber M.“Selected Works”, - M.: Education, 1990. and representatives of the administrative school, the establishment of a hierarchy of powers streamlines the interaction of people, decision-making and information flows within the organization. If two or more subordinates disagree on an issue, the conflict can be avoided by approaching their common superior and inviting him to make a decision. The principle of unity of command facilitates the use of hierarchy to manage a conflict situation, since the subordinate knows perfectly well whose decisions he must obey.
Integration tools such as management hierarchy, the use of interfunctional services, cross-functional groups, task forces and interdepartmental meetings are very useful in managing conflict situations. Research has shown that organizations that maintain the right level of integration for them are more effective than those that do not.
For example, a company where there was a conflict between interdependent departments - the sales department and the production department - managed to resolve the problem by creating an intermediate service that coordinates the volume of orders and sales. This service liaised between the sales and production departments and resolved issues such as sales requirements, capacity utilization, pricing and delivery schedules.
Organization-wide comprehensive goals. Effective implementation of these goals requires the combined efforts of two or more employees, groups, or departments. The idea that is embedded in these higher goals is to direct the efforts of all participants to achieve a common goal.
For example, if three shifts in a production department are in conflict with each other, you should formulate goals for your department rather than for each shift individually. Likewise, setting clearly defined goals for the entire organization will also encourage department heads to make decisions that benefit the entire organization, not just their own functional area. The statement of the highest principles (values) of the organization reveals the content of complex goals. The company strives to reduce the potential for conflict by setting out organization-wide, integrated goals to achieve greater coherence and performance among all personnel.
Reward system structure. People who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide integrated goals, help other groups in the organization and try to approach the problem in a comprehensive manner should be rewarded with gratitude, bonuses, recognition or promotions. It is equally important that the reward system does not reward unconstructive behavior by individuals or groups.
The systematic, coordinated use of rewards and incentives for those who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide goals, helping people understand how they should act in a conflict situation in a manner consistent with the desires of management.
If a conflict situation has arisen, then the manager’s task to resolve the conflict situation is as follows: it is necessary to carry out a number of specific activities: symptoms, diagnosis of the conflict situation and prediction of destructive consequences. That is, to find out the cause of the conflict, determine the goals of the conflicting parties,
outline areas for bringing together the points of view of the conflicting parties and clarify the behavioral characteristics of the subjects of the conflict. The research conducted in this way makes it possible to get a general idea of all aspects of the conflict situation.
To do this, you should analyze the situation by asking the following questions:
Cause of the conflict. Do the conflicting parties understand the cause of the conflict? Do you need help to resolve the conflict? Where is the cause of the conflict? Have those in conflict asked for help?
The goal of those in conflict. What exactly are the goals of the conflicting parties? Does everyone strive for these goals equally? How do these goals fit with the overall goals of the organization? Is there a common goal that could unite the efforts of the conflicting parties? Do the parties' disagreements relate to the goal of the activity or the means to achieve it?
Areas of convergence. On what issues could those in conflict develop common views? These, of course, are problems of a business and emotional atmosphere that contribute to the establishment of a favorable psychological climate in the organization.
Subjects of the conflict. Who is the leader? How do people treat each other? What are the features of linguistic and non-linguistic factors of communication? Do generally accepted norms of behavior apply among those in conflict?
Determine what the consequences may be if the conflict continues: the most favorable outcome, the worst-case scenario for the development of the conflict, the most realistic development of events.
Conflict prevention is an activity aimed at preventing their occurrence and destructive influence on one or another party, one or another element of the social system, that is, influencing subjects or environmental factors that in the future may become a source of conflict. Such activity represents the active intervention of a managing subject in the real process of social relations of people, in their interaction in various spheres of life. Conflict prevention presupposes the manager’s ability to foresee and predict the course of events in the organization.
Prevention methods affecting subjective and objective relationships in the organization (and causes of conflicts):
– creating a strong organizational culture based on social justice and solidarity;
– creation of a coherent system of social partnership in the organization;
– strict compliance with the laws and regulations of the organization;
– developing a culture of behavior among staff, respect for individual rights, mutual trust, and mutual tolerance;
– taking into account the psychological characteristics of workers, their mutual sympathies when forming work groups and choosing a leadership style;
– creation of a personnel motivation system taking into account the preferences of each employee.
Conflict prevention involves timely actions to prevent possible conflicts: eliminating the real subject of the conflict; engaging a disinterested person as an arbitrator; willingness to submit to his decision; the desire to make one of the conflicting parties abandon the subject of the conflict in favor of the other.
Conflict prevention is the daily activity of managers to form a cohesive workforce and timely resolve production issues. The personnel management service performs the functions of diagnosing the moral and psychological climate in the team, selecting employees taking into account their psychological properties and qualities, studying the social needs of employees and developing a system of personnel motivation, maintaining organizational culture, etc.
If it was not possible to prevent the conflict, it is necessary to conduct a socio-psychological diagnosis of all parties and elements of the conflict and choose the most appropriate way and method of resolving it.
4. Ways to resolve conflicts.
There are several effective ways to manage a conflict situation. They can be divided into two categories:
structural
interpersonal.
A simple difference in character should not be considered the cause of conflicts, although, of course, it can become the only cause of a conflict situation, but in the general case it is just one of the factors. You need to start by analyzing the actual causes and then apply the appropriate methodology.
Structural methods.
Clarification of job requirements.
This is one of the best management techniques to prevent dysfunctional conflict. It is necessary to clarify what results are expected from each employee and department. Parameters such as the level of results to be achieved, who provides and who receives various information, the system of authority and responsibility, and clearly defined policies, procedures and rules should be mentioned here. Moreover, the leader does not clarify these issues for himself, but conveys them to his subordinates so that they understand what is expected of them in a given situation.
Coordination and integration mechanisms.
This is another method of managing a conflict situation. One of the most common mechanisms is the chain of commands. Establishing a hierarchy of authority streamlines the interaction of people, decision making and information flows within the organization. If two or more subordinates disagree on any issue, the conflict can be avoided by turning to a common superior, asking him to make a decision. The principle of unity of command facilitates the use of hierarchy to manage a conflict situation, since the subordinate knows whose decisions he must implement.
Equally useful are integration tools such as cross-functional teams, task forces, and interdepartmental meetings. For example, when in one of the companies there was a conflict between interdependent departments - the sales department and the production department - an intermediate service was organized to coordinate the volume of orders and sales.
Organization-wide comprehensive goals.
Effective implementation of these goals requires the joint efforts of two or more employees, departments, or groups. The idea behind this technique is to direct the efforts of all participants to achieve a common goal. The Apple computer company always discloses the content of complex organization-wide goals in order to achieve greater coherence in the activities of all personnel. An equally striking example is the McDonalds company, which has a network of inexpensive fast-food restaurants around the world. From the very beginning of the construction of this empire, management paid attention not only to prices, quality and market share. It believed (and, we must assume, still believes) that it was truly providing a service to people with limited means, and this “social mission” gave greater weight to welfare goals. Cooks and servers working under the McDonald's banner find it easier to meet strict standards in the context of helping the community.
Reward system structure.
Rewards can be used as a method of conflict management, influencing people to avoid dysfunctional consequences. People who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide integrated goals, help other groups in the organization and try to approach the problem in a comprehensive manner should be rewarded with gratitude, bonuses, recognition or promotions. It is equally important that the reward system does not reward unconstructive behavior by individuals or groups.
The systematic, coordinated use of reward systems to reward those who contribute to the achievement of organization-wide goals helps people understand how they should act in a conflict situation in a manner consistent with management's desires.
Interpersonal styles of conflict resolution.
Evasion.
This style implies that a person is trying to avoid conflict. His position is not to get into situations that provoke the emergence of contradictions, not to enter into a discussion of issues that are fraught with disagreement. Then you won’t have to get into an excited state, even if you are working on solving a problem.
Smoothing.
With this style, the person is convinced that there is no point in getting angry because “we are all one happy team and we shouldn’t rock the boat.” Such a “smoother” tries not to let out the signs of conflict, appealing to the need for solidarity. But at the same time, you can forget about the problem underlying the conflict. The result may be peace and quiet, but the problem will remain, which will eventually lead to an “explosion” sooner or later.
Compulsion.
Within this style, attempts to force people to accept their point of view at any cost prevail. Anyone who tries to do this is not interested in the opinions of others, usually behaves aggressively, and uses power through coercion to influence others. This style can be effective where the leader has great power over subordinates, but it can suppress the initiative of subordinates and creates a greater likelihood that the wrong decision will be made, since only one point of view is presented. It may cause resentment, especially among younger and more educated personnel.
Compromise.
This style is characterized by accepting the other side's point of view, but only to some extent. The ability to compromise is highly valued in management situations, as it minimizes ill will, which often makes it possible to quickly resolve a conflict to the satisfaction of both parties. However, using a compromise at an early stage of a conflict that has arisen over an important issue can reduce the time it takes to find an alternative.
The third lesson of our training on conflict management is devoted to a very important and, it would not be an exaggeration to say, topical topic - conflict prevention and management. Unlike the mostly theoretical material of the first two lessons, the information presented below will be useful not only for reading and comprehension, but also for direct application in practice. Using the acquired knowledge will not be difficult for you, because... All of them are presented with the expectation of use in everyday life.
Part One: Conflict Prevention
Prevention (or warning) of conflicts is an activity aimed at creating and strengthening special living conditions that help eliminate the possibility of conflicts themselves.
Conflict prevention measures can be taken by:
- People who want to protect themselves and their interests from participating in a conflict, and also avoid the role of an accomplice in a conflict situation;
- People who want to help other people and prevent a conflict situation from arising, confident that they will not have to be directly involved in it.
How effective conflict prevention efforts will be depends on a number of factors and obstacles encountered along the way. As a rule, in life it is not always possible to achieve the required result, which is due to reasons that are both subjective and objective.
Subjective reasons barriers to conflict prevention depend mainly on a person’s personal characteristics and his ability to predict the likely results of his actions.
EXAMPLE: There is a certain category of people who have dilute your leisure time (read - have fun) by consciously or unconsciously provoking conflicts with other people. There are also people who experience a special kind of discomfort in everyday situations and gravitate toward stressful situations, thereby causing their occurrence. Qualities such as disrespect for others, boasting, rudeness, the desire to demonstrate superiority and others like them in any case serve as catalysts for problems for people and reduce the very possibility of preventing conflicts to a minimum.
Objective reasons, obstacles to preventing conflicts are characterized by the intervention of strangers in the situation and can be very diverse. Such obstacles include:
Obstacles of a social nature;
EXAMPLE: Usually, the interaction of people is built by them independently, and the intervention of outsiders is perceived as an intrusive influence and is considered undesirable.
Obstacles of a moral nature;
EXAMPLE: Situations often arise when people view conflict as an exclusively private phenomenon. Here, forcing the parties to agree may simply be unethical.
Legal obstacles;
EXAMPLE: Such phenomena as forcing a person to do something, infringement of individual rights can often arise from the best intentions. However, they may well be illegal and at odds with the law.
Any outside intervention in a conflict can occur and is possible only when the situation worsens, goes beyond the scope of personal or group interaction and transforms into a socially dangerous or socially significant phenomenon. In those cases where a conflict can be prevented, conflict prevention technology should be used.
Conflict Prevention Technology
Conflict prevention technology is a set of special techniques, as well as means and methods that influence both the pre-conflict situation and the subjects participating in it.
It is possible to influence a situation that may result in a conflict in the following areas:
- Transform reality according to the expectations of interested parties, thereby neutralizing the subject of potential conflict;
- Transform your personal attitude towards the problematic issue that serves as the basis for confrontation, in other words, influence your own behavior;
- Transform the enemy’s attitude to a problematic issue, in other words, influence his consciousness and behavior.
The most effective method aimed at transforming reality according to the expectations of subjects and preventing a conflict situation can be called maintaining collaborative relationships, because in many cases, pre-conflict interaction between subjects is neutral and sometimes their cooperation is possible. For this reason, special attention should be paid not to destroy existing relationships, but also to support and strengthen their constructiveness.
Ways to develop and maintain cooperation
Among the ways to develop and maintain cooperation, there are several main ones:
Psychological “stroking”. Its meaning is that it is necessary to constantly and consistently maintain a good mood, a friendly atmosphere, and positive emotions. This method allows for emotional relief, arousing a feeling of sympathy, and relieving tension, which will seriously complicate the emergence of a conflict.
EXAMPLE: Anniversaries, presentations, corporate events, trainings, etc.
Psychological mood. This method implies a diverse and positive impact on the opponent.
EXAMPLE: Informing the opponent about possible changes in the situation, predicting the consequences and tuning in to them, jointly discussing possible results, etc.
Sharing of merit. Most effective in a team environment. This method helps to neutralize envy, resentment, as well as other negative emotions and phenomena that can provoke conflict.
EXAMPLE: All results and merits are shared among all team members (participants in the work). This happens even if the majority of the credit belongs to one person.
Elimination of social discrimination. In other words, support for equal social status of subjects.
EXAMPLE: The inadmissibility of any kind of superiority of any subject over another/others, the inadmissibility of differentiation and emphasizing the differences between people.
Mutual complement. The essence of the method is to create conditions and situations in which it is necessary to use the opponent’s traits, characteristics, abilities, etc. in joint interaction. - everything that one of the subjects does not possess. In this way, you can easily avoid conflict situations, make relationships stronger and at the same time benefit for yourself.
EXAMPLE: Joint completion of tasks and implementation of projects, sports competitions, team games, etc.
Preserving the partner's reputation. The main idea here is the postulate: “A competitor is not necessarily an enemy.” Any opponent can be worthy of respectful treatment.
Practical . This method is a psychological adjustment to the opponent, and is also expressed in non-aggression, the absence of groundless hostility.
EXAMPLE: Putting yourself in the position of a partner, understanding his problems and difficulties, projecting his situation onto himself, expressing sympathy, and being ready to help.
Agreement. The presented method can be characterized as involving a potential rival in your business, introducing him to the course of events, which helps eliminate conflicting interests and creates common ones.
EXAMPLE: Negotiations, official and informal meetings aimed at finding compromises and mutually beneficial conditions, refusal to fight.
The above methods are ideal for use in practice and are actively used by both ordinary people and specialists in the field of communication and conflict management. They can be used in absolutely any area of life and activity, from family life and relationships with friends, to professional activities and relationships with business partners.
In addition to the first part, it is also worth mentioning the regulatory procedures for resolving conflict situations.
Regulatory procedures for resolving conflict situations
Regulatory procedures for resolving conflict situations imply special mechanisms aimed at regulating conflicts and pre-conflict situations with the assistance of political, religious, moral, legal and other types of norms.
The effectiveness of such conflict prevention procedures depends on the attitude of society and various government agencies to existing norms and the consistency of their implementation.
The difference between the normative regulation of conflicts and similar institutions operating temporarily is that they make the system more stable and determine the procedure for the development and resolution of conflict situations in its long-term aspect.
EXAMPLE: In order to prevent conflict situations in many countries today, the practice of including in official documents (treaties, agreements, etc.) that are concluded between organizations and/or people and other organizations, special clauses that detail the behavior of subjects in the event of any kind of controversial situations is specified. In addition, this not only makes it possible to regulate the behavior of subjects, but also prevents the occurrence of spontaneous conflicts and keeps subjects from rash actions.
But no matter what the prospects are, no matter what methods of preventing conflicts are used by the people involved in the interaction, the likelihood of a conflict situation arising is very high, as can be judged at least by news reports, strained relations between states, and simply by pictures from our real life . And in cases where it is no longer possible to prevent a conflict, conflict management methods come to the rescue.
On this note, we, in fact, move on to the second part of our lesson.
Part Two: Conflict Management Techniques
In this part, we'll take a closer look at the nine most effective conflict management techniques: avoidance, inaction, concession and accommodation, smoothing, covert action, quick fixes, compromise, cooperation, and force.
Avoiding conflict
Avoiding conflict is the most popular method of conflict management. The meaning of the method is that the subject strives with all his might to avoid a conflict situation, removing himself from the “scene” psychologically, physically or economically. The advantage of this method is that the decision to eliminate himself is made by the subject in record time. The method itself is used when the conflict does not fit the situation and is unnecessary for one of the subjects. It is recommended to avoid conflict if the cost of losses in case of failure is high.
- The wrong time for conflict
- Fear of your opponent
- A situation where a problematic issue only to a small extent affects the main essence of the conflict
- A situation where a problematic issue serves as a pointer to more compelling reasons
- The opponent has an advantage and a more effective potential to resolve the problem
- There is a need to collect additional information
- The intensity of the conflict is subsiding
- There are more important circumstances
- The essence of the conflict is some trivial problem
- Contact the relevant legal and bureaucratic authorities as the main assistant in resolving the conflict
- Use secrecy to avoid the peak of conflict
- Apply all kinds of procedures to slow down the conflict so that it fades away
- Delaying the solution to the problem
- Deny the existence of the very essence of the problem and hope that the situation will resolve itself naturally
- When the time resource is very important and loss of time can lead to large costs or the transfer of initiative to the opponent
- When there are prospects for long-term activity of the causes of the conflict (the method is suitable only for a short period of time)
- When the problem is of particular importance (so as not to “bury your head in the sand”)
Experts believe that avoiding conflict allows you to resolve the conflict according to the “victory-defeat” scheme.
Inaction
Inaction is considered a special type of avoidance of conflict. The meaning of the method is that the subject does not make absolutely any calculations or actions. Inaction is considered applicable only when there is complete uncertainty of the situation and no predictions can be made. It is important to understand that the results of this method are unpredictable, but in some cases the situation can be resolved favorably for the subject.
Concessions and accommodation
The meaning of the method is that the subject makes concessions by reducing his claims.
Incentives for using this method
- The result of conflict resolution promises awareness of one’s mistakes and professional or personal growth.
- The most important factor is stability
- There is a clear advantage of the opponent
- There is a high probability of your opponent winning
- It is possible to use this (even negative) experience as strategic potential for similar situations in the future
- The essence of the conflict is more important for the opponent
- The opponent is right and it makes sense to listen to what he says
The most likely outcome of the conflict when using this method is the “defeat-victory” scheme.
Smoothing
Smoothing as a method of conflict management is used when the subject is focused on collective methods of interaction with opponents. The meaning of the method is that the common interests of opponents and the negative impact of the conflict on the situation as a whole are emphasized.
Incentives for using this method
- Differences in interests with the opponent are insignificant
- The terms of interaction are familiar and familiar
The result of conflict resolution may be different, i.e. There are two options: “victory-victory” and “victory-defeat”.
Hidden Actions
Hidden actions are used in cases where the subject comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to use hidden means to resolve the conflict.
Incentives for using this method
- There is no resource or power balance, as a result of which one of the subjects is at greatest risk
- It is impossible to involve an opponent in a conflict according to the currently established rules
- Reluctance to participate in open conflict due to fear of losing image
- The influence of psychological, social, political or economic reasons that create barriers to participation in open conflict
How to behave according to this method
- Apply gentlemanly (open, respectful) forms of influence
- Use hidden forms of influence (creating barriers and unfavorable conditions, using deception, bribery, backroom negotiations, collusion)
Negative consequences of this method
- Prospect of conflict escalation
- Dissemination of negative information among opponents and third parties about an entity using hidden actions
- Possibility of taking drastic measures against a subject using hidden actions
- Increased overt or covert resistance to the subject using covert actions
The result of using hidden actions directly depends on the potential and experience of the opponent and can have several options, from the “win-win” option to the “defeat-defeat” option.
Fast decision
The meaning of the method is that a decision about the cause of the conflict is made in the shortest possible time, one might even say instantly.
Incentives for using this method
- The expectation that a quick solution will be more effective than any other method of conflict management and will entail a minimum of losses
- There is no threat of a dangerous escalation of the conflict, and there is no need for careful strategizing
- All parties to the conflict strive to find a mutually beneficial solution to the problem
- One of the subjects changes his position after receiving new “objective” data or under the influence of the arguments of another opponent
- Limited amount of time due to the nature of the situation
Advantages of this method
- Solutions are prepared on mutually beneficial terms
- Mutual respect between opponents
- Speed of conflict resolution
The most likely result of a quick decision is a win-win scheme, but for this to happen there must be as much agreement as possible between the opponents.
Compromise
Compromise is a type of agreement in which both subjects occupy middle positions within the boundaries of the existing conflict situation. The method is considered classic. The meaning of the method is that agreement between subjects is achieved through their direct negotiations.
Incentives for using this method
- None of the subjects want to lose
- Limited resources
- All opponents have enough time
- Both subjects believe that their needs can be satisfied through give-and-take negotiations.
- It is necessary to get out of the situation, because... neither struggle nor cooperation gives the desired result
- A decision must be made due to time pressure
- The decisions taken can solve a complex of problems
- Both subjects have completely different goals, but their powers are equal and they use mutually exclusive methods
- The goals of the subjects are important to them, but it is not advisable to expend much effort
How to behave according to this method
- Search and offer acceptable solutions
- Contribute to solving the problem on an equal basis with your opponent
- Negotiate
When not to use this method
- Subjects dispute their obligations
- An unclear decision has been made, the effectiveness of which remains in question
- If initially one’s own position was assessed inadequately, erroneously
Advantages of this method
- The prospect of developing mutually beneficial solutions
- Negotiations are conducted on a mutually respectful basis
- Objective criteria are used during negotiations
- Subjects' attention is focused on mutual interests
- All subjects can solve their problems
As a result of applying a compromise, both subjects are satisfied, but there is no clear winner.
Cooperation
The meaning of the method is that opposing subjects act with the goal of finding the most acceptable way to resolve a conflict situation.
Incentives for using this method
- Subjects fulfill their obligations and know how to cooperate
- There is time to find a mutually beneficial alternative solution
- The solution is developed on mutually beneficial terms
- It is possible to identify the opponent’s position and behavior
- One of the opponents needs to identify his objective goals
- A more thoughtful decision needs to be made that cannot be achieved through compromise alone
Special specificity of this method
- Subjects perceive the conflict situation itself as a challenge
- Situations in which all parties to the conflict benefit are identified
- Deeper solutions to the problem are found
- The emphasis is not on differences, but on information and ideas that are shared by all subjects
- Opponents are focused on solving the problem
Here it should be said about a very effective method of conflict management through problem solving, proposed by the famous American conflict specialist Alan Filley. Its essence boils down to the following:
- The problem is defined in terms of goals, not solutions.
- After defining the problem, solutions are determined that suit all parties to the conflict
- Attention should be focused precisely on the problem, and not on the personal characteristics of the opponent
- Then an atmosphere of trust is created, through which the mutual influence of subjects and information exchange between them is enhanced
- In the process of communication, it is necessary to create a positive attitude of subjects towards each other through their manifestation of sympathy and attention to opposing positions; any manifestations of threats or anger should be kept to a minimum
When not to use this method
- Temporary conditions are not conducive to cooperation
- Any of the subjects shows optionality
In most cases, the result of using cooperation is a win-win scheme.
Use of force
The use of force refers to the desire of one of the opponents to impose its solution to the problem on the other. The method becomes more effective in situations where one of the subjects has a significant advantage over the other.
Incentives for using this method
- Required to subdue your opponent
- Requires the use of power through coercion
- Required to use competition
- It is necessary to impose a “win-lose” scheme on the opponent
- It is necessary to resolve a conflict with a subject characterized by extremely destructive behavior
- You need to successfully get out of a vital situation
- It is necessary to use an unpopular solution to resolve a conflict situation
- There is a need for quick and decisive action
- Need to make a decision in an emergency situation
The result of the use of force is almost always a “victory-defeat” pattern.
As we can see, ways to manage conflicts are very effective. Along with conflict prevention methods, absolutely anyone can use them in absolutely any area of life. But, besides this, it is very important to competently and skillfully select the control option suitable for each specific situation. Try to take into account the presented features of each method - this is the only way you can get the maximum result from any of them.
And finally, some more very interesting practical information. So that you can manage conflicts more competently, you should use the recommendations developed specifically for this by psychologists.
As a rule, all conflicts go through the following stages in their development:
- Disagreements emerge
- Tensions in relationships increase
- Subjects (or at least one of them) are aware of the conflict nature of the situation
- There is a fact of conflict interaction, various methods of resolving the situation are used, which is accompanied by an increase or decrease in emotional intensity
- The conflict is resolved
If in the process of conflict interaction the participants behave adequately and rationally, going through all its stages in turn, then the conflict can be influenced. To resolve a conflict, it is necessary to eliminate its cause and restore normal relations.
Coming to the end of this lesson, you will notice that many techniques are aimed at preventing and managing conflicts. The ones we talked about today take as a basis the principles of self-respect and awareness of one’s own desires, positions and needs. But you need to strive to respect not only what concerns you personally, but also what concerns the people around you. This is the only way we can make our lives less conflict and more harmonious.
In our next lesson, you will learn about what methods exist for resolving and resolving conflicts, as well as about the most effective method among them - the negotiation method.
Test your knowledge
If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. For each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on completion. Please note that the questions are different each time and the options are mixed.
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