Skip main navigation

Conflict styles

How do you manage conflict in teams? Paddy Upton discusses some approaches in this video.

When it comes to conflict you might avoid or accommodate it, compete or collaborate, or simply compromise.

How you manage conflict within the team may depend on the stage of team development the team is in.

The five styles of dealing with conflict can be placed on a matrix:

Five ways to deal with conflict arranged on axes labelled co-operative and assertive.

Your task

Identify which of the styles are most natural to you and which are the least. Share some of the ways it’s helpful to know this about yourself. What steps can you take to further improve the way you navigate conflict situations?

Reference

Kilmann, R., & Thomas, K. (1977). Developing a forced-choice measure of conflict-handling behaviour: The “mode” instrument. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 37(2), 309-325.
This article is from the free online

Team Coaching

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now