Managing Stress
Many of us experience stress in life, whether this is in the short term from one-off projects, or long-term stress from a high-pressure career, or loss of job, or a loved one. Not only can this be profoundly unpleasant, it can seriously affect our health and our work. However, it is possible to manage stress,…
What is Stress?
A lot of research has been conducted into the area of stress from many different perspectives and industries. Some of the theories are now widely accepted; while others are still being researched. What complicates things are competing views on what exactly stress is, although intuitively we all feel that we know what stress is, as…
Resolving Conflict
Where there are people, there is conflict. We all bring our different values, perspectives and needs to the office and they often clash with those of our colleagues. Left unchecked, conflicts brew and can lead to animosity. Teamwork can break down, morale drops, and tasks grind to a halt. Organizations feel the hit, too, with…
Thomas Kilmann Accommodating Conflict Mode
The opposite of competing, there is an element of self-sacrifice when accommodating to satisfy the other person. While it may seem generous, it could take advantage of the weak and cause resentment. You can use accommodating when you really don’t care a lot about the outcome but do want to preserve or build the relationship.…
Thomas Kilmann Avoiding Conflict Mode
Those who avoid conflict tend to be unassertive and uncooperative while diplomatically sidestepping an issue or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation. Use this when it is safer to postpone dealing with the situation or you don’t have as great a concern about the outcome, such as if you have a conflict with a co-worker…
Thomas Kilmann Compromising Conflict Mode
This style aims to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both parties in the conflict while maintaining some assertiveness and cooperativeness. “This style is best to use when the outcome is not crucial and you are losing time; for example, when you want to just make a decision and move on to…
Thomas Kilmann Collaborating Conflict Mode
A combination of being assertive and cooperative, those who collaborate attempt to work with others to identify a solution that fully satisfies everyone’s concerns. In this style, which is the opposite of avoiding, both sides can get what they want and negative feelings are minimized. Collaborating works best when the long-term relationship and outcome are…
Thomas Kilmann Competing Conflict Mode
Those who compete are assertive and uncooperative and willing to pursue one’s own concerns at another person’s expense. Using this style works when you don’t care about the relationship but the outcome is important, such as when competing with another company for a new client. Below is a breakdown of the pros and cons, some…