1. Conflict Resolution Styles & Techniques Bob White 816-716-7736

2. Impact of Conflict in the IRS
The IRS Mission Provide America's taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all.
Unresolved conflict can have a negative impact on organizational performance.
Wasted Energy and Resources =
Reduced Compliance
Wasted Time +

3. What Is Conflict?
Conflict is defined as a disagreement over disputed issues or incompatible goals involving two or more parties.

4. Conflict Resolution Styles
Avoidance
Accommodation
Collaboration
Competition
Compromise

5. Conflict Resolution Styles
Avoidance
Advantages
– Allows tempers to cool
– Not all issues need to be confronted
Disadvantages
– Significant conflicts can be ignored
– Allows conflicts to fester
Useful for – Heated emotional situations

6. Conflict Resolution Styles
Accommodation
Advantages
– Achieves short term goals
– Effective for meeting deadlines
Disadvantages
– Breeds resentment
– Destroys creativity
– May lead to power struggles
Useful for
– Future leverage
– When you are wrong

7. Conflict Resolution Styles
Competition
Advantages
– Helps one to focus
– Motivates by challenging
Disadvantages
– All or nothing results
– Alternatives not evaluated
Useful for – Sports & Litigation

8. Conflict Resolution Styles
Compromise
Advantages
– Facilitates resolving competitive disputes – Allows for closure
Disadvantages
– Can bring about a mediocre solutions
– Does not promote creativity
Useful for
– Situations where nothing else works
– Fostering cordiality

9. Conflict Resolution Styles
Collaboration
Advantages
– Promotes problem-solving by identifying
negative aspects of both sides
– Ferrets out hidden agendas
Disadvantages
– Takes time – Cumbersome in emergencies
Useful for
– Long term relationships
– Very important issues

10. What Is My Conflict Style?
Conflict situations are those in which the concerns of two people appear to be incompatible. In such situations, behaviors can be described along two basic dimensions:
     l)   Assertiveness is the extent to which the
individual attempts to satisfy his/her own
concerns; and  2)  Cooperativeness is the extent to which the
individual attempts to satisfy the other
person’s concerns.

11. What Is My Conflict Style?
A Try to Win 
Attempt to please others
Try to strike a balance 
Don't like to make waves 
5. Take a head-in-the-sand approach
6. Have an aversion to risk
7. Put myself in the other person's shoes

12. What Is My Conflict Style?
8. Apply pressure to
persuade others to
see it my way
9. Postpone dealing
with an issue 
10.Insist on my own
position 
11.Submit to the other
person's point of
view 
12. Find a quick
solution
13. Withhold input 
14. Defer to the
concerns of
others 

13. What Is My Conflict Style?
15. Make the best of a
problem situation
16. Discuss issues in
depth
17. Enjoy the
gamesmanship
18. Develop multiple
options
19. Adapt myself to the
other's needs
20. Take no part in the
conflict
21. Try a give and take
approach

14. What Is My Conflict Style?
22. Look for mutually
satisfying solutions 
23. Push for a solution
that meets my
needs
24. Find the middle of
the road approach
25. Look for a
compromise
26. Try a team
approach 
27. Neglect my
concerns to satisfy
others
 28.Seek to satisfy
underlying concerns

15. What Is My Conflict Style?
29. Assert Power
30. Often lose sight of
the bigger picture
31.Seek to maintain
fairness
32.Consider the
other person's
feelings
33.Evade conflict
34. Am not afraid to
confront conflict 
 35.Let well enough
alone

16. What Is My Conflict Style?
1. Assertive – Competitive
2. Cooperative – Accommodating
3. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating
4. Cooperative – Accommodating
5. Unassertive/Uncooperative – Avoidance
6. Cooperative – Accommodating
7. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating

17. What Is My Conflict Style?
8. Assertive – Competitive
9. Unassertive/Uncooperative – Avoidance
10. Assertive – Competitive
11. Cooperative – Accommodating
12. Cooperative – Accommodating
13. Assertive – Competitive
14. Cooperative – Accommodating

18. What Is My Conflict Style?
15. Assertive/Cooperative – Compromising
16. Assertive – Competitive
17. Assertive – Competitive
18. Assertive – Competitive
19. Cooperative – Accommodating
20. Unassertive/Uncooperative – Avoidance
21. Assertive/Cooperative – Compromising

19. What Is My Conflict Style?
22. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating
23. Assertive – Competitive
24. Assertive/Cooperative – Compromising
25. Assertive/Cooperative – Compromising
26. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating
27. Cooperative – Accommodating
28. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating

20. What Is My Conflict Style?
29. Assertive – Competitive
30. Assertive – Competitive
31. Assertive/Cooperative – Compromising
32. Assertive/Cooperative – Collaborating
33. Unassertive/Uncooperative – Avoidance
34. Assertive – Competitive
35. Unassertive/Uncooperative – Avoidance

21. Seven Conflict Strategies
Define what the conflict is about.
It’s not you versus me; it’s you and me versus the problem
Identify your shared points of agreement rather than focusing on your one point of disagreement

22. Seven Conflict Strategies
Sort out interpretations from facts
Develop a sense of forgiveness
Learn to listen actively
Purify your heart

23. Seven Conflict Techniques
Listen without interruption
- Don’t defend yourself – just listen.
Ask questions to increase understanding
Restate key points to establish common ground
Give the other person the benefit of the doubt

24. Seven Conflict Strategies
5. Control your emotions
-Don’t build resentment
-If you can control your emotions, you
can handle the situation
Think before you respond
- State your position calmly
7. Agree on a solution

25. Benefits of the 7 Strategies
There are 4 benefits to the above 7 Steps:
Shifting attention away from you and toward the problem at hand
Very often defuses anger an resentment
Opens the door for you to gain some valuable information
Lets your management team know you are a team player

26. Dealing with Difficult People
“THE BEST WAY OUT OF A DIFFICULT SITUATION IS THROUGH IT!”
Put problem people in proper perspective
Don’t expect difficult people to change
Learn to respond as well as to listen
Give and request constant feedback
Deal directly and discreetly
Be straightforward and unemotional
Be gracious

27. BATNA Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
The BATNA is what you will do independent of the other party should the negotiation fail
Before negotiating, know what you’ll do if you walk away
The benefits of having a BATNA include:
Increased confidence
Ability to focus on the negotiations

28. Self Mediation Process
Find a time to talk
A conversation about having a conversation
No communication = no solution
Plan the context
Remove land mines
Protect the dialogue
Talk it out
Use natural forces toward harmony to produce breakthroughs
Reach agreement
Plan the future

29. Conclusion
“With preparation and practice, dealing with conflict doesn’t have to feel like walking a tightrope!”