DEALING WITH CONFLICT 6
Chapter 6 Changes from the 9th Edition to the 10th Edition
The entire chapter has been updated with 53 (98%) new references to this new edition.
When the text refers back to the opening case to illustrate the application of the text to the
case, it is now identified to stand out making them easier to find.
The opening section has been shortened a bit and has all new references to support the
value of the chapter topics.
The section on Anger and Violence in the Workplace has been shortened a bit.
The Resolving Conflicts with the Collaborating Conflict Style has been shortened a bit.
There is a new end of chapter case, HP.
Chapter Outline
I. HOW INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS AFFECTS BEHAVIOR, HUMAN RELATIONS, AND
PERFORMANCE
II. TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
A. Ego States and Types of Transactions
1. Ego States. 2. Types of Transactions.
B. Life Positions and Stroking
III. ASSERTIVENESS
A. Passive Behavior.
B. Aggressive Behavior.
C. Passive-Aggressive Behavior.
D. Assertive Behavior.
1. Being assertive, 2. Assertiveness steps.
IV. ANGER AND VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
A. Causes of Anger and Violence
B. Dealing With Anger
C. Preventing Violence
V. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES
A. Reasons for Conflict and Avoiding Conflict
B. The Forcing Conflict Style.
C. The Avoiding Conflict Style.
D. Accommodating Conflict Style.
E. Compromising Conflict Style.
F. Collaborating Conflict Style.
VI. RESOLVING CONFLICTS WITH THE COLLABORATIVE
A. Initiating Conflict Resolution.
B. Responding to Conflict Resolution.
C. Mediating Conflict Resolution.
VII. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
LECTURE OUTLINE PLUS
Power Point: You may use the Power Point supplement to enhance your lectures. Even if your classroom is not
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copy the slides. Copies of the slides can be made into overheads.
I. HOW INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS AFFECTS BEHAVIOR,
HUMAN RELATIONS, AND PERFORMANCE
See text for short discussion
II. TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
Self-Assessment Exercise 6-1 Your Preferred TA Style
KT- Transactional analysis- a method of understanding behavior in interpersonal dynamics.
A. Ego States and Types of Transactions
For details of the ego states, see Exhibit 6.1
1. Ego States. The three ego states are:
1. Parent. The critical parent is evaluative, while the sympathetic parent is supportive.
2. Child. The natural child is curious, while the adapted child is rebellious.
3. Adult. The adult is a thinking unemotional state of ego.
LO 1. Describe the three ego states of transactional analysis.
The three ego states are: (1) Parent. The critical parent is evaluative, while the sympathetic parent is
2. Types of Transactions. The three types of transactions are:
For details of the types of transactions, see Exhibit 6.2
1. Complementary. They occur when the sender of the message gets the intended response from the
receiver.
2. Crossed. They occur when the sender does not get the expected response.
3. Ulterior. They occur when the person appears to be in one ego state, but their behavior comes from a
different ego state.
LO 2. Explain the three types of transactions.
The three types of transactions are: (1) Complementary. They occur when the sender of the message
gets the intended response from the receiver. (2) Crossed. They occur when the sender does not get the
WA 1- Give an example of a complementary transaction you experienced. Be sure to identify ego
states.
SA- Me, from the adult ego state, “pass me the Gramoldy file please” Karen, from the adult ego state,
WA 2- Give an example of a crossed transaction you experienced. Be sure to identify ego states.
SA- Rich, from the adult ego state- “please help me move the order out to the truck.” Ben, from the
WA 3- Give an example of an ulterior transaction you experienced. Be sure to identify ego states.
SA- My roommate asked me which outfit to wear, in an adult manner; but when I selected one, in an
adult manner, my roommate said it didn’t look good on. My roommate’s second response came from
Application Situations
Transactional Analysis, AS 6.1
1. C. Ulterior. The responder, Karen, seems to be coming from an adult ego state, but is coming from a
2. B. Crossed. Sandy, it the child ego, is asking for help from Rob hoping for a sympathetic parent ego.
3. B. Crossed. Latoya is asking the question on an adult level. However, Shawn came back with an
4. A. Complementary. This is a child to child exchange; which is getting now where. An adult response
5. A. Complementary. This is an adult to adult transaction.
B. Life Positions and Stroking
Exhibit 6.3 may be shown to illustrate the four life positions.
1. Life positions. I’m OK- You’re not OK, I’m OK- You’re OK, I’m not OK- You’re not OK, I’m not OK-
You’re OK.
2. Stroking. Strokes are our behavior with others. Strokes can be positive and make other people feel
good about themselves, or they can be negative and hurt human relations.
WA 4- Identify your present/past boss’s life position, and use of stroking.
SA- My boss’s life position was I’m OK- You’re not OK. He always bragged about what a good worker
SB 6.1 Transactional Analysis, may be used to better understand interpersonal dynamics.
III. ASSERTIVENESS
Self-Assessment Exercise 6-2 Your Use of the Assertiveness Style
KT- assertiveness- the process of expressing thoughts and feelings while asking for what one wants in
an appropriate way.
1. Assertiveness is becoming more global.
A. Passive Behavior.
Passive behavior is nonassertive. The passive person gives in to others without standing up for his or
her rights. Continued passiveness is usually destructive to the individual and organization.
B. Aggressive Behavior.
Aggressive behavior includes the use of force to get one’s own way; often at the expense of violating
other’s rights. Aggressive behavior is usually meet with fight or flight response; both result in hurt
human relations and decreased performance.
C. Passive-Aggressive Behavior.
Passive-aggressive behavior tends to take three forms: 1. The user changes back and forth and is
unpredictable. 2. The person uses passive behavior during the situation, than takes it out on others. EX.
A person has a bad day at work and says nothing. Than s/he goes home and yells at the family all night.
3. The blow up. This behavior begins with passive behavior. The person does not stand up for his or
her rights and lets the anger build up until exploding with aggressive behavior. Passive-aggressive
behavior usually results in hurt human relations and performance.
WA 5- Recall an example of when you used/observed passive-aggressive behavior. How did it affect
human relations?
SA- My boyfriend does this all the time. I do these little things that bother him but he doesn’t say
D. Assertive Behavior.
LO 3. Identify the difference between passive, aggressive, and assertive behavior.
(1) Passive behavior is nonassertive. The passive person gives in to the other party without standing up
1. Being assertive.
Exhibit 6-4, Passive, Assertive, and Aggressive Phrases, may be show.
WA 7- Recall an actual situation you faced. Identify a passive, aggressive, and assertive response to the
situation.
SA- The situation I face is my roommate having his girl friend over all the time and it affects my
studying.
-Passive response. “I would say nothing, just do my best or go study somewhere else.
-Assertive response. When the two of us are alone I could say something like, “I’m glad you and Jean
2. Assertiveness steps.
Model 6.1, Assertiveness Steps, may be shown.
1. set an objective, 2. determine how to create a win-win situation, 3. develop an assertive phrase, 4.
implement your plan persistently.
LO 4. List the four steps of assertive behavior.
(1) Set an objective. (2) Determine how to create a win-win situation. (3) Develop an assertive phrase.
Application Situations
Assertiveness, AS-6.2
6. C. Assertive. This question addresses the legitimacy of the request and gives the supervisor a chance
7. A. Passive. The person is going to do the request, rather than stand up for the right to do the more
8. B. Aggressive. Calling the supervisor’s request stupid is aggressive behavior.
IV. ANGER AND VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
A. Causes of Anger and Violence
Desk rage and customer rage can take the form of yelling, verbal abuse, and physical violence.
B. Dealing With Anger
1. Your Anger and Emotional Behavior Control.
2. Anger of Others and Emotional Behavior Control.
C. Preventing Violence
1. Signs of Potential Violence
See text for list of signs.
2. Individual Prevention of Violence
WA 7- Recall a situation in which someone was angry with you, preferably your boss. What was the cause of the
anger? Did the person display any signs of potential violence? If so, what were they? How well did the person deal
with his or her anger? Give specific tips the person did and did not follow.
SA- My boss was mad when I made an error. He did not display any signs of violence. He did a good job, as he did
WA 8- Recall a situation in which you were angry with someone. What was the cause of your anger? Did you
display any signs of potential violence? If so, what were they? How well did you deal with your anger? Give
specific tips you did and did not follow.
I got mad when a coworker agreed to do a report the same way I did it, but he did not. I did not show any signs of
SB 6.2- Assertiveness, can be used to develop assertiveness ability.
V. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES
KT- Conflict- it exist whenever two or more parties are in disagreement. (Discuss: as you have read,
conflict management skills are important).
LO 5. Explain when a conflict exists.
1. Conflict has positive benefits. A balance of conflict is needed.
WA 8- Describe a conflict you observed in an organization, preferably one you have been associated
with. Classify the conflict by the people involved and the reasons of the conflict.
SA- Conflict is abundant at the bank I work for. I have a conflict with my boss in the way we approach
things differently, it slows us down when we have to iron out how I will perform a task. The type of
Self-Assessment Exercise 6-3
Exhibit 6-5, Management Conflict Styles, may be shown as you cover the five styles.
A.Reasons for Conflict and Avoiding Conflict
We are in conflict when people don’t meet our expectations (the psychological contract)
1. Conflict has Advantages and Disadvantages. Conflict can lead to change that improves
performance. However, conflict can also decrease performance if not resolves.
B. The Forcing Conflict Style.
KT- forcing conflict style- the user attempts to resolve the conflict by using aggressive behavior. It
creates an autocratic win-lose situation. It should be used when the conflict is of personal differences,
relationships are not important, and time is short. EX. A supervisor asks an employee to perform a task
right away because it must be sent out that day. The employee disagrees. The forcing style should be
used to get the job done.
1. Advantages and disadvantages of the forcing style.
2. Appropriate use of the forcing style.
C. The Avoiding Conflict Style.
KT- avoiding conflict style- the user attempts to passively ignore the conflict rather than resolve it.
When avoiding takes place the conflict is not resolved. It should be used when one feels the conflict is
1. Advantages and disadvantages of the avoiding conflict style.
2. Appropriate use of the avoiding conflict style.
D. Accommodating Conflict Style.
KT- accommodating conflict style- the user attempts to resolve the conflict by passively giving in to
the other party. The accommodator goes along with ideas they do not agree with, in order to avoid a
conflict. This style should be used when maintaining relations are the most important considerations,
1. Advantages and disadvantages of the accommodating conflict style.
2. Appropriate use of the accommodating conflict style.
E. Compromising Conflict Style.
KT- Compromising conflict style- the user attempts to resolve the conflict through assertive give and
take concessions. There are times when the supervisor cannot have things his or her way and must
compromise. Compromise should take place when the issues are complex and critical, there is no
1. Advantages and disadvantages of the compromising conflict style.
2. Appropriate use of the compromising conflict style.
F. Collaborating Conflict Style.
KT- collaborating conflict style- the user assertively attempts to jointly resolve the conflict with the
best solution agreeable to all parties. This style is generally the preferred style, but cannot be used at all
1. Advantages and disadvantages of the collaborating style.
2. Appropriate use of the collaborating conflict style.