Conflict Management Strategies in WorkplaceConflictManagementStrategiesinWorkplace黄玉霞(西南财经大学经贸外语学院)AbstractAsweallknow,itisinevitabletobeconfrontedwithverbalaggressivenessbyemployees,peers,andsupervisorsintheworkplace.Inordertoavoidtheseconflictwithothersinthefutureworkplace,thispaperistodiscussaboutthemanagementstrategiesdealingwiththeseconflicts.Keywordsconflictsmanagementstrategies;workplace1.IntroductionAsamanagerinacompany,thereisnodoubtthathewi11meetsomeproblems1ikeverbalaggressivenessbycolleagues,employeesandthe1ikeinhisworkplace.By1earningsomestrategiesofnegotiationandconflictmanagementpresentedinchapter12ofourtextbook(0Hair,Friedrich&Dixon,2005),asamanagerintheworkplace,therearedifferentstrategiestomaintainhighstandardsofcommunicationeffectivenessandprofessionalisminsuchcircumstances.Thespecificstrategiesareasfollows.2.Strategiesfordealingwithemployees,peersandsupervisorsAccordingtoBlakeandMouton(1964),therearedifferentstrategiestodealwiththeconflictswithotherbyratingconcernforproductionandconcernforpeople,forexample,avoidingstrategiesmeansleastconcernforbothproductionandpeople:collaboratingmeansextremeconcernforbothproductionandpeoplecompromisingmeansconcernforbothproductionandpeopleforthesamedegree:nottoomuch,nottoo1ittle:accommodatingmeansextremeconcernforpeople,leastconcernforproduction:competingmeansextremeconcernforproduction,leastconcernforpeople.SoletsdiSCHSSaboutthedifferentstrategiesdealingwithdifferentconflictswithdifferentpeople.2.1StrategiesfordealingwithemployeesAsamanager,confrontedwithverbalaggressivenessbyemployeesahoutsalary,performancestandards,etc.,hecanbecompromisingandcooperativeinbargaining,suchasindicatingconci1iation.Specifically,fist,hemustcalmdown,thenanalyzethesituationcomprehensively,lastly,hecanpersuadethemthathissituationisworthyoftheirsupport.Thecompetingstrategyisthelastmethodhedliketoresorttoasitwillruintherelationshipbetweenthemandcauseslose一1oseoutcomes.Besides,hecantrytobecollaboratingwiththem,thatis,hewillextremelyconcernforbothcontentandrela-tionalgoals.Forexample,hecansay:Ifyourstatementiscorrect,thengoahead,1wil1supportyOU.882.2StrategiesfordealingwithpeersTheremaybesomeverbalaggressivenessbypeersaboutterritorydisputes,workschedules,etc.Ifthemanagerwereconfrontedwithsuchcircumstances,hemustkeepflexibleandusecriticalthinkingskillsduringthe.negotiation.Cooperativestrategyissti11hisfirstchOice,suchasprovidingclarification,discussion,andseekingasuitableproblemsolvingapproach.OnlyinextremecasescanheHsecompetitivetacticsbecauseheistryingtobecompromisingwiththem,thatis,moderateconcernforbothcontentandrelationalgoals.Forexample,hecansay:Maybebothofusshouldreconsideritandmeeteachotherhalfway.2.3StrategiesfordealingwithsupervisorsSomeverbalaggressivenessmaybemadebybossesonworkperformanceorevenpersonalitydifferences.Ifhewi1lbeconfrontedwithsuchcases.hemustcontrolhir-selfandevaluatetheseissuescarefully.Cooperativestrategy-ishisbestchoice,suchasexpressinghisa-greementwithhispositionandofferingcommitmentsbecausehewantstobeaccommodatingwithhissupervisor,thatis,hewi11higherconcernforrelationalgoalsandlessconcernaboutcontentgoalS.Forexample,hecansay:Igotyourpointofviewand1willdOitasyousaythistime.3.ConclusionInbrief,asamanagerinacompany,theremustbesomeconflictswiththesupervisors,coworkers,andemployees.Sohowtodealwiththeseproblemsbecomesthefirstconcernforthem.Therearedifferentstrategiesforthemtodealwithdifferentsituations,suchasaveiding,collaborating,accommodating,compromisingandcompeting.JustasRahim(1986)putsit,thestatusand0rganizationalpositionswillinfluencetheirstyleofstrategies.Researchhasshown,forexample,thatmanagerstendtobeaccommodatingwithsuperiors,eellaboratingwithsubordinates,andcompromisingwithpeers.References:1OHair,D.,Friedrich,O.W.,&Dixon,L.D.,(2005).strategiccommunicationinbusinessandtheprofessions.5thed.,Boston.1Ih:HoughtonMiminCompany.12JR.R.BlakeandJ.S.Mouton,(1964).111eManagerialGrid.Houston:Gulfl3jM.A.Rahim,(1986).ManagingConflictinOrganizations.NewYork:Praeger.