Aviation Leadership Development - Considering Conflict Management in the Workplace

SofemaOnline (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com considers the best practices to achieve the desired outcome when dealing with Workplace Conflict Management within an Aviation Environment.

How to Handle Conflict? (Thomas-Kilmann Method)

Essentially there are 5 basic possibilities related to the challenge of dealing with Conflict they are:

»Avoiding
»Accommodating
»Competing
»Collaborating
»Compromising

Let's look at each one in turn and consider the merits and negative points:

Avoiding - This approach is low assertiveness and low cooperative. The leader withdraws from the conflict, and therefore no one wins. (could even be perceived to be running away)

»The leader may deal with the conflict in a passive attitude in hopes that the situation just “resolves itself.”
»Whilst avoiding conflict may be effective and seemingly beneficial it prevents the matter from being resolved and can lead to larger issues.
»Useful when emotions are elevated and everyone involved needs time to calm down
»If the issue is of low importance, the team is able to resolve the conflict without participation from leadership

Important Note This approach should not be used when the conflict needs to be resolved in a timely manner and there is no sound business reason to avoid it.

Accommodating - This approach is low related to assertiveness and high in relation to cooperation.

»The leader ignores their own personal concerns in order to fulfill better the concerns of others.
»Essentially they are willing to sacrifice their own needs to “keep the peace” within the team.
»A potential downside is that the leader appears to lose and the other person or party wins.
»Whilst this approach yields an immediate solution to the issue it has the potential to reveal the leader as lacking in strength.
»When the issue is more important to the other person (Builds social credits for future use)
»When damage may result if the leader continues to push their own agenda

Note - This approach should not normally be used when the outcome is critical to the success of the team

Competing  - Highly assertiveness and low in terms of Co-operation

»Fulfills their own concerns at the expense of others.
»Uses any appropriate power they have to win the conflict.
»Whilst can be an effective conflict-handling mode it can lead to new conflict
»Useful when

  º An immediate decision is needed,

  º An outcome is critical and cannot be compromised,

  º Strong leadership needs to be demonstrated,

  º Unpopular actions are needed,

  º When a company or organizational welfare is at stake, and

  º When self-interests need to be protected.

Note 1 - This approach should be avoided when: relationships are under pressure as this may lead to retaliation.

Note 2 - Consider the “Risk” of this approach which should also be avoided if the outcome is not perceived as important due to the potential for a lower level of support in the future.

Collaborating - High assertiveness as well as high in cooperation.

»Both individuals or teams win the conflict.
»The leader works with the team to ensure that a resolution is met that meets the objective
»Typically will require a lot of time, energy and resources to identify the underlying needs of each party.
»Typically the outcome is a solution to the conflict that would not have been produced by a single individual.
»Many leaders encourage collaboration because it leads to positive outcomes, as well as a stronger team structure and creativity within the workplace
»Situations when this mode is useful to include:

  º The issues to be resolved are too important to be compromised

  º To address issues which been interfering with team dynamics

  º To improve team structure and commitment,

  º To take the opportunity to merge ideas from individuals with different viewpoints on a situation

Note - This should be avoided in situations where time, energy and resources are limited or where a quick and vital decision needs to be made.

Compromising – Consists of a mixture of moderate assertiveness as well as  moderate cooperation

»No Winners or Losers
»An acceptable solution that is reached by

  º Splitting the difference between the two positions

  º Seeking a middle ground.

   »Leaders may allow others to take advantage resulting in a negative outcome who use this conflict-handling mode may be able to produce acceptable
   »Can lead to a less optimal outcome because less effort is needed to use this mode.
   »Effective when

  º A temporary and/or quick decision to a complex issue is needed

  º The welfare of the organization will benefit from the compromise of both parties

  º Both parties are of equal power and rank

  º When other modes of conflict-handling are not working

  º When the goals are only moderately important and not worth the time and effort.

Note – Should be avoided when partial satisfaction of each party’s concerns may lead to propagation of the issue or when a leader recognizes that their team is taking advantage of their compromising style

Final Comments

The means in which conflict is managed will determine whether the outcome will be positive and productive, or negative and destructive.

We can address conflict by seeking consensus related to change, development, and transformation in organizations.

Next Steps

Sofema Online offers the opportunity to enroll in Aviation Leadership and Management Skills Development Diploma - see here for details.
https://sofemaonline.com/lms/courses/268-aviation-leadership-and-management-skills-development-diploma/preview

For further guidance or if you have a question please email team@sassofia.com