Whatever your conflict style, it is helpful to know how you engage with conflict. There can be advantages/disadvantages to each of these styles and may be appropriate depending on the situation. Take a look at the conflict styles below to determine what style you lean to in the face of conflict.

The Competing Shark

• Sharks use a forcing or competing conflict management style
• Sharks are highly goal-oriented
• Relationships take on a lower priority
• Sharks do not hesitate to use aggressive behavior to resolve conflicts
• Sharks can be autocratic, authoritative, and uncooperative; threatening and intimidating
• Sharks have a need to win; therefore others must lose, creating win-lose situations
• Advantage: If the shark's decision is correct, a better decision without compromise can result
• Disadvantage: May breed hostility and resentment toward the person using it
• Appropriate times to use a Shark style
  • when conflict involves personal differences that are difficult to change
  • when fostering intimate or supportive relationships is not critical
  • when others are likely to take advantage of noncompetitive behavior
  • when conflict resolution is urgent; when decision is vital in crisis
  • when unpopular decisions need to be implemented

The Avoiding Turtle

• Turtles adopt an avoiding or withdrawing conflict management style
• Turtles would rather hide and ignore conflict than resolve it; this leads them uncooperative and unassertive
• Turtles tend to give up personal goals and display passive behavior creating lose-lose situations
• Advantage: may help to maintain relationships that would be hurt by conflict resolution
• Disadvantage: Conflicts remain unresolved, overuse of the style leads to others walking over them
• Appropriate times to use a Turtle Style:
  • when the stakes are not high or issue is trivial
  • when confrontation will hurt a working relationship
  • when there is little chance of satisfying your wants
  • when disruption outweighs benefit of conflict resolution
  • when gathering information is more important than an immediate decision
  • when others can more effectively resolve the conflict
  • when time constraints demand a delay

The Accommodating Teddy Bear

• Teddy bears use a smoothing or accommodating conflict management style with emphasis on human relationships
• Teddy bears ignore their own goals and resolve conflict by giving into others; unassertive and cooperative creating a win-lose (bear is loser) situation
• Advantage: Accommodating maintains relationships
• Disadvantage: Giving in may not be productive, bear may be taken advantage of
• Appropriate times to use a Teddy Bear Style
  • when maintaining the relationship outweighs other considerations
  • when suggestions/changes are not important to the accommodator
  • when minimizing losses in situations where outmatched or losing
  • when time is limited or when harmony and stability are valued

The Compromising Fox

• Foxes use a compromising conflict management style; concern is for goals and relationships
• Foxes are willing to sacrifice some of their goals while persuading others to give up part of theirs
• Compromise is assertive and cooperative-result is either win-lose or lose-lose
• Advantage: relationships are maintained and conflicts are removed
• Disadvantage: compromise may create less than ideal outcome and game playing can result
• Appropriate times to use a Fox Style
  • when important/complex issues leave no clear or simple solutions
  • when all conflicting people are equal in power and have strong interests in different solutions
  • when their are no time restraints

The Collaborating Owl

• Owls use a collaborating or problem confronting conflict management style valuing their goals and relationships
• Owls view conflicts as problems to be solved finding solutions agreeable to all sides (win-win)
• Advantage: both sides get what they want and negative feelings eliminated
• Disadvantage: takes a great deal of time and effort
• Appropriate times to use an Owl Style
  • when maintaining relationships is important
  • when time is not a concern
  • when peer conflict is involved
  • when trying to gain commitment through consensus building
  • when learning and trying to merge differing perspectives

Source: Mastering Human Relations, 3rd Ed. by A. Falikowski 2002 Pearson Education http://www.pearsoned.ca