Bergen Community College Conflict Styles Questionaire

What’s Your Conflict Management Style?Instructions: Listed below are 15 statements. Each strategy provides a possible strategy for dealing with a conflict.
Give each a numerical value (i.e., 1=Always, 2=Very often, 3=Sometimes, 4= Not very often, 5= Rarely, if
ever.)? Don’t answer as you think you should, answer as you actually behave.
____ a. I argue my case with peers, colleagues and coworkers to demonstrate the merits of the
position I take.
____ b. I try to reach compromises through negotiation.
____ c. I attempt to meet the expectation of others.
____ d. I seek to investigate issues with others in order to find solutions that are mutually acceptable.
____ e. I am firm in resolve when it comes to defending my side of the issue.
____ f. I try to avoid being singled out, keeping conflict with others to myself.
____ g. I uphold my solutions to problems.
____ h. I compromise in order to reach solutions.
____ i. I trade important information with others so that problems can be solved together.
____ j. I avoid discussing my differences with others.
____ k. I try to accommodate the wishes of my peers and colleagues.
____ l. I seek to bring everyone’s concerns out into the open in order to resolve disputes in the best
possible way.
____ m. I put forward middle positions in efforts to break deadlocks.
____ n. I accept the recommendations of colleagues, peers, and coworkers.
____ o. I avoid hard feelings by keeping my disagreements with others to myself.
Scoring: The 15 statements you just read are listed below under five categories. Each category contains the letters of
three statements. Record the number you placed next to each statement. Calculate the total under each category.
STYLE
Competing/Forcing Shark
Collaborating Owl
Avoiding Turtle
Accommodating Teddy Bear
Compromising Fox
TOTAL
a.______
d. _____
f. _____
c._____
b._____
e. _____
i. _____
j. _____
k.______
h.______
g. _____
l. _____
o. _____
n.______
m.______
RESULTS:
My Dominant Style is _____________________________ (your Lowest Score)
MY Back up Style is ______________________________ ( your second lowest score)
Conflict Management Styles
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:
o when conflict involves personal differences that are difficult to change
o when fostering intimate or supportive relationships is not critical
o when others are likely to take advantage of noncompetitive behavior
o when conflict resolution is urgent; when decision is vital in crisis
o 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:
o when the stakes are not high or issue is trivial
o when confrontation will hurt a working relationship
o when there is little chance of satisfying your wants
o when disruption outweighs benefit of conflict resolution
o when gathering information is more important than an immediate decision
o when others can more effectively resolve the conflict
o 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:
o when maintaining the relationship outweighs other considerations
o when suggestions/changes are not important to the accommodator
o when minimizing losses in situations where outmatched or losing
o 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:
o when important/complex issues leave no clear or simple solutions
o when all conflicting people are equal in power and have strong interests in different solutions
o when there 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:
o when maintaining relationships is important
o when time is not a concern
o when peer conflict is involved
o when trying to gain commitment through consensus building
Response Style
Avoidance
Competition
Collaboration
Accommodation
Compromise
Brief Descriptions
Withdraw; Don’t admit conflict exists;
Apathy; Evasion; Flight
Win at other’s expense; Win-lose
conflict; Relies on strength; Forceful
Problem Solving; Attempt to fully
satisfy both parties; Goal is mutual
benefit
Appeasement; Smoothing; Maintain
relationship at all costs; Generous;
Self-sacrificing
Split the difference; Neither party gets
everything it wants
Direction of Conflict
Avoidance
Escalation; Maintenance
Escalation, Maintenance, Reduction,
Avoidance
Reduction; Avoidance
Reduction; Maintenance