The purpose of this lesson is for the student to gain a working knowledge of conflict resolution. First, conflict will be defined and the positive and negative effects of conflict discussed. Then some basic conflict resolution strategies will be described for your use as a management tool. This lesson is designed to give the reader a basic understanding of the tools available to resolve conflict between two groups—but since conflict resolution is a human science there are many variables to mediation that can only be learned from practical exercise.

Webster defines conflict as a "state of disharmony." Richard Hughes claims in the book Leadership, Enhancing the Lessons of Experience that, "conflict occurs when two opposing parties have interests or goals that appear to be incompatible" (Hughes 363) . He goes on to site a good (and familiar) example of how competing interests can result in conflict when he quotes two well-known leaders:

-George Bush before the allied attack on Iraq

-Saddam Hussein before the allied attack on Iraq (363)

Conflict can occur anytime there is a high level of interdependence, differences of values or beliefs, resources or rewards are scarce, people are under a great deal of stress, or they face an uncertain environment. But, according to Hughes, the most common cause of conflict is a breakdown in communications (this is where you as a leader can preemptively have great impact on your organization by improving communications skills and practices within your organization). In defining conflict we must also recognize some barriers to resolution often exist intrinsic to the problem. First, the size of the issue, the interest that the parties have vested in the outcome, and hidden agendas will affect possible outcomes. Next, the negotiator may be starting at a significant deficit if the situation is seen as either win/lose (where one will walk away a loser), a zero-sum situation (could be partial satisfaction for both), or the situation may simply be seen as totally unresolvable from the start (365). Finally, conflict can have both positive and negative affects. The negative effects are common and more often than not the result of conflict (reduced productivity, decreased communication, and negative feelings for example). On the other hand, small doses of conflict may actually be healthy. Competition increases a team’s effort and pent up feelings are often revealed and offer better understanding of our teammates. These positive instances however are rare and certainly risky enough to preclude seeking them out!

There are four negotiation tips that Fisher and Ury teach us in their book, Getting to Yes: 1) prepare for a negotiating session; 2) keep the people and problems separate; 3) focus on issues; and 4) seek win-win outcomes. First, preparing for a negotiating session involves preparing physically (neutral, comfortable workspace that is conducive to discussion), and mentally (researching the issues from all sides). Being prepared puts you at an advantage from the very start because you have an objective view of the situation and an unbiased interest. Second, keeping the people and problems separate is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Our attempts to resolve conflict can quickly turn to a "blame-game" when the discussion is focused more on the people, and not the processes. Rarely does a discussion like this ever "fix" a problem—and often it can exacerbate one. Thirdly, Fisher and Ury claim that we need to focus on the issue by addressing interests not positions. Here is an example. Cadet-A has been using a specific room to teach a course for the last several weeks. When she arrives this week, however, Cadet-B is using the room for a special project. If Cadet-A were to become irate and insist on using the room she always uses, then she would be focused on her position in the conflict. If, instead, Cadet-A turned her efforts on finding another room (or working out a new schedule) that was equally adequate, she would be focused on the interest—this would be most constructive. Finally, working toward a solution where both sides of the conflict feel as if they are winners should be the goal of every session. Although it is not realistic to think that every conflict can be resolved in such an ideal fashion, it is a worthy goal requiring hard work, creativity, and sound strategy to reach.

In addition to the negotiating recommendations from Fisher and Ury, Hughes prescribes five conflict resolution strategies: competition, accommodation, sharing, collaboration, and avoidance. Hughes defines these strategies in relation to the level of cooperation (the party’s desire to satisfy the other’s concern) and assertiveness (the party’s desire to satisfy their own concerns) that exist. First, competition is a win-lose orientation where the desire to cooperate is low and assertiveness is high. This strategy is appropriate when quick decisions are vital (emergencies) or there is no popular decision to be found (like increasing dues in order to keep operating). Second, accommodation is the antithesis of competition where cooperation is high and assertiveness low. This strategy is valuable when it is important to appease the other party (unstable personality), the issue is not very important to you, or when you find yourself in the wrong on an issue. The third strategy, sharing, is a compromise where medium assertiveness and cooperation are prominent. This zero-sum strategy may be as simple as sharing a room instead of having it to yourself. The fourth strategy, collaboration, is the acme of negotiation whereby everyone wins. This strategy is when both assertiveness and cooperation are high and the concerns are both vitally and equally important. This orientation is certainly the one that will require the most time and effort to resolve—but the rewards is worth it. Finally, the last strategy is avoidance. You are neither assertive nor cooperative in this instance. This strategy is normally reserved for an issue too trivial to waste time on, used as an initial strategy to allow parties to "cool down," or when others may resolve the conflict more effectively (370-373).

No one strategy is appropriate in all situations—each requires a different amount of time, energy, and cooperation. The examples listed with each strategy are just the beginning of a never-ending list of possibilities (and you may use a strategy anywhere in between or even change strategy midstream). The best one can do is to first recognize where all parties are oriented with respect to assertiveness and willingness to cooperate, then have realistic objectives based on the strategy you are about to employ, and finally, take advantage of the negotiating tips mentioned earlier. Finally, this skill can only be developed with time and practice. This lesson works in concert with the counseling lesson (Lesson 15) as conflict resolution requires the same skill set that counseling does—they both require tools that are valuable to the CAP member (or any other position requiring leadership) and are well worth the investment in time and energy!