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With the goal of fostering healthy and productive work relationships, many of us strive to come to a mutual agreement when conflict arises with a colleague. An article from the Society for Human Resources Management confirmed this. They noted a survey where 64% of respondents agreed they would rather compromise than perpetuate a conflict at work by continuing to argue their point. The compromising conflict style is one of five conflict resolution strategies individuals use when a dispute arises. In an assessment by the Niagara Institute, we uncovered the compromising conflict management style was the second most popular, with 24.4% of respondents using this style. Take the Conflict Management Styles Quiz at the bottom of this article to see if you approach conflict with the compromising style. Two US psychologists, Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann developed the five conflict management styles to categorize how individuals respond to conflict. Their model chart each style based on how assertive or cooperative they are in their model. The compromising style falls directly in the center. Unlike the collaborating conflict style, which focuses on creating a win-win, those who use the compromising conflict style focus on settling a conflict by finding a mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies everyone involved. It is best adopted in conflicts where you do not have a lot invested or where the topic is only moderately important to you. In which cases, you’d be more willing to give up some or most of what you want to settle the conflict quickly and preserve the relationship. You’re not intent on finding the perfect solution, just one that is “good enough” so that you can move forward with as little fallout as possible. While this is arguably a fair and equal way to resolve a conflict, as both parties have to give something up, the fact is that the resolution is often unsatisfying and temporary as it does not address and solve the root of the conflict. Not to mention, it may leave residual feelings of frustration and resentment, which cause the issue to arise again or for those involved to be unwilling to compromise again. Advantages of the Compromising Conflict Style
Disadvantages of the Compromising Conflict Style
3 Lessons Everyone Can Learn from the Compromising Conflict StyleUse Compromises as Temporary Solutions
Take The Quiz - What’s Your Conflict Management Style?When you find yourself trying to resolve conflict at work, how do you handle the situation and pressure associated with it? Take this quiz to understand which conflict management style you naturally use and read the corresponding guide to select the right style for different scenarios you may encounter at work. How can compromise resolve conflict?Compromising - attempting to resolve a conflict by identifying a solution that is partially satisfactory to both parties, but completely satisfactory to neither.
What is true about compromise conflict management approach?The compromising conflict style is often referred to as the “lose-lose” method. When you address conflict with this style, you encourage each side to make some significant sacrifices. By definition, this means that neither side gets exactly what they want.
Why is compromising important in conflict negotiation?Compromise: A person who typically uses a compromising conflict style attempts to balance the needs of both or all sides in a conflict by encouraging everyone to give in on at least some points. This style of conflict can be more time-consuming and require more "people skills" than other conflict resolution techniques.
What are two benefits of compromising?Advantages of the Compromising Conflict Style. Leads to resolutions that are “good enough” so the focus can return to more important or pressing matters.. Allows conflicts to be resolved quickly.. No one person “wins” as all parties involved experience some wins and losses.. |