having a conflict over setting deadlines to complete a project on time may decide that
problem solving is the best strategy to use.
This chapter’s Learning About Yourself Exerciseon page 213–214 gives you the opportu-
nity to discover your preferred conflict-handling strategy. As well, this chapter’s CBC Video
Case Incidentshows tow men’s preference in handling their conflic. OB in Action—Choosing
Strategies to Deal With Conflictsindicates the situations in which each strategy is best used.
The disagreement between the City of Vancouver and developer Peter Wall pro-
duced a compromise that could be called a lose-lose solution, as the followingOB in
the Street shows.
Chapter 6 Communication, Conflict, and Negotiation 203OB IN THE STREETOne Wall Centre Goes Two-Toned
Is compromise necessarily the best way to go? When developer Peter Wall hired
architect Peter Busby to design One Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver, the two
planned a massive glass skyscraper.^53 City council reviewed the plans and okayed
the design, even granting a building height considerably higher than those in the
surrounding neighbourhood.
The plans made the building look translucent, but as the tower went up, the
glass looked black and impenetrable. Complaints started coming in to City Hall,
because the assumption had been that the building would use clear glass. The archi-
tect said that Wall had changed his mind about the colour of the glass once con-
struction started. Wall claimed, however, that the city had
approved the darker glass sample in use. Unfortunately, no
one could find the glass samples.
A planned lawsuit by the city was stopped for lack of evi-
dence. So the two sides reached a compromise: The 48-storey
building would have its lower levels in blackened glass, and
the top 17 floors in lighter glass, rather than tearing down the
building and starting over. Neither the city nor the devel-
oper obtained their preferred solution, and meanwhile res-
idents of Vancouver will have the two-tone building, a visible
reminder of the outcome of compromise, towering over
them for many years to come.What Can Individuals Do to Manage
Conflict?
There are a number of conflict resolution techniques that indi-
viduals can use to try to defuse conflict inside and outside the
workplace. These include the following:^54
- Problem solving. Requesting a face-to-face meeting to
identify the problem and resolve it through open
discussion. - Developing superordinate goals.Creating a shared goal
that requires both parties to work together, and moti-
vates them to do so. - Smoothing. Playing down differences while emphasiz-
ing common interests with the other party.
OB IN ACTION
Choosing Strategies to Deal With
Conflicts^55
Forcing
➔In emergencies
➔On important but unpopular issues
➔On vital issues when you know you are right
➔Against people who take advantage of noncompeti-
tive behaviour
Problem solving
➔If both sets of concerns are too important to be
compromised
➔To merge different perspectives
➔To gain commitment through a consensus
➔To mend a relationship
Avoiding
➔When an issue is trivial
➔When your concerns won’t be met
➔When potential disruption outweighs the benefits of
resolution
➔To let people cool down and regain perspective
continuedBuggy Wars