Conflicts in business communication, psychology and ways to overcome

Conflicts in business communication and the reasons for their occurrence

Conflict situations in business communication allow you to:

Identify an acute problem.
Improve the quality of decisions.
Improve interpersonal skills.
Strengthen your nervous system and character.
Know yourself.

The prerequisites for the emergence of conflicts in the process of business communication are:

A clash of different points of view on the same problem.
Misunderstanding of the interlocutor.

Therefore, conflictology identifies the following causes of conflicts:

Level of education and intelligence.
A person's financial situation.
Rights and responsibilities of employees.
Difficult working conditions.
Undeveloped communication skills.

The psychology of business communication and conflict management suggests maintaining a conversation in the language of the interlocutor:

Use words such as “you”, “your”, “excuse me”, “please”, “thank you” in your conversation.
Speak in simple words. Short words are used more often. And they are remembered better.

Avoid taboo topics. Issues of religion, nationality, politics, economics, and health can cause conflict.

Eliminate jargon, slang, and swear words from your speech.
Say what you mean.
Do what you say.

These simple rules will allow you to effectively structure a business conversation and avoid a dispute at work.

Remember that the impact of conflicts on the results of work and business communication in a team is enormous. After all, conflict in a production team causes psychological discomfort. Contributes to low productivity. It is important to resolve a controversial situation in a timely manner. To do this, study the types of conflicts.

1.2. Intrapersonal conflict

Intrapersonal conflict is a state of a person’s dissatisfaction with any circumstances of his life, associated with the presence of conflicting interests, aspirations, and needs that give rise to affects and stress.

Here, the participants in the conflict are not people, but various psychological factors of the inner world of the individual, which often seem or are incompatible: needs, motives, values, feelings, etc. “Two souls live in my chest...” wrote Goethe. And this conflict can be functional or dysfunctional, depending on how and what decision a person makes and whether he makes it at all. Buridanov's donkey, for example, could not choose one of two completely identical armfuls of hay, thereby dooming himself to starvation. Sometimes in life, not daring to make a choice, not knowing how to resolve intrapersonal conflicts, we become like Buridan’s donkey [7].

Intrapersonal conflicts associated with working in an organization can take various forms. One of the most common is role conflict, when a person’s different roles make conflicting demands on him. For example, being a good family man (the role of father, mother, husband, wife, etc.), a person should spend evenings at home, and his position as a manager may oblige him to stay late at work. Or the head of a section in a bookstore gave instructions to the seller to arrange books in a certain way, and at the same time the merchandiser ordered to take stock of the availability and condition of a certain category of literature. The cause of the first conflict is a mismatch between personal needs and production requirements, and the second is a violation of the principle of unity of command. Internal conflicts can arise in production due to work overload or, conversely, lack of work when it is necessary to be at the workplace.

Classification and types of conflicts

In business communication, all conflicts can be grouped into four groups:

Real conflict . Caused by a person’s desire to obtain a specific result.
Emotional conflict. Rarely occurs in business communication. This behavior is associated with a person’s negative attitude. It is important to show calm here. Show your interlocutor that he can achieve his goal without unnecessary emotions.
Destructive conflict. Does not lead to solving the problem. Can ruin relationships forever. Third parties can help with the solution.
Constructive conflict. Leads to a mutual decision. It is an impetus for the development of the company.

To resolve any conflict, the following methods are used:

Rivalry.
Compromise.
Care.
Device.
Cooperation.

See your opponent as an ally. Then you can constructively approach solving the problem.

To make the conflict constructive, adhere to the following methods of resolving conflicts in business communication:

Show authority. Begin your speech with the personal pronoun “I”.
Be honest with yourself and others . Name your emotion: angry, angry, excited, sad.
Remember the interests of the opposite side.
Don't insult.
Describe your perception of the action of the opposite side of the conflict.

Conflict situations are an integral part of human life. But don't allow yourself to be drawn into destructive conflict. To do this, it is important to know how to resolve conflicts in business communication.

Solutions

There are different ways to resolve any conflict situation. But they are always gradual:

At the first stage, the conflicting parties must understand what led to the conflict, what is its cause and how the opponent views the problem. This helps to understand the essence and understand the second side, and this is already half the battle.
Actions that both partners consider unacceptable for resolving the conflict are determined. Next, a common goal is sought, because of which the dispute must be resolved as quickly as possible.
At the last stage, options for action that will lead to the end of the conflict are jointly found.

It is important to resolve such situations as quickly as possible so that they do not drag on or escalate. After all, problems can accumulate as fast as a snowball!

Overcoming conflicts in business communication

We recommend using the following methods of conflict resolution in your activities:

Show restraint.
Avoid conflict agents. Distrust, interruption, emphasizing social status cause a negative reaction from the partner.
Put yourself in the other person's shoes.
Don't respond to aggression with aggression. There will be no constructive result.
Show respect for your interlocutor with a smile, a kind word, and support.

These methods regulate behavior in conflict situations in business communication. After all, people behave differently in conflict situations.

Therefore, in psychology there are five ways of behavior in conflict situations in business communication:

Shark. Focused on winning. Used by authoritarian people. There is only one correct opinion - mine!

Teddy bear. Inferior in everything. It operates on the principle: “Let’s live together.” Uses all methods to avoid a quarrel.

Owl . Willingness to cooperate.

Turtle. Avoids the problem. It operates on the principle: “The dog barks, the caravan moves on.”

Fox. It operates on the principle “You give me, I give you.” Compromise strategy.

The named methods characterize the tactics of human behavior in conflict. Remember that some conflicts should be avoided. You should not get into an argument with people in line at the hospital or at the post office. These conflicts will take up your time and nerves.

But conflicts in business communication should be analyzed, their logic determined, and managed. After all, it is impossible to avoid conflicts in business communication. Conflict is an indicator of the development of an organization. But it is possible to prevent the occurrence, avoid or find ways to resolve conflict in business communication using the methods discussed.

Preventive actions

Every business conflict is easier and wiser to prevent and prevent than to resolve later. The following recommendations can help greatly:

Maintain a fair company policy aimed at equal distribution of benefits for all employees.
Creating a comfortable environment for work.
Prescribing measures to resolve disputes.
Avoiding emergency situations.
Preventing the influence of personal problems on the work activities of the entire team.

When faced with a conflict situation, a person can take two different paths: try to avoid it or accept it for a constructive solution. The first path leads either to a painless resolution of the problem, or, conversely, to prolongation. The second path is active and therefore often turns out to be productive. It helps you develop your communication skills, as well as gain experience in difficult business communication.

When faced with a conflict situation, a person can take two different paths: try to avoid it or accept it for a constructive solution.

Bibliography

Business psychology. Textbook for higher and secondary special educational institutions / Ed. Morozov A.V. - St. Petersburg: Soyuz. 2000. – 354 p.
Conflictology. Textbook for universities / Ed. AND I. Antsupova. — M.: Unity. 1999.- 551 p.
Conflictology. Textbook / Ed. A.V. Dmitriev. – M.: 2000. – 320 p.
Psychology of conflict. Textbook / Ed. N.V. Grishina. - SPb.: Peter. 2000.-343 p.
Psychology. Textbook for economic universities / Ed. V.N.Druzhinina. - St. Petersburg: Peter. 2002.- 456 p.
Psychology and ethics of business communication. Textbook for universities / Ed. Lavrinenko V.N. – M.: UNITY. 1997. – 279 p.
Burtovaya E.V. Conflictology. https://www.iu.ru/biblio/archive/unknown_konflictions/57.aspx.
Leonov N.I. Reader on conflictology. https://www.iu.ru/biblio/archive/unknown_konflictions/57.aspx.

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2.1. Participants in the conflict

Another basic element of social conflict is its participants. Ultimately, they are always individuals with their own interests, goals and values. However, social life is not limited to the interaction of individuals. In society there are various social groups, communities, peoples, political entities, legal entities, etc., which can also act as participants in confrontation. Thus, there can be a great variety of participants in the conflict, as well as the conflicts themselves.

Modern conflictology divides all participants in the conflict into main (direct) and non-main (indirect).

1 The main participants in the conflict are always direct, immediate parties involved in the confrontation. They play a decisive and most active role in its emergence and development. The main participants in the conflict are its main characters and the contradiction of their interests lies at the heart of the confrontation. Therefore, the main participants are called subjects, or opponents (from the Latin opponents - objector) of the conflict.

In connection with the potential or power possessed by the parties involved in the conflict, there is such a thing as the rank of the opponent. The more opportunities a conflict participant has to influence the course of the confrontation, the higher his rank. In this case, ranking can be done on various grounds: physical strength, political and economic power, resource, administrative or information potential, etc. The rank of the conflict participants is directly related to their social status - the position occupied in society in accordance with the profession, age, marital status and social role of the conflict participant. In various conflict situations, the different potential of the conflict participants is also in demand. So, if there is a physical fight, the rank of opponents will be determined by their muscular strength; in economic fights it will depend on their economic potential.

2 Non-main parties to the conflict include all other parties to the conflict. They are often also called indirect participants in the conflict. By definition, they play a secondary role in the emergence and development of the conflict. Often non-main parties to the conflict are also called third parties.

The role of non-main participants in the conflict can be both constructive (positive) and destructive (negative) - they can contribute not only to the resolution or prevention of the conflict, but also to its aggravation and further development. At the same time, the result of the intervention of a non-main participant in the conflict may not coincide with its goals. They say about such a case that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or the modern version - “we wanted the best, but it turned out as always.”

Among the indirect participants in the conflict, we should highlight groups that are specially created to support one or another subject of the conflict. These are called support groups. Support groups can be provided by friends, subjects connected with opponents by some obligations, work colleagues. In intergroup and interstate conflicts, these are states, various interstate associations, public organizations, and the media.

Other participants also play an important role in the emergence and development of the conflict:

• initiators (instigators);

• organizers;

• accomplices;

• intermediaries (mediators).

1) Initiators (instigators) - those participants in the conflict who take the initiative in starting a conflict between other individuals, groups or states. They can be individuals, various associations and even states. These can be both core and non-core participants. After a conflict has arisen, the initiator of the conflict may not participate in it. A person who starts a squabble in a team may then go into the shadows or quit his job altogether, and the conflict will continue without him.

2) Organizers - a group of people (or an individual) developing a general plan for confrontation with an opponent in order to resolve the contradiction in their favor. Organizing a conflict means thinking through all its dynamics in such a way that the expected benefits as a result of its end are greater than the losses. The organizers can be both the main and non-main participants in the conflict.

3) Accomplices - persons who help participants in the conflict in its initiation, organization and development. Accomplices can be both spontaneous groups of people and specially created ones, as well as individuals. The assistance provided by supporters can be of a very different nature: material, ideological, moral, resource, informational, administrative, etc. The accomplices were countries that provided one form or another of assistance to Nazi Germany in World War II.

4) Intermediaries (mediators) - a third party in the conflict and its indirect participants. The role of the mediator is the role of an authoritative assistant called upon by the subjects of the conflict to resolve the problem. This role can be played by individuals, organizations and states. An important feature of a mediator is his authority, recognized by both parties to the conflict. Therefore, only people or organizations that are chosen by both parties to the conflict can act as a mediator. In this case, both official and informal organizations can act as intermediaries. Such intermediaries at various levels and in various capacities can be: magicians, sorcerers, elders, thieves in law, clergy, prominent cultural figures, statesmen, international organizations such as the UN, etc.

The purpose of mediation is to achieve an end to the conflict by finding a compromise between its opponents. Therefore, the mediator must have the appropriate qualities for this: the ability to negotiate, wisdom, special knowledge, culture of communication, high moral principles. He must also take a neutral position in relation to its participants, even in cases where his personal sympathies or beliefs run counter to the position of any of the parties. Otherwise, one of the parties will refuse such an intermediary [7].

Practical task

Match the types of conflicts and their causes:

Intrapersonal conflict;
Interpersonal conflict;
Intergroup conflict;
Organizational conflict.

Differences in culture and socio-psychological personality type;
Competition for a group to obtain limited resources;
Conflict between formal and informal groups.

1 – d.

2 – b. Competition [lat. concurro - running, colliding] (in social psychology) - one of the main forms of organizing interpersonal and social interaction, characterized by the achievement of individual or group goals and interests in conditions of confrontation with other individuals or groups pursuing the same goals and interests.

3 – a, since frustration (Latin frustratio - “deception”, “failure”, “vain expectation”, “disorder of plans”) is a mental state that arises in a situation of real or perceived impossibility of satisfying certain needs.

4 – c, since intergroup conflict arises between different (formal and informal) groups in the organization, between higher and lower levels of management.

1.4. Intergroup conflict

This conflict is expressed in the clash of interests of various groups. This type includes conflicts between social groups of very different sizes: small, medium and large.

A small social group is a collection of people who are in direct interaction and united by common goals and objectives of joint activities: a school class, a student group, a production team, a department staff, a family. The quantitative composition of a small group can vary from a few people to several dozen people. Such groups can be formal (official), having a clearly fixed structure, charter, hierarchy of positions, and informal, arising spontaneously, based on personal qualities. They can also be temporary or permanent, open or closed.

Medium social groups are, for example, the staff of an enterprise, educational institution, or military unit. Such groups are characterized by an institutional organization, and their main role and task are determined by their official social status. A typical average group is a relatively independent organization that has its own status and functions in the system of social division of labor or non-labor activities (political associations, interest groups). These groups, as a rule, are not temporary, but permanent, and have their own established structure, hierarchy, administration, and governing bodies.

Large social groups include such entities as social classes, political parties, castes, social strata (strata), ethnic communities, national entities, and large religious associations. Such groups are constituted on the basis of essential characteristics common to all members (economic, political, religious, etc.).

It should be noted that it is the conflict between large social groups that some researchers call social conflict in the proper sense of the word, in contrast to intrapersonal, interpersonal and intragroup conflicts, as well as conflicts between small groups.

The causes of intergroup conflicts can be very different: economic, political, national-ethnic, etc. Different levels of social groups have their own characteristics of conflict occurrence and ways of resolving them. Thus, at the level of small groups, a factor such as social identification of groups plays a large role in the emergence of intergroup conflict. It is expressed in the formation of a sense of belonging to the group, identifying oneself with its other members, creating the quality of “we”, as opposed to “they” or “not-us”. “We” are ours, ours, “they” are others who differ from “us”. Thus, social identification has its reverse side, social differentiation, which contains the possibility of intergroup conflict. Moreover, the grounds for social identification can be very different: economic, sociocultural, racial, etc.

At the level of large social groups, the causes of conflicts are larger in scale and depth. Thus, when ethnic conflicts arise, the territorial claims of one of the ethnic groups often play an important role. The basis of political conflicts is the struggle for power, for political dominance in society [7].