Four Different Ways of Dealing with Conflict

The Writing of Business

Four Different Ways of Dealing with Conflict

Bullying: Win-lose In bullying, your concern is for your own satisfaction with the resolution of the conflict with no regard for achieving your opponent's (your reader's) goals. The mindset here is simply winning a fight.	Problem-solving: Win-win Problem-solving requires a shared commitment to satisfying both your own and your reader's goals. It requires trust and mutual respect and an effort to understand each other's goals.
Avoiding: Lose-lose If avoiding is strategic at all, it is a negative strategy. Some counter-productive game-like tactics like sniping (see discussion below) may find their way into written text, but no productive writing or other action that engages the issue occurs. Neither you nor the other party achieves your goal.	Conceding: Lose-win Conceding is a strategy of capitulation to your opponent's goals, aimed at agreement without negotiation on behalf of your own goals. You clearly lose, and your opponent "wins," but the resolution has not been tested in a debate and may not be the best solution for either party.

For questions and suggestions, please e-mail us at kilbornj@stcloudstate.edu or rinkster@stcloudstate.edu.

The print version of the Instructor's Manual for The Writing of Business
was written by Robert P. Inkster and Judith M. Kilborn for Allyn and Bacon.
This web version of the manual was coded by Judith M. Kilborn.