Overview
This lecture explains the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode model, which categorizes how individuals handle conflict based on assertiveness and cooperativeness, highlighting five main approaches.
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Modes
- The model uses two axes: assertiveness (focus on own needs) and cooperativeness (focus on other's needs).
- Five typical conflict approaches: Competing, Avoiding, Accommodating, Compromising, and Collaborating.
The Five Conflict Approaches
- Competing: Assertive and uncooperative; prioritizes own needs, resulting in a win-lose outcome.
- Avoiding: Neither assertive nor cooperative; sidesteps conflict, leading to a lose-lose situation.
- Accommodating: Unassertive but cooperative; sacrifices own needs for others, resulting in a lose-win outcome.
- Compromising: Moderately assertive and cooperative; both sides partially achieve goals but may not be fully satisfied.
- Collaborating: Highly assertive and cooperative; seeks solutions where both parties fully meet their needs for a win-win outcome.
Application Example: The Chefs and the Lemon
- Competing: One chef gets the lemon, the other loses; win-lose.
- Avoiding: Both chefs walk away, and neither gets the lemon; lose-lose.
- Accommodating: One chef gives up entirely, the other benefits; lose-win.
- Compromising: Lemon is split, both get a portion but neither is fully satisfied; partial win.
- Collaborating: Chefs realize one needs zest and the other juice, both get what they need; win-win.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Assertiveness — Focusing on satisfying your own needs in a conflict.
- Cooperativeness — Focusing on satisfying the other person’s needs.
- Competing — Conflict mode prioritizing self over others; win-lose.
- Avoiding — Conflict mode with no engagement; lose-lose.
- Accommodating — Conflict mode prioritizing others’ needs; lose-win.
- Compromising — Conflict mode seeking partial satisfaction for both sides.
- Collaborating — Conflict mode seeking full satisfaction for both sides; win-win.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the five conflict modes and consider which you tend to use.
- Reflect on past conflicts and identify which approaches you or others demonstrated.