Conflict Management Conflict Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which communication approach is most effective during high-conflict situations to reduce defensiveness?
- You-statements ('You always do this')
- I-statements ('I feel frustrated when...') (Correct answer)
- Absolute statements ('This never works')
- Rhetorical questions ('Why would you do that?')
Correct answer: I-statements ('I feel frustrated when...')
I-statements express your experience without blaming the other person, reducing defensiveness and keeping dialogue open.
Question 2: What is 'positional bargaining' and why is it considered less effective?
- Bargaining based on rank; it ignores expertise
- Bargaining locked to stated demands; it limits creative solutions (Correct answer)
- Bargaining based on positions of strength; it is too aggressive
- Bargaining over job titles; it is irrelevant to outcomes
Correct answer: Bargaining locked to stated demands; it limits creative solutions
Positional bargaining anchors parties to their stated demands, making compromise difficult and blocking mutually beneficial solutions.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'distributive conflict'?
- A conflict where all parties can gain simultaneously
- A conflict where one party's gain comes at the other's expense (Correct answer)
- A conflict distributed across multiple departments
- A conflict that is evenly shared between two parties
Correct answer: A conflict where one party's gain comes at the other's expense
Distributive conflict is a zero-sum situation where resources are fixed and one party's gain equals the other's loss.
Question 4: In the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, which style represents high assertiveness and high cooperativeness?
- Competing
- Avoiding
- Compromising
- Collaborating (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Collaborating
Collaborating is both highly assertive and highly cooperative, aiming for a win-win solution that fully satisfies both parties.
Question 5: What role does a neutral third party play in mediation (as opposed to arbitration)?
- Imposes a binding decision on both parties
- Facilitates communication but does not decide the outcome (Correct answer)
- Represents one party's legal interests
- Investigates facts and assigns blame
Correct answer: Facilitates communication but does not decide the outcome
In mediation, the mediator facilitates dialogue and helps parties reach their own agreement — unlike arbitration, where the third party decides the outcome.
Question 6: Which of the following is a common trigger of workplace conflict related to organizational structure?
- Employees having different lunch breaks
- Unclear roles and overlapping responsibilities (Correct answer)
- Differences in educational backgrounds
- Varying personal hobbies
Correct answer: Unclear roles and overlapping responsibilities
Unclear roles and overlapping responsibilities create structural conflicts because employees compete for authority or avoid accountability.
Question 7: What is 'conflict escalation' and what typically drives it?
- A planned conflict resolution strategy; driven by management policy
- A progressive worsening of conflict intensity; driven by negative reciprocity (Correct answer)
- A formal grievance process; driven by HR procedures
- A negotiation tactic; driven by deliberate pressure
Correct answer: A progressive worsening of conflict intensity; driven by negative reciprocity
Conflict escalation is the progressive intensification of a dispute, typically fueled by each party matching or exceeding the other's hostile actions.
Conflict Management Conflict Management 3
Which communication approach is most effective during high-conflict situations to reduce defensiveness?