Describe a conflict you had recently with someone. Explain which style of conflict management you both used during the conflict. If it ended well, explain the steps of effective cooperative conflict management that helped create a positive outcome. If it ended badly, explain what steps of effective cooperative conflict management might have helped.

Answer:

Recently, a classmate and I disagreed about how to divide the work for a group project. I initially used a competing style because I insisted that my plan was the fairest, while my classmate avoided the conflict and did not explain what was bothering them. The disagreement improved when we both had a chance to speak without interrupting. We listened to each other’s concerns, focused on our shared goal of completing the project well, and came up with a compromise that divided the work according to our strengths and schedules. We then agreed on deadlines and checked in with each other. Communicating respectfully and making a plan together helped us resolve the conflict positively.