In today's society, it is often determined that one cannot do things alone. This is very true in all aspects of life. It often becomes necessary to work in teams or groups to accomplish certain goals. This is true in the workplace, in the classroom, in our family life and many other areas. Although it is great to work as a team, working as a team often brings about conflict. According to Webster's English Language Dictionary, conflict is defined as a difference of opinion or disagreement (Levine & Staub, 2004). The manner in which this conflict is handled can greatly impact the success or failure of the team or group. Developing and maintaining good conflict resolution strategies will enhance the performance of the group as a whole. Generally, conflict encourages the team to be more creative and innovative in their thoughts, leading to a more cohesive and successful team. During the process of working in teams, there are several strategies to manage conflict. These strategies are avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise and collaboration.
The avoidance strategy or style is merely when one or more members of the team avoid or deny the existence of a conflict (Porter, 2003). This situation usually occurs when members are not able or willing to come to a conclusion for the sake of reaching the team's goals. Although this approach does not typically cause the conflict to end, it may be suitable in certain situations. The avoidance approach is appropriate if the issue is not important to that member. It can also be useful if members need time to gather their thoughts or cool down after a heated discussion and control their emotions. Sometimes this is best if the reaction from a confrontation of the issue will be risky (Dew ...