Conflict Is Inevitable

These conflict styles are patterned responses or clusters of behaviors that people use in conflict (Chesnut & Serra).
             Avoidance is characterized by the individual(s) withdrawing, giving up personal goals and relationships, staying away from issues involving conflict, changing the subject, and joking. Short-term avoidance may be a very effective way to deal with a conflict situation in order to allowpermit time for one or both of the parties to regain their composure and rationally think through the issues and circumstances of the conflict situation. Disadvantages to the avoiding style exist and include a risk for the conflict to continue or escalate, the relationship to be put in dangerendangered, or the reputation to be harmed. ThisThe avoiding style is frequently misinterpreted as lack of caring or unexpressed conflict.
             The accommodating conflict management style is a smoothing gesture where the relationship is considered much greater than an individual's own goals. This style may result in one's own needs being ignored in the interest of being accepted and liked. Individuals who consistently use this style emphasize the areas of agreement, while downplaying areas of disagreement. Appropriate uses of this style are situations where the issue is not as important as the relationship, the individual realizes that he/she is wrong, is losing or has less power, or when feels that preserving harmony is important, realizes that subordinates need to experiment and learn from their own mistakes, senses that he/she needs social credits for more important future issues, and one party needs special consideration.
             Compromising, as a conflict management style, appears when the individual is interested in both goals and relationships equally. This style is used when described as an individual keepskeeping the common good in mind, in which he/she seeks a solution where each side gives up some of their goals, but yet meets in the middle for both to gain something.