When have you collaborated to resolve a conflict?
The Challenge
The Project Management Institute says that there are five basic approaches for handling conflicts. The fifth is solving it through collaboration. Think about a time you used this approach to deal with a conflict. How did it work out?
Why do this?
Each of the five approaches is effective when used in the right context--the trick is in knowing which one to use. (By the way, if you noticed that this challenge is similar to another one you've done, you're right. It is! We developed a whole series on conflict management, and this challenge is part of that series.)
Being able to choose the correct approach for a given situation will help you handle conflicts with confidence and grace.
What’s next?
If you could go back and do it all over again, would you choose a different approach for this conflict? Your choices are: 1) withdraw/avoid, 2) smooth/accommodate, 3) compromise/reconcile, 4) force/direct, or 5) collaborate/problem solve.