Conflict management style

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A conflict management style is the pattern of behaviour an individual develops in response to conflict with others such as differences of opinion. Conflict management styles tend to be consistent over time.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Development

The field of conflict management, conflict resolution, or conflict transformation (there is a lack of consensus in naming convention^{[citation needed]}) has since the 1970's sought to teach people to be more conscious of their conflict management style. The principle behind this is that greater awareness of their style by individuals enables them to make better choices in how to respond. Someone who knows they have a tendency to avoid conflict, for example, they might choose a different and perhaps more appropriate response.

[edit] Application

The most widely used tool for this is a conflict style inventory, typically a short questionnaire filled out by a user, with interpretation of the scores given in writing or by an instructor. The point is not to categorize the user, but rather to give him or her a framework in which to assess their responses and options. Conflict style inventories in wide use today include the Conflict is the problem. Thomas Kilmann and Style Matters: The Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory