Conflict is part of everyday life and all relationships. Conflict occurs when more than one point of view exists. Individuals can feel conflict when they hold different opinions from another person, and also feel conflicted when they face a choice among various alternatives they need to make themselves.
Managing and resolving conflict is a process that can be learned. Dr. Friedland builds the conflict management skills of individuals and groups.
Relevant Research
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“Child and Parent Perception of Interparental Relationship Conflict Predict Preschool Children’s Adjustment,” by Mari L. Clements, Sarah E. Martin, David W. Randall, & Karen L. Kane, Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 3(2), 6/1/2014.
Three distinct harmony factors are described - disintegration avoidance, harmony enhancement, and harmony as hindrance. Disintegration avoidance was found to relate positively to conflict avoidance and negatively to negotiation in a conflict situation. “Harmony and Conflict: A Cross-Cultural Investigation in China and Australia by K Kwok Leung, Frances P. Brew, Zhi-Xye Zhang, & Yan Zhang, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 42(5), 7/11.
Emotional intelligence is related to constructive conflict management and if developed in family or business leaders can have a positive impact on the interpersonal relations involved. “A meta-analytic Review of the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Leaders’ Constructive Conflict Management,” by Andrea Schlaerth, Nurcan Ensari, & Julie Christian, Group Process and Intergroup Relations, 16(1), 1/10/13.
Nobel-prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman offers several methods of “adversarial collaboration” to manage conflict for mutual benefit. “Hire Thine Enemy: Daniel Kahneman on Adversarial Collaboration” by Jason Gots, 10/3/12, www.BigThink.com/think-tank/
Differences between constructive and destructive conflict. “The Quality and Effectiveness of Marketing Strategy: Effects of Functional and Dysfunctional Conflict” by Menon, Anil, Sundar B. Bharadwaj, and Roy Howell. Intraorganizational Relationships. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 24 (4), 299-313, 1996. “www.businesspsych.org
Based upon peer-reviewed research, author offers a different ways to handle interpersonal conflict. “A Measure of Styles for Handling Interpersonal Conflict” by R.A. Hayim, Academy of Management Journal, 26(2), 6/1/83.
