Conflict style inventory
Encyclopedia
A conflict style inventory is a written tool for gaining insight into how people respond to conflict. Typically, a user answers a set of questions about their responses to conflict and is scored accordingly.
Most people develop a patterned response to conflict based on their life history and history with others. This response may fit some situations well, but may be ineffective or destructive in other circumstances. The goal is to increase people's awareness of their own patterns and bring more options and flexibility within reach.
The most widely used conflict style inventories are based on the Mouton Blake Axis which posits five styles of conflict response (see Managerial Grid Model
). These include the Jay Hall Conflict Management Survey, the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
, a standard since the 1960s, and the Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory
, a more recent publication that is culturally sensitive.
More extensive personality type instruments are also useful to help understand conflict style differences. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
, which is based on the work of Carl Jung
, and the Gilmore Fraleigh instruments fall in this category.
Conflict resolution teachers and trainers, mediators, organizational consultants, and human resource managers use conflict style inventories in their work to help people reflect on and improve their responses to conflict. Awareness of styles helps people recognize that they have choices in how to respond to conflict. Since each style has a preferred way of interacting with others in conflict, style awareness also can greatly assist people in meeting the needs of those they live and work with.
Most people develop a patterned response to conflict based on their life history and history with others. This response may fit some situations well, but may be ineffective or destructive in other circumstances. The goal is to increase people's awareness of their own patterns and bring more options and flexibility within reach.
The most widely used conflict style inventories are based on the Mouton Blake Axis which posits five styles of conflict response (see Managerial Grid Model
Managerial grid model
The managerial grid model is a behavioral leadership model developed by Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton. This model originally identified five different leadership styles based on the concern for people and the concern for production. The optimal leadership style in this model is based on Theory...
). These include the Jay Hall Conflict Management Survey, the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
The Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument is a conflict style inventory, which is a tool developed to measure an individual's response to conflict situations.-Development:...
, a standard since the 1960s, and the Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory
Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory
The Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory is a conflict style inventory developed by Dr. Ronald S. Kraybill in the 1980s. Like the widely-used Thomas Kilmann Inventory , it is built around the Mouton-Blake grid and identifies five styles of responding to conflict, calling them Directing, Harmonizing,...
, a more recent publication that is culturally sensitive.
More extensive personality type instruments are also useful to help understand conflict style differences. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions...
, which is based on the work of Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
, and the Gilmore Fraleigh instruments fall in this category.
Conflict resolution teachers and trainers, mediators, organizational consultants, and human resource managers use conflict style inventories in their work to help people reflect on and improve their responses to conflict. Awareness of styles helps people recognize that they have choices in how to respond to conflict. Since each style has a preferred way of interacting with others in conflict, style awareness also can greatly assist people in meeting the needs of those they live and work with.
See also
- Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode InstrumentThomas Kilmann Conflict Mode InstrumentThe Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument is a conflict style inventory, which is a tool developed to measure an individual's response to conflict situations.-Development:...
- Kraybill Conflict Style InventoryKraybill Conflict Style InventoryThe Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory is a conflict style inventory developed by Dr. Ronald S. Kraybill in the 1980s. Like the widely-used Thomas Kilmann Inventory , it is built around the Mouton-Blake grid and identifies five styles of responding to conflict, calling them Directing, Harmonizing,...
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- Managerial Grid ModelManagerial grid modelThe managerial grid model is a behavioral leadership model developed by Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton. This model originally identified five different leadership styles based on the concern for people and the concern for production. The optimal leadership style in this model is based on Theory...