Collaboration as a Way to Settling Disputes in the Workplace

Conflict Behavioral Styles

Introduction

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare, professionals encounter a range of legal and ethical issues, often leading to conflicts. These conflicts may involve disagreements over treatment options, health insurance coverage, privacy, and professional ethics. To resolve these issues effectively, professionals can resort to various conflict resolution styles, each with its distinctive characteristics and potential outcomes. This paper will explore the five conflict behavioral styles—competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromising, and collaborating—and apply them to a real-life healthcare scenario.

Conflict Behavioral Styles

Competing is a style where one party prioritizes their interests over those of others. It's often seen in high-stakes situations, where decisive action is necessary, but may create resentment.

Accommodating is a cooperative style where one party sacrifices their interests to satisfy the other party. It helps maintain relationships, but may lead to inequity.

Avoiding is a non-confrontational approach where parties sidestep the conflict. While it may be useful when conflict is detrimental, it can lead to unresolved issues.

Compromising entails finding a middle ground where each party gives up something. It can result in quick solutions, but may not fully satisfy either party.

Collaborating involves working together to find a mutually beneficial solution. It's time-consuming but can lead to innovative solutions and improved relationships (Ashraf et al., 2023).

Application in a Healthcare Scenario

In a situation where a surgical team disagrees on a high-risk procedure for a critically ill patient, the primary surgeon (Party A) insists on performing the procedure, believing it is the patient's best chance, while the anesthesiologist (Party B) deems it too risky. If Party A adopts a competing style, they might proceed without consensus, possibly compromising patient safety and team cohesion. On the other hand, if Party B accommodates, they might reluctantly agree to proceed, risking their professional integrity and patient's well-being. If both parties avoid the conflict, the disagreement remains unresolved, potentially delaying critical treatment. If they compromise, they might agree on a less aggressive procedure, which might not be the optimal treatment for the patient (Ashraf et al., 2023).

So, ideally, they should collaborate, discussing the risks and benefits thoroughly, perhaps consulting other experts to reach a decision that prioritizes patient safety and respects professional opinions. As the primary goal in healthcare is to ensure the safety and well-being of the patient, collaboration presents itself as the best option. It encourages open discussion and exchange of professional opinions, which can lead to a more comprehensive evaluation of the patient's condition and the potential risks and benefits of the proposed procedure. This thorough analysis can result in a safer, more informed decision about the patient's treatment. Additionally, if they choose to collaborate, both parties demonstrate respect for each other's expertise and concerns. This in turn fosters a sense of mutual trust and understanding, which is essential for a cohesive, effective healthcare team. It supports professional integrity, facilitates the establishment of teamwork and healthy long-term relationships (Ashraf et al., 2023).

Positive Conflict Resolution with Multiple Behavioral Styles

It is possible to achieve positive conflict resolution with more than one behavior style. Different situations call for different styles, and flexibility can lead to more effective conflict management. For instance, a party might initially use a competing style to voice their concerns, then switch to compromising or collaborating to find a solution. Furthermore, the same party might adopt avoiding or accommodating in a different scenario where those styles are more appropriate.