Managing Conflict in Human Services Administration

Introduction: Conflict as Part of Human Nature

Social conflict occurs when two or more individuals oppose something within a social interaction. Conflict is part of human nature and, as such, may be mitigated or managed through a variety of theories and psychological techniques. Conflict theory, for instance, emphasizes individual interests rather than norms of value: society is composed of groups that struggle to pursue their own interests and will use whatever advantage is available to pursue their goals. This has given rise to a number of frameworks — including economic theories of production and exploitation (Marx) and analyses of the way groups vie for control (Bartos and Wehr, 2002). Many tend to view conflict as an inevitable negative within the workplace or organizational culture. However, it is also possible to see conflict as positive dissent — something that might be encouraged and developed constructively to improve an organization.

Conflict Theory and Organizational Culture

In the roundtable conflict scenario, Holly underscores the idea that conflict is important; what matters is how it is channeled and how it can be used to help individuals grow and develop. If we think about modern organizational structures, we can see how tremendously complex they can be. There are pressures to remain profitable, to produce more, to be innovative, and to do far more with fewer staff. Viewed from this angle, conflict becomes a necessary part of organizational life — and a necessary part of being human. Leaders can shape the culture of an organization by encouraging conflict as part of a new "innovation culture" (Gelfand et al., 2010).

In most cases, innovation is not clean, neat, or orderly. By its very nature, it is disruptive to the patterns and procedures within an organization. Often, this disruption takes the form of dissent — meaning that individuals prefer to move in a different direction than the status quo. The difficulty for managers at all levels is to encourage dissent without feeling threatened by it. As one wise CEO's axiom put it: "I don't shoot messengers — that's why I have them."

Case Examples from the Roundtable Discussion

In the Human Services scenario, Andrea had a situation in which two staff members were extremely critical of how the other performed their job. To address this, Andrea had the two switch jobs — and the problem actually diminished, and the two became closer. This was an extremely effective and innovative management approach that had implications far beyond the specific tasks each person was performing. In human nature, dissent does not always stay confined to areas that managers find agreeable or acceptable. However, the human psyche tends to function in an "all or nothing" manner when forming opinions. It is not typically possible to build an organizational culture that encourages dissent and free thinking only in subjects defined by management. By walking in one another's shoes, each employee could appreciate a better way to collaborate. Particularly in nonprofit organizations, each person should recognize that they are working toward something larger than themselves, and most would agree that service to clients or the organization must take top priority (Tsasis, 2009).

One of the most interesting patterns observable across managers at nearly every level — from the ground floor to the corner office — is how quickly and effectively they tend to shut down dissent. In most cases, they are unaware that their body language, word choice, or actions are doing exactly that. Most are surprised, and believe that shutting down dissent is the last thing they want. It is important to recognize, therefore, that it is not merely the intent of a message about dissent that matters, but also the actual words, tone, delivery, and interpretation. These scenarios point to a compelling way of dealing with dissent and conflict — turning it into a positive and constructive learning experience.

Bartos, O. and Wehr, P. (2002). Using Conflict Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gelfand, M. (2010). Cultures of conflict: How leaders and members shape conflict cultures in organizations. Academy of Management Proceedings.

Tsasis, P. (2009). The social processes of interorganizational collaboration and conflict in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 20(1), 5–21.

Conclusion: Conflict as a Tool for Growth

Conflict is inevitable; it creates an atmosphere of concern and vigilance (Laureate Education, 2011). Conflict stems from those who are impacted or affected by the decisions and outcomes of others (Laureate Education, 2011). Some conflicts arise from a lack of communication and from misunderstanding the intent behind another's actions (Laureate Education, 2011). Overall, it is important to understand that when disagreements and conflicts surface, human services managers must develop a plan to address the situation appropriately (Laureate Education, 2011).

Maurice Williams, program director of a child welfare agency, describes his view on the origins of conflict (Laureate Education, 2011). According to him, the nature of the social service profession itself triggers disagreements (Laureate Education, 2011). Because of constant policy changes, unpredictable circumstances, and the overall complexity of organizational operations, someone is always likely to hold a conflicting opinion (Laureate Education, 2011). Williams describes an incident involving a temporary guardian's violation of agency rules and regulations — a situation that could have escalated significantly had the agency not taken a positive and negotiable stance (Laureate Education, 2011).

Conflict resolution requires the ability to be creative and flexible (Gelfand, Leslie, Keller, and DeDreu, 2011; Laureate Education, 2011). Human services administrators must also understand that differences of opinion are a valuable source of data for program evaluation (Laureate Education, 2011).

A proactive approach to the conflict with the temporary guardian would have involved a more comprehensive evaluation of the foster home on the front end of the placement — making it a prerequisite that the foster parent's daughter attend necessary classes and trainings before the child was placed. This would eliminate not only potential conflict, but also concerns for the child's safety and security. While conflict will inevitably occur, human services administrators must utilize non-accusatory and resolution-focused skills during conflict resolution (Gelfand, Leslie, Keller, and DeDreu, 2011; Laureate Education, 2011). At the point the incident occurred, responding in a similar manner by offering a revised course version would ultimately appease all parties involved.

As Gelfand, Leslie, Keller, and DeDreu (2010) note, each organization differs in how it approaches conflict. The systems within which we operate are not the cause of disagreements — within the human services profession, we must learn to compromise and seek a better understanding of others' views (Laureate Education, 2010). Furthermore, we must recognize that conflicts can be healthy and create the conditions for positive change and improvement.

Responding to the sixth colleague's observation about taking a negotiable stance: so many people believe that the best way to enter a difficult situation is to determine their bottom-line position and argue from there. However, identifying an ultimatum before speaking with the other party — and before understanding what they want from the situation — is self-defeating. It narrows the range of possible solutions and can create conflict where none might otherwise exist. Coming into a scenario from a negotiable stance, as one roundtable participant demonstrated, is a far more effective approach to reducing conflict and reaching durable resolution.

Gelfand, M. J., Leslie, L. M., Keller, K., and DeDreu, C. W. (2010). Cultures of conflict: How leaders and members shape conflict cultures in organizations. Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings, 1–6.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Human services administration. Baltimore, MD: Author.