Conflict Styles Survey

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How To Proceed … Please Read Carefully

In your organization you are active in one or more committees, groups, or departments that are responsible for significant programs. The groups(s) to which you belong must meet regularly to make decisions. In addition, all group members must assume responsibilities for carrying out the decisions.

Following are two situations you encounter; in one of the situations you are the group’s leader, in the other you are not the leader. For each situation you have five possible behavioral responses. Please study each situation and the possible responses carefully, then circle the letter of the response that you think would most closely describe your behavioral response to the situation.

As you complete the survey, please remember this in not a test. There are no right or wrong responses. The survey will be helpful to you only to the extent that you circle the responses that would be most characteristic of your conflict-management behavior in that particular situation.

Circle Only One Choice For Each Situation.

Situation No. 1

You Serve On A Staff Of Three Persons. The Head Of The Staff Is Insensitive And Autocratic. The Other Member Is Very Angry. It Is Only A Matter Of Time Before Hostilities Will Occur Between Them.

You would: (Circle one)

1. Tell them their behavior is interfering with staff effectiveness, insisting they lay their personal animosities aside and begin putting their energies into productive activity.
2. Remain silent whenever they begin to argue, hoping they would work it out, or that the angry staff member would be able to fend for himself.
3. Encourage them to lay their hostilities aside since conflict of this intensity might leave deep personal scars.
4. Try to avoid outright, hostile confrontation by emphasizing the need to reach agreement on roles and responsibilities that everyone could live with.
5. Share your observations of their behavior, ask each of them to state their own opinions, and press for a redefinition of working relationships to reduce the hostilities.

Situation No. 2

Influential Members Have Become Dissatisfied With Your Leadership And Are Insisting You Resign. Some Are Threatening To Leave If You Do Not. Others Are Supporting You Privately, But Are Taking No Public Stand.

You would: (Circle one)

1. Inform the group you have no intention of resigning, and you want an open airing of the grievances in order that some middle ground may be reached.
2. Assume the public silence of some members indicates consent and, not wanting the group to lose any member, you would resign.
3. Determine the number demanding your resignation, and of your silent supporters. Having decided the majority was not calling for your resignation, you would announce your intention to stay.
4. Go to those opposing you to tell them you still care about them, and do whatever you could to restore good relationships.
5. Arrange a meeting with your opponents and supporters to discuss and search for ways to reduce the tensions and restore working relationships.

—Reprinted with permission from How To Manage Conflict in the Church (Volume 1) by Norman Shawchuck. The full Conflict Styles Survey and information on interpreting this survey can be ordered from Spiritual Growth Resources, 1-800-359-7363.