Constructive situation. Destructive and constructive conflicts

Begin your consideration of this issue by defining a conflict as a collision of oppositely directed, incompatible tendencies, a single episode in the mind, in interpersonal interactions or interpersonal relationships of individuals or groups of people, associated with negative emotional experiences. Those. conflict not only represents an extremely aggravated form of contradiction, but it also serves as a way to identify and resolve contradictions. In this regard, the question arises: what precedes a conflict, what are the stages of its development? One can answer that it is preceded by an objective life situation in which the opposing parties find themselves, and these parties themselves have certain interests, needs, and goals. Naturally, the encroachment of one side on any of these needs of the other side creates a socio-psychological basis for the conflict. This is the structure of a contradiction that has not yet turned into a conflict - a conflict situation. Thus, a conflict situation is a combination of human needs and interests that objectively creates the ground for real confrontation between various social actors.

Since contradictions are resolved during the conflict and ways out of the deadlock are sought, the question arises about its function - positive or negative, bad or good. From an ordinary point of view, only a negative answer can be given here, because the conflict is associated with such phenomena as domestic quarrels and troubles, work troubles, interethnic, territorial, socio-political confrontations and confrontations associated with suffering and losses. Hence the assessment of conflict as an undesirable phenomenon.

Since conflicts are inevitable in human interaction, they can fulfill positive constructive function, namely :

· conflict promotes a certain movement forward and prevents stagnation;

· in the process of conflict, the source of disagreement is objectified and it is possible to resolve it, “remove it”; means are found to prevent future conflicts;

· conflict is a certain negation of old, “outdated” relationships, which leads to the formation of new relationships and correction of interaction;

· in conflict, internal tension is “eliminated”, aggressive feelings “splash out”, frustrations and neuroses are “discharged”;

· conflict is a way of self-affirmation of the individual, especially in a teenager, for whom conflict is a necessary form of behavior to maintain status in the group;

· intragroup conflict in scientific activity creates the necessary level of tension necessary for creative activity; Thus, the study showed that the productivity of creative scientific activity is higher among conflicting individuals;

· intergroup conflicts can contribute to group integration, increased cohesion, and group solidarity;

· the need to resolve the conflict leads to cooperation, to the concentration of efforts of participants to resolve the conflict situation, to the involvement of group members in the common life of the group.

On the other hand, there are signs destructive conflict:

· expansion of the conflict;

· escalation of the conflict (i.e. the conflict becomes independent of the original causes and, even if the causes of the conflict are eliminated, the conflict itself continues);

· increased costs and losses incurred by the parties to the conflict;

· increase in situational statements and aggressive actions of participants.

Thus, speaking about the usefulness or harmfulness of conflicts, it should be noted that conflict is useful in that, one way or another, it resolves a contradiction. The best resolution of an objectively existing contradiction is not its conflict method, but a peaceful, consensual option, which occurs through peaceful civilized ways and means, when the opposing sides and all participants in the conflict come to understand the need for this earlier, before the development of events goes along the conflict path.

Every conflict has a more or less clearly defined structure. In any conflict there is an object of a conflict situation, associated either with technological and organizational difficulties, peculiarities of remuneration, or with the specifics of business and personal relations of the conflicting parties.

The second element of the conflict is the goals, subjective motives of its participants, determined by their views and beliefs, material and spiritual interests.

And finally, in any conflict it is important to distinguish the immediate cause of the conflict from its true causes, which are often hidden. There are 5 styles of interaction (behavior) in conflict:

Confrontation and its perceived productivity

Confrontation or rivalry is a style that involves efforts to impose a preferred solution on the other party. In its focus, it is aimed at, acting actively and independently, achieving one’s own interests without taking into account the interests of other parties directly involved in the conflict, or even to the detriment of them. Those who use this style of behavior seek to impose their solution to the problem on others, rely only on their own strength, and do not accept joint actions. The effectiveness of this style depends on how well one side is able to use competitive tactics and how well the other side is able to counter them.

Avoidance or evasion

A person who adheres to this style seeks to escape conflict. This strategy may be appropriate if the subject of disagreement is not of great value to a person, if the situation can resolve itself (this happens rarely, but it does happen), if now there are no conditions for effective resolution of the conflict, but after some time they will appear.

Evasion as a style of behavior in conflicts is characterized by a clear lack of desire on the part of those involved in a conflict situation to cooperate with anyone and make active efforts to realize their own interests, as well as to meet opponents halfway; the desire to get out of the conflict field, to escape the conflict. If the conflict arose on an objective basis, then in such a situation evasion and neutrality may be ineffective, since the controversial problem retains its significance, the reasons that gave rise to it do not disappear by themselves, but become even more aggravated.

Accommodation or smoothing

Adaptation as a style of passive behavior is characterized by the tendency of conflict participants to soften, smooth out a conflict situation, maintain or restore harmony in relationships through compliance, trust, and readiness for reconciliation. Unlike evasion, this style of behavior involves taking into account the interests of opponents to a greater extent and not avoiding joint actions with them. The adaptation is applicable to any type of conflict. But this style of behavior is most suitable for conflicts of an organizational nature, in particular along the hierarchical vertical: subordinate - superior, subordinate - boss, etc.

Compromise

Compromise means the disposition of a conflict participant to resolve a disagreement on the basis of mutual concessions and achieve partial satisfaction of their interests. This style equally involves active and passive actions, the application of individual and collective efforts. The compromise style is preferable because it usually blocks the path to hostility and allows, albeit partially, to satisfy the claims of each of the parties involved in the conflict.

Cooperation or problem solving

Cooperation is aimed at maximum realization by the parties to the conflict of their own interests. Unlike confrontation, cooperation presupposes not an individual, but a joint search for a solution that meets the aspirations of all conflicting parties. This is possible with timely and accurate diagnosis of the problem that gave rise to the conflict situation, understanding of both external and hidden causes of the conflict, and the willingness of the parties to act together to achieve a common goal for all. The benefits of cooperation are undeniable: each party receives maximum benefits with minimal losses. But this path requires time and patience, wisdom and friendly disposition, the ability to express and argue one’s position, carefully listening to opponents explaining their interests, developing alternatives and agreeing to choose a mutually acceptable solution from them during negotiations.

Stages of conflict development –

1 - latent stage: hidden increase in discontent, disorganized form of its expression;

2 - peak of tension: open expression of the conflict, the severity of the contradictions is exposed, realized and manifested in the active actions of the parties;

3 - conflict resolution: reducing tension by finding forms and methods of overcoming a crisis situation.

In the minds of many people, conflicts are associated with purely negative phenomena: wars and revolutions, civil strife and scandals. Therefore, as a rule, conflict is presented as an undesirable and harmful phenomenon. In reality, this is not always the case. The consequences of conflict can be both negative and positive.

Thus, the question of the place and role of conflicts in the life of an individual, social group, organization and society as a whole is significantly significant. It is not without reason that thinkers of the Ancient World and the Middle Ages saw in conflicts a certain means of mutual understanding and good agreement. In modern times, most of those who laid the foundation for conflictology pointed to conflicts as a means of resolving social contradictions and maintaining balance in the social order. At the present stage, both the condemnation of hostile confrontations at any level and the recognition of the important role of peacefully resolved conflicts in establishing mutual understanding and cooperation between people are clearly distinguished.

To explain the functions of social conflict, one should turn, first of all, to the very concept of “function”. In social sciences function means the meaning and role that a certain social institution or private social process performs in relation to the needs of a social system at a higher level of organization or the interests of its constituent communities, social groups and individuals. In accordance with this, under conflict function we will understand the role that conflict plays in relation to society and its various structural formations: social groups, organizations and individuals. Thus, fThe function of conflict expresses, on the one hand, its social purpose, and on the other- the dependence that arises between it and other components of social life. In the first case, the consequences of the conflict are taken into account, in the second - the direction of the relations of conflicting subjects of social ties.

A conflict is one of those phenomena that cannot be assessed unambiguously. It acts as a way of social interaction in conditions of heightened tension between people, when incompatible views, positions and interests are revealed, and there is a confrontation between parties pursuing goals far removed from each other. By its very nature, a conflict can be a carrier of both creative and destructive tendencies, be good and evil at the same time, bring both benefit and harm to the parties involved.

Therefore, its functions are characterized taking into account positive and negative consequences. Positive, functionally useful results of the conflict are considered to be the solution to the problem that gave rise to the contradiction and caused the clash, taking into account the mutual interests and goals of all parties, as well as achieving understanding and trust, strengthening partnerships and cooperation, overcoming conformism, humility, and the desire for superiority. The negative, dysfunctional consequences of conflict include people’s dissatisfaction with the common cause, withdrawal from pressing problems, increasing hostility in interpersonal and intergroup relations, weakening cohesion among employees, etc.

In terms of their content, the functions of conflict cover both the material sphere (related to economic interests, benefits or losses) and the spiritual and moral sphere (can increase or weaken social activity, encourage or suppress optimism, inspiration of people). All this has an emotional impact on the effectiveness of joint activities and can facilitate or complicate the process of managing an organization. Life presents countless facts confirming the functional diversity of conflicts in terms of direction, beneficial and harmful consequences.

There are explicit and latent (hidden) functions of conflict. Explicit functions of conflict functions of conflict are characterized by the fact that its consequences coincide with the goals that were proclaimed and pursued by opponents of the conflict. For example, the Russian government, starting military operations with “Chechen” bandit formations, announced their liquidation. The obvious function of the conflict is also the victory of the miners in their conflict with the administration, if they pursued precisely this goal.

Hidden(latent) functions of the conflict - those when its consequences are revealed only over time and which, to a certain extent, differ from the intentions previously declared by the parties to the conflict. Latent functions can also be expressed in the fact that its consequences may generally be unexpected and not meet the goals of the parties to the conflict. Thus, none of the participants in the “Chechen” conflict imagined that during it oil processing plants, of which there were a large number in the republic, would be destroyed, and as a result, there would be a danger of an environmental disaster not only in Chechnya, but also beyond its borders. The striking miners, who demanded that the government of the country in the late 1980s - early 1990s cancel the state order and give them the opportunity to freely dispose of profits, did a lot to reform society, but they did not even imagine that already in the late 1990s years will demand the return of the government order.

From the point of view of functions, conflict is enough controversial phenomenon. By entering into confrontation, people can achieve their goals. But it is often difficult to predict even the not very distant consequences that will follow. Moreover, the consequences can be both positive and negative for the parties to the conflict. An employee who has entered into a conflicting relationship with the administration can achieve his immediate goal, for example, payment of compensation for forced absence. But after some time, this may be followed by his dismissal from work under some plausible pretext. For a fired employee, this will most likely be a latent function of conflict and a negative one at that. But after this he can get a job that is more attractive than before. And then this will be a positive latent function of conflict. In this case, they often say “there would be no happiness, but misfortune would help.”

Thus, both explicit and latent functions of conflict can be both negative and positive, that is, they can have dual character. If the function of the conflict is positive for its participants, we speak of functional conflict, otherwise it dysfunctional conflict, the results of which are negative for its participants, and for which they did not count.

It should be especially emphasized that the assessment of the functions of conflict as positive or negative always carries specific character. From the point of view of one subject of the conflict, it can be considered as positive, from the point of view of another - as negative. In other words, there is subjective relativity in assessing the nature of the functions of the conflict. In addition, the same conflict in different relationships and at different times can be assessed from different or even opposing positions. This indicates the relativistic nature of the conflict functions. Thus, the October Socialist Revolution, as well as the victory in the early 1990s of the forces that acted under the slogan of reforms, in our country were viewed differently at different times and by different social strata.

All this indicates that conflict- this is a functionally contradictory phenomenon, and the relationship between its positive and negative functions must always be considered specifically. If we keep in mind objective criterion assessment of the functions of conflict, then in general terms we can apparently say that social conflict is functional in nature if it contributes to the development of a broader social system. For an intrapersonal conflict it will be a person, for an interpersonal conflict it will be a group, etc. However, in this regard, not everything is going smoothly. For one should always keep in mind the costs (the price of the conflict) that are associated with it. Thus, an organization that realizes its goals through the exorbitant intensification of people’s work and health; an army that wins due to heavy losses, etc. - these are examples indicating that victory in a conflict can be Pyrrhic. Thus, in this case, too, we are faced with the functional inconsistency of the conflict - not everything that benefits the development of a broader social system is functional for its constituent elements.

However, despite all the relativity of assessments of the functions of conflict, according to their meaning, significance and role they can be divided into two groups:

constructive (positive) functions of conflict;

destructive (negative) functions of conflict.

Constructive functions of conflict

All constructive (as well as negative) functions of conflict, with a certain degree of convention and for the sake of convenience of presentation of the material, can be divided into: general functions of conflict that take place at various levels of the social system; functions of conflict at the personal level, which relate to the impact of conflict directly on the individual.

Causes of constructive conflicts:

Unfavorable working conditions;

Imperfect remuneration system;

Disadvantages in work organization;

Irrhythmic work;

Overtime work;

Omissions in technology (especially those from which the employee’s earnings suffer, and through no fault of his);

Inconsistency of rights and responsibilities;

Lack of clarity in the distribution of responsibilities, in particular, ineffective, too vague or outdated job descriptions;

Low level of labor and executive discipline;

Conflict-prone (i.e., conducive to conflicts) organizational structures.

It seems appropriate to focus on the positive functions of social conflicts. The constructive functions are expressed as follows.

1. Conflict is a way of detecting and fixing contradictions and problems in a society, organization, or group. In addition, the conflict indicates that these contradictions have already reached great maturity and it is necessary to take urgent measures to eliminate them. Thus, every conflict fulfills informational function, gives additional impulses to awareness of one’s own and others’ interests in the confrontation.

Information function has two perspectives - signaling (the leadership pays attention to the brewing conflict and seeks to prevent its escalation) and communicative (the conflicting parties need information that allows them to draw conclusions about the actions of their opponent and the resources he has). The greater the amount of information about the factors and causes, interests and goals of the opposing entities, the wider the opportunities for finding ways to resolve the conflict.

2. Conflict is a form resolution of contradictions. Its development helps eliminate those shortcomings and miscalculations in social organization that led to the conflict.

3. Conflict promotes relieving social tension and eliminating a stressful situation, helps to “let off steam”, defuse the situation and relieve accumulated tension.

4. Integrative function. Conflict can perform integrative, unifying function. In the face of an external threat, the group uses all its resources to unite and confront the external enemy. In addition, the very task of solving problems that have arisen brings people together. In search of a way out of the conflict, mutual understanding and a sense of involvement in solving a common problem are developed. Conflict affects the relationship between individual, group, and collective interests, promotes group formation, and the establishment and maintenance of group boundaries.

5. Conflict resolution leads to stabilization of the social system, for in this case the sources of dissatisfaction are eliminated. The parties to the conflict, taught by “bitter experience,” will in the future be more inclined to cooperate than to conflict. In addition, conflict resolution can prevent more serious conflicts that might have occurred if the conflict had not occurred.

6. Innovative feature. Conflict intensifies And stimulates group creativity, contributes to the mobilization of energy to solve the problems facing subjects. In the process of searching for ways to resolve the conflict, the analysis of difficult situations is intensified, new approaches, ideas, innovative technologies, etc. are developed.

Conflict is a kind of impulse to overcome obstacles to the economic and social development of an organization. Under the influence of confrontation or as a result of its cessation, a certain transformation of the state of interpersonal relations occurs. Properly resolved conflict improves psychological characteristics in the organization, develops social activity due to increased cohesion, increasing the level of identification of everyone with common goals and employee satisfaction with membership in the organization, mutual trust and respect.

7. Conflict can be a means clarifying the balance of forces social groups or communities and thereby can warn against subsequent more destructive conflicts.

Modern management science is based on the fact that even in organizations with effective management, some conflicts are not only possible, but even desirable. Of course, conflict does not always have positive consequences, but in many situations it helps to reveal a diversity of points of view, provides additional information, etc. This makes the group’s decision-making process more effective, allows employees to express their positions (thus satisfying people’s need for recognition), and helps optimize the implementation of plans and projects.

Conflict can serve as a means for emergence of new norms of communication between people or help fill old norms with new content. The conflict also influences personality characteristics.

Conflict can perform cognitive function towards the people who take part in it. It is in difficult critical (existential) situations that the true character, values and motives of people’s behavior are revealed; It is no coincidence that they say “a friend is a friend in need.” The ability to diagnose the enemy’s strength is also related to the cognitive function.

self-knowledge And adequate self-esteem personality. It can help you correctly assess your strengths and abilities, as well as identify new, previously unknown aspects of a person’s character. It can also strengthen character and contribute to the emergence of new qualities, such as a sense of pride, dignity, etc.

Conflict can help get rid of from undesirable character traits, for example, feelings of inferiority, humility, servility, etc.

Conflict is the most important factor socialization person, his development as a person. In a conflict, an individual in a relatively short period of time can gain as much life experience as he may never receive outside of the conflict.

Conflict is a significant factor adaptation person in a group, since it is in conflict that people reveal themselves to the greatest extent and one can say with confidence who is who. And then the personality is either accepted by the group members, or, on the contrary, rejected by them. In the latter case, of course, no adaptation occurs.

Conflict can help resolve mental tension in a group, relieve stress for its participants if the conflict is resolved positively for the person. Otherwise, this internal tension may even intensify.

Conflict can serve as a means of satisfying not only primary, but also secondary needs of the individual, as a way of self-realization and self-affirmation. It is no coincidence that A.S. Pushkin wrote that “there is rapture in battle.”

To quote Samuel Huntington, author of the famous theory of the conflict of civilizations:“It is not the society that is capable of revolution that is sick, but the one that is not capable of it.” Is it because we are not able to protest that we are a sick and perhaps even dead society! Therefore, such an important indicator of the social well-being of a society as the frequency and scope of protest actions should be considered more as an indicator of the viability of the emerging civil society, within which basic democratic rights and freedoms are ensured, than an indicator of people’s readiness for a violent overthrow of the ruling regime.

Destructive functions of conflict

All destructive functions of conflict can also be divided into general functions and functions of conflict at the personal level. They manifest themselves at various levels of the social system and are expressed in the following consequences.

The conflict may be related to by violent means its resolution, there may be great loss of life and material losses as a result. In addition to the parties involved in a military conflict, civilians may also suffer.

A conflict can lead the opposing parties (society, social group, individual) to a state of destabilization And disorganization.

Conflict can lead to slowdown the pace of social, economic, political and spiritual development of society. Moreover, it can cause stagnation and a crisis of social development, the emergence of dictatorial and totalitarian regimes.

Conflict can contribute disintegration society, the destruction of social communications and sociocultural alienation of social entities within the social system.

The conflict may be accompanied by an increase in public sentiment pessimism and the decline of morals.

Conflict may lead to new, more destructive conflicts.

Conflict in organizations often leads to reduction level of organization of the system, decrease in discipline and efficiency.

The destructive functions of conflict, manifested at the personal level, are expressed in the following consequences.

Conflict can have negative impact on the socio-psychological climate in the group. Thus, feelings of depression, pessimism and anxiety may appear, leading the individual to a state of stress.

Conflict can lead to disappointment in their capabilities and abilities, to de-identify the individual.

Conflict can cause feeling of uncertainty in oneself, loss of previous motivation and destruction of existing value orientations and patterns of behavior. In the worst case, the conflict may result in disappointment and loss of faith in previous ideals. And this can have very serious consequences - deviant behavior and, as an extreme case, suicide. There is no doubt about the close relationship in our society in the 1990s of such phenomena as the increase in the number of social conflicts, deviant behavior and suicide. In terms of suicide, in particular, our country today ranks among the first in the world.

Conflict can lead to negative assessment a person of his partners in joint activities, disappointment in his colleagues and recent friends.

As a reaction to conflict, a person can “turn on” defense mechanisms demonstrating behaviors that are negative for communication, such as:

retreat - silence, lack of enthusiasm, isolation of the individual in the group;

frightening information - criticism, curses, demonstration of superiority over other members of the group;

strict formalism - formal politeness, literalism, the formation of strict norms and principles of behavior in a group, monitoring others;

turning the matter into a joke (this principle is in many ways the opposite of the previous one);

conversations on unrelated topics instead of business discussions of problems;

constant search for those to blame, self-flagellation or blaming team members for all troubles.

The manifestations of the destructive functions of conflict are extremely diverse. Intrapersonal conflict, for example, gives rise to a state of psychological discomfort, which in turn entails a series of various negative consequences and, in extreme cases, can lead to the destruction of the individual. At the group level, conflict can disrupt the system of communications and relationships, weaken value-orientation unity, reduce group cohesion and ultimately reduce the efficiency of the group as a whole. Similarly, the destructive functions of conflict manifest themselves in intergroup relationships. Note that the destructive influence of a conflict can occur at each stage of its evolution: the stage of an objective conflict situation, the stage of its awareness by the parties, the stage of conflict behavior, as well as at the stage of conflict resolution. The destructive effects of conflict are usually especially acute at the stage of conflict behavior and conflict actions.

These are the main dysfunctional consequences of the conflict, which (like the functional consequences) are interrelated and are specific and relative in nature. Here it is appropriate to recall a well-known position: there is no abstract truth, truth is always concrete. The victory of one most often means the defeat of the other.

You can also highlight a number of functions, having, in particular, the most significant significance in the management of the organization and the behavior of personnel.

Personnel integration . Achieving an integrating effect affects the sustainability and stability of the social system, the formation and consolidation of groups, the relationship between individual and collective interests, and the re-adjustment of the management mechanism. Integration wins in those specific situations when the conflict leads to the unification of joint efforts based on the coordination of mutual interests, and loses if the conflict causes difficult-to-repair damage to the organization and unity of the team.

Let's refer tonext example . A quarrel broke out in the company's marketing department, which escalated into an acute emotional conflict: one of the employees called another - a specialist with an engineering and economic education and extensive practical work experience - the offensive word "hack", meaning that he, not content with his high salary, He is constantly concerned about making extra money on the side and shifting part of his direct responsibilities to his colleagues. The department employees provided the “troublemaker” with friendly support, and the company’s management was forced to transfer his opponent to another job.

The conflict, obviously, did not come without a negative consequence - the need to find a suitable replacement for an experienced employee. But a positive result prevailed, since the employees of the department showed solidarity with those colleagues who acted as a spokesman for common interests, condemned an unscrupulous attitude to business and the desire for benefit for themselves at the expense of others. And this further strengthened their cohesion and increased the importance of the rules of group behavior. This happens often in life.

Intragroup conflict usually has a positive ending, allows you to learn useful lessons from the mistakes and blunders of group members, stabilize their relationships, strengthen cooperation, orient everyone to adhere to common standards of behavior, raise the bar of social optimism and business ethics, which ultimately ensures coherence and increased productivity collaboration.

Conflicts of this kind clearly demonstrate the tendency towards individual aspirations or collective action. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall that individualism in behavior and life position most often makes itself felt when a person’s natural desire for self-affirmation is elevated to an absolute, and ostentatious individual nobility overshadows selfishness, self-will, and susceptibility to anarchy. The opposite of individualism and even narrow-group corporate isolation is collectivism, cultivated on a healthy basis, which does not accept the opposition of an individual person to one or another community, proceeds from the recognition of the need to harmoniously combine group (collective) and private interests, condemns and rejects selfishness, selfishness, selfishness.

Activating social connections . Making the interaction of people and their relationships more dynamic and mobile affects the pace of socio-economic development both in society and within an individual organization, and determines one or another degree of business spirit.

The formation of a community as a really existing, empirically fixed, relatively unified and independently acting collection of people is a consequence of direct contact of two or more individuals. Individuals are drawn to unity by the need for real or potential relationships, including meeting needs, using resources and achieving goals, including cooperation in work activities, coincidence of interests, mutual sympathy or, conversely, general antipathy towards someone else. There are both mass associations in the form of social movements, professional and other associations, and group communities, which, taking into account the aspirations of everyone, are held together by the calling to act together.

For any group, cohesion, a measure of attraction to each other and to the group as a whole, are important. The basic basis of such attraction is formed, firstly, by the attractiveness of the association’s goals, and secondly, by the similarity of views and value orientations of its members, the effectiveness and ease of group ties. “Those in the same boat,” at a minimum, should be guided by generally accepted principles of solidarity and business cooperation, adding to them the specific requirements of this particular group.

An example of this is the work collective, which is, as a rule, a compact, relatively stable social community that arises within a separate enterprise (organization, institution). It usually brings together people interested in concerted efforts to achieve socially beneficial and personally significant goals. Its main features are, on the one hand, the so-called combined labor, i.e. joint activity that meets the needs of society and each member of the team, and on the other hand, integrating goals, moral principles and norms, organizational and functional unity, generally acceptable conditions and methods of interaction.

However, it should be borne in mind that the achieved cohesion, the unifying principles within the team, carry the risk of replacing individual egoism with group egoism, which is expressed by antipathy, hostility, enmity and even hatred towards other groups (collectives). Psychologists define this phenomenon as the “group favoritism effect,” i.e. a certain form of favor, patronage and patronage, meaning a practically manifested tendency to somehow favor one’s own group as opposed to, or even to the detriment of, another, to draw, as it were, a dividing line between “us” and “strangers”. This often becomes a cause of social tension and leads to clashes between groups.

They even try to justify collisions of this kind, arguing approximately as follows: any, especially formal, association has a need for intra-group consent. At the same time, in the course of its functioning it inevitably encounters restrictions that prevent the strengthening of solidarity; a “way out” of negative emotions is needed, and it is found in manifestations of ill will and even hostility towards the “foreign” group.

The current situation in Russia, taking into account the crisis state of the country's economy, failures in the state's social policy, and the moral deformation of society, creates an extremely contradictory background that encourages intergroup disintegration. Ever expanding market relations, differences in volumes and forms of ownership, conspicuous differentiation of incomes fuel competition within and between teams, intensify contradictions between workers in various sectors of the economy, give rise to envy of those who have achieved greater prosperity, which naturally leads to an increase in manifestations of aggressiveness and hostility.

Within an enterprise (organization), primary work groups and individual divisions associated with different parts of the overall technological chain, as well as marketing and other management subsystems, can be drawn into the orbit of intergroup conflicts. The sources of such conflicts are mainly in the need to distribute almost always limited resources, primarily material and financial, in the imperfection of the chosen organizational structure, in the imbalance of the functions of individual departments, in the poor coordination of their interaction. Differences in views on work motivation, forms of material and moral incentives, participation of workers in production management, fulfillment of the requirements of humanization of labor, etc. also become a field of divergence between groups and their conflictual confrontation.

This is where the “eternal” problems arise, say, between those involved in direct production and those in charge of marketing products and studying consumer demand; between line and staff management personnel; between essential workers and clerical workers; between the owners, the administration of the enterprise and the trade union organization, the council of the labor collective; between the goals of formal groups and informal associations. In other words, the entire complex, intertwined network of social connections is covered.

More often than others, the subjects of confrontation in intergroup relations are employees of various inspection services, which carry out, in particular, technical control, including product quality, sanitary and environmental supervision, occupational safety and work safety inspection, audit and other forms of financial and economic revisions. Due to the duties they perform, they find themselves at the epicenter of many conflicts, they are reproached, their actions are constantly appealed against, and endless disputes and litigation are waged against them. Employees of logistics services, energy supply, transport departments and social infrastructure are also constantly put forward as “scapegoats”. Although it is known that disruptions in the supply of raw materials and components, in the supply of water, heat, gas and electricity, and in social services for workers currently occur most often through no fault of the mentioned services. They are a consequence of more general reasons - the decline in production in the country, lack of investment, deformation of financial and credit relations, destruction of the previous system of economic relations and the provision of social services.

There is no doubt that intergroup conflicts, strengthening social ties, shade the relationships and interactions of people in different ways. They carry a multipolar charge, which can be positive, increasing the consistency and effectiveness of joint efforts, and negative, disrupting the working rhythm and work spirit in the organization. The consequences of a particular conflict are also consistent. It can promote social mobility, cause significant changes in the social status of an individual or group, accelerate or slow down the process of socio-economic, spiritual and moral development.

Alarming about hotbeds of social tension . Conflicts can act as a diagnostic tool, as they allow one to track dysfunctional areas in an organization and reveal those contradictions that otherwise would go unnoticed and would continue to destroy and destabilize the organization. This diagnostic value of conflicts was already pointed out by scientists who conducted research at the Glacier company. Conflicts in themselves are not a problem in an organization. They become a problem when their management is aimed only at their eradication, and not at using them to diagnose deeper organizational contradictions and resolve precisely these contradictions.

So, a conflict encounter allows not only to discover unresolved problems and serious mistakes in the conduct of business, but also provides an opportunity for open expression of the needs, interests and aspirations of people, their dissatisfaction or protest. Typically, the emergence of a conflict situation warns of an unfavorable situation in a given organization, revealing and making public, for example, intolerable working conditions, arbitrariness of the administration, abuses of individual officials, deviations from industrial democracy, etc.

Thus, an employee, concerned about a decrease in his earnings, comes into conflict with the management of the site, workshop or enterprise. At the same time, he points out unsatisfactory working conditions, unfairness in awarding bonuses, etc. It happens that in such cases the egoistic goal takes over at any cost to satisfy one’s selfish interest. But more often, behind a similar situation lies something more: the desire to streamline work and improve working conditions, objectively contribute to the successful operation of the enterprise and increase profits. It is important, having understood the cause of the conflict, to evaluate its functional orientation.

A means of innovation, promoting creative initiative . In conflict conditions, people are more clearly aware of both their own and those alien to them interests, objective trends and contradictions of social development, the need to overcome obstacles to progress and achieve maximum benefit.

Original, newly formulated ideas, rejection of ingrained habits and outdated traditions very often encounter rejection, resistance, and a negative reaction. Innovations - be it an invention or a rationalization proposal, more advanced forms of labor organization and management - are almost always accompanied by conflicts at any stage, since success in the struggle for something new requires overcoming various kinds of obstacles, adherence to old values, inertia and conservatism. They cannot do without fear of incurring material damage and fears of a prestigious nature, primitive envy of a successful innovator.

Typically, conflict stimulates initiative, creative activity, the mobilization of creative forces, the search for non-standard approaches to solving complex problems, the optimal choice from alternative options - a choice that ultimately leads to increased efficiency of joint work. At the same time, conflict can also intensify manifestations of ill will in the relationship between those involved in the confrontation, causing dissatisfaction with the results of interaction, depression of spirit, “withdrawal,” and decreased efficiency at work. Often, an indomitable desire for something new, determination to overcome conservatism, various types of scientific, technical and artistic creativity are perceived as manifestations of deviant behavior.

Transformation (transformation) of interpersonal and intergroup relations . The conflict, while polarizing opposing forces, simultaneously creates the preconditions for their unification and cohesion on a new basis, and helps strengthen mutual respect and trust.

Let's refer to example . The head of the district administration was an active supporter of the establishment of private property, carrying out privatization with the expectation of creating maximum advantages for the owners of land, enterprises, and all movable and immovable property. The chairman of the district assembly (Duma), on the contrary, was known as a supporter of public property, carrying out privatization in such a way as to preserve the priority of collective property in all its forms - state, municipal, cooperative. For a number of years, the conflict between the leaders of the two branches of local government hampered not only the progress of privatization, but also the entire socio-economic development of the region. In the end, the parties realized this fact and came to mutual recognition of the effectiveness of a mixed economy, a mixed economy, and equality (without any advantages) of all forms of property.

Undoubtedly, this conflict had negative consequences, which were expressed in curbing privatization and slowing down the pace of development of the economy and social sphere of the region. But in the end, a functionally positive moment prevailed - the achievement of mutual understanding and agreement on the basis of a compromise, the awareness of the need to equalize the chances of all forms of ownership.

Conflict, if it proceeds on a healthy basis, strengthens the basis of solidarity and cooperation of people engaged in a joint business, satisfying their needs for self-respect and social recognition, thereby ensuring the choice of rules of behavior acceptable to the majority. Within a specific organization, such a conflict improves the socio-psychological climate in the team, weakens or completely eliminates tension, brings a preventive effect of cleansing the atmosphere of interpersonal and intergroup relations, and creates conditions that are conducive to the good mood and social optimism of staff.

If negative principles predominate in the conflict, such a conflict turns the warring parties away from cooperation, erects artificial barriers to mutual understanding, fueled by the desire to continue the confrontation and, regardless of anything, to insist on one’s own at any cost. As a result, the moral and psychological atmosphere deteriorates, relations between partners in a common cause are complicated, and their confidence in their moral security when communicating with colleagues is weakened.

Information about the state of the organization, the qualities of people engaged in joint activities . Conflict, of course, enriches the horizons of the participants in the conflict and increases their level of awareness of each other, and can serve as a source of life experience, a means of training and education, as well as probing the mood in a particular group. A conflict situation creates additional opportunities for making public more complete and reliable information both about the problems that need to be solved and about the people on whom the adoption of appropriate measures depends, about their inherent intellectual, emotional and volitional qualities. Clash in conflict allows opponents to get to know each other better, find mutual understanding and a “common language,” and enrich the practice of business cooperation.

More complete awareness, achieved through the unfolding of the conflict, contributes to the establishment of normal communication, the identification of common ideas about the true state of affairs, and the coordination of mutual interests and obligations of the parties. And this, in turn, can give rise to friendly relations, equal dialogue, openness in the exchange of divergent opinions, which is necessary and almost always useful so that everyone better understands the other participants in the conflict, the motives of their behavior, the potential abilities with which they have.

Prevention (prevention) of destructive confrontations. By achieving a detente between the parties to the conflict, resolving emerging and aggravated disagreements, it is possible to avoid collisions with significant material damage and moral losses, long-term discord in the team, knocking the entire organization out of its normal rut. For example, insufficient attention to the timely resolution of collective labor disputes, social conflicts due to delayed payment of wages, and underestimation of conciliation procedures can result in a general social and labor conflict up to its extreme form - a strike.

Table 1 gives a summary of the functional orientation of conflicts in an organization.

Table 2.Functional orientation of conflicts in the organization

Functions conflict	Direction and consequences of conflicts
Functions conflict	positive	negative
Personnel integration	Relieving tension in interpersonal and intergroup relations; coordination of individual and collective interests; formation and consolidation of formal and informal groups; deepening and stabilizing common interests	Weakening of organization and unity of the team; imbalance of interests between individuals and groups; manifestations of dishonesty and the desire to benefit for oneself at the expense of others; indulgence in selfishness, self-will, anarchy
Activating social connections	Making employee interactions more dynamic and mobile; strengthening consistency in achieving goals, functional and social partnership	Inconsistency in the actions of people engaged in joint work; weakening of mutual interest in common success; erecting obstacles to cooperation
Alarming about hotbeds of social tension	Identifying unresolved problems and stimulating work; detection of deficiencies in working conditions and labor protection; implementation of the needs, interests and values of the team	A sharp expression of dissatisfaction with the actions of the administration; protest against the abuses of individual officials; increasing job dissatisfaction
Innovation, promotion of creative initiative	Increasing activity and motivation to work; stimulating the growth of qualifications; promoting creativity, new and optimal solutions	Creating additional interference with labor and social activity; suppression of business spirit, enthusiasm and creative initiative; avoiding alternative solutions
Transformation (transformation) of business relationships	Creating a healthy socio-psychological climate; affirmation of respect for work and business entrepreneurship; increasing the level of mutual trust	Deterioration of the moral and psychological atmosphere: complication of the process of restoring business relationships and partnerships
Information about the organization and its personnel	Increasing the level of awareness of employees about the state of affairs in the organization; finding a “common language”	Increased unfriendly behavior; avoidance of cooperation; barriers to dialogue and exchange of opinions
Prevention of confrontations	Resolving disagreements on a mutual basis; weakening confrontation in social and labor relations	Increased tension and hostility; evasion of conciliation procedures

Only through the prism of careful analysis and awareness of the consequences is the predominant function of a particular conflict determined. Moreover, the consequences of the conflict depend on many objective and subjective factors, the nature of the parties’ behavior, methods for overcoming differences, and the skills of those who managed the conflict.

Thus, the main positive functions of social conflict are:

conflict does not allow the existing system of relations to freeze, ossify, it pushes it towards change and development, opens the way for innovations that can improve it;

it plays an informational and connecting role, since during the conflict its participants get to know each other better;

conflict contributes to the structuring of social groups, the creation of organizations, and the rallying of like-minded teams;

it relieves the “submission syndrome”, stimulates people’s activity;

it stimulates the development of personality, the growth of people’s sense of responsibility, their awareness of their importance;

in critical situations that arise during a conflict, previously unnoticed advantages and disadvantages of people are revealed, conditions are created for assessing people by their moral qualities - fortitude, courage, etc., for the promotion and formation of leaders;

the outbreak of conflict relieves underlying tension and gives it an outlet;

conflict performs a diagnostic function (sometimes it is even useful to provoke it in order to clarify the situation and understand the state of affairs).

The most important negative functions of conflict include:

deterioration of the social climate, decrease in labor productivity, dismissal of some employees in order to resolve the conflict;

inadequate perception and misunderstanding of each other by the conflicting parties;

decreased cooperation between conflicting parties during and after the conflict;

a spirit of confrontation that draws people into struggle and makes them strive more to win at all costs than to solve real problems and overcome differences;

material and emotional costs of conflict resolution.

the idea of defeated opponents as enemies;

excessive involvement in the process of conflict interaction to the detriment of work;

difficult restoration of business relations (trail of conflict).

Whatever the outcome, the consequences of the conflict have a certain impact on the organization and its personnel. In this impact, as if in focus, the functions and significance of the conflict, its high expediency or, on the contrary, extreme inexpediency are manifested. It is important, while maintaining a scientific approach and objectivity, to avoid exaggeration in assessing both the positive and negative consequences of the conflict that occurred. The main task is to give the conflict as functional a positive character as possible, to minimize the inevitable damage from its negative consequences.

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Destructive conflict destroys the structure and reduces the effectiveness of the organization. It can arise when one of the opponents resorts to morally condemned methods of struggle, seeks to psychologically suppress the partner, debating and humiliating him in the eyes of others. This is often accompanied by fierce resistance from the other side, and the dialogue is accompanied by mutual insults. Solving the problem becomes impossible, destroying interpersonal relationships.

Destructive conflicts are most often generated by subjective reasons. Such subjective reasons include incorrect actions of the manager and subordinates, as well as the psychological incompatibility of individuals. The manager usually sees the unlawful actions of his subordinates better than his own erroneous actions.

According to the last feature, stabilizing, constructive and destructive conflicts are distinguished. Stabilizing conflicts are aimed at eliminating deviations from the norm, while destructive ones, on the contrary, destroying old norms and deepening contradictions.

Constructive (or productive) conflicts between agents, generating new norms of relationships, contribute to the adaptation of MAC in new environmental conditions due to functional and structural restructuring and the establishment of new connections between agents.

Since it is the leader who is the authority that must neutralize the conflict, the analysis of the leader’s erroneous actions that lead to destructive conflicts is of particular importance.

Destructive conflicts lead to negative, often destructive actions, which sometimes develop into slander, squabbles and other negative phenomena, which leads to a sharp decrease in the efficiency of the entire team.

One of the best management techniques to prevent destructive conflict is to clarify what results are expected from each employee and department, the level of results required, who provides and receives various information, what the system of authority and responsibility is, and the procedures and rules adopted.

Networks of this type are most effective in performing group tasks that require creativity, and contribute to the satisfaction of group members with their activities, since formal equality in decision-making and democracy in relations between group members and the leader are maintained. Numerous studies conducted in small groups have shown that in a circle-type communication network (for example, a round table) the possibility of destructive conflicts occurring is sharply reduced.

In this case, the enterprise would need not a trade union committee, but a strike committee. Like other members of society, trade union workers must have social responsibility, which involves activities to maintain stability in society, reduce social tension, prevent hysteria and, especially, destructive conflicts. If it is possible to improve the social protection of workers and ensure their rights in a peaceful way, then the trade union should use it fully. As experience shows, this is precisely the tactics adopted by the International Trade Union Organization of OJSC LUKOIL, as well as a number of other trade union organizations of TNK. Thanks to this, quite significant progress has been made in creating a social protection system for workers.

Consequently, conflict performs two functions: constructive, when as a result of the conflict the efficiency of the organization’s activities increases, and destructive, when it leads to the opposite result. The goal of a leader is not to eliminate or prevent conflict, but to manage it and find a way to make it constructive. Thus, intergroup conflict helps to strengthen solidarity within each of the conflicting groups. If its participants are dissatisfied with the outcome of the conflict and feel that they have lost something, then this is a destructive conflict; if they are satisfied with the result, then such a conflict is constructive.

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Negative consequences of conflicts

The negative, dysfunctional consequences of the conflict include people’s dissatisfaction with the common cause, a retreat from solving pressing problems, an increase in hostility in interpersonal and intergroup relations, a weakening of team cohesion, etc.

The social destructive impact of conflict manifests itself at various levels of the social system and is expressed in specific consequences.

When resolving a conflict, violent methods may be used, which may result in large casualties and material losses. In addition to the direct participants, those around them may also suffer in the conflict.

Conflict can lead the opposing parties (society, social group, individual) into a state of destabilization and disorganization. Conflict can lead to a slowdown in the pace of social, economic, political and spiritual development of society.

Moreover, it can cause stagnation and a crisis of social development, the emergence of dictatorial and totalitarian regimes.

Conflict can contribute to the disintegration of society, the destruction of social communications and the sociocultural alienation of social entities within the social system.

The conflict may be accompanied by an increase in pessimism and disregard for customs in society.

Conflict can cause new, more destructive conflicts.

Conflict often leads to a decrease in the level of organization of the system, a decrease in discipline and, as a consequence, a decrease in operational efficiency. The destructive influence of conflict at the personal level is expressed in the following consequences:

negative impact on the socio-psychological climate in the group: signs of a negative mental state appear (feelings of depression, pessimism and anxiety), leading a person to a state of stress;

disappointment in one's capabilities and abilities, deintensification of the face; the emergence of a feeling of self-doubt, loss of previous motivation, destruction of existing value orientations and patterns of behavior. In the worst case, the consequence of the conflict can be disappointment, loss of faith in former ideals, which gives rise to deviant behavior and, as an extreme case, suicide;

a person’s negative assessment of his partners in joint activities, disappointment in his colleagues and recent friends;

a person’s reaction to conflict through defense mechanisms, which manifest themselves in various forms of bad behavior:

indentation - silence, lack of obscurity, separation of the individual from the group; information that frightens - criticism, abuse, demonstration of one’s superiority over other members of the group;

solid formalism - formal politeness, literalism, establishment of strict norms and principles of behavior in a group, observation of others;

turning everything into a joke;

conversations on unrelated topics instead of business discussions of problems;

constant search for those to blame, self-flagellation or blaming team members for all troubles.

These are the main consequences of the conflict, which are interconnected and are specific and relative in nature.

As already mentioned, mental states influence the course of mental processes: memory, attention, perception, sensation, thinking, speech and imagination. At the same time, frequently occurring mental states can become entrenched in personality traits.

The criterion for identifying maladaptive mental states is a decrease or loss of a person’s control over his condition, which in terms of the intensity of the experience or duration exceeds the person’s regulatory capabilities. Many people have experienced a state of irresistible fatigue, uncontrollable anxiety, unreasonable cheerfulness, unpredictable aggressiveness, etc. The level of violation of self-control of the state is reflected in the degree of maladaptive behavior, i.e. The less the condition is controlled by a person, the deeper the mental maladjustment.

Of course, maladaptive mental states are one of the factors that increase the likelihood of social conflicts. Rescuers always work in very close connection with each other, often in collaboration with representatives of other departments, and very often enter into communication with victims. In emergency situations, interpersonal contacts are characterized by significant emotional intensity and tension, which can contribute to the emergence of conflicts, the unconstructive development of which leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of activities. Participation in a conflict, as a rule, has a negative impact on the mental state of all its participants, contributing to the emergence or worsening of maladaptive mental states. It is not always possible to avoid a conflict situation, however, you can try to resolve the conflict constructively or minimize the negative consequences of the conflict.

It should be noted that there are several types of conflicts: with human participation and without human participation.

Conflicts involving a person are divided into intrapersonal and social: interpersonal, intergroup.

Conflicts can be classified on several other grounds: duration, content, force of influence on participants, form of manifestation, source of occurrence, consequences, etc.

First of all, it is necessary to define what social conflict is and what its functions are. Social conflict– the most destructive way of developing significant contradictions that arise in the process of social interaction, consisting in opposition from the participants in the conflict and accompanied by expressed negative emotions and feelings.

It should be noted that if the participants in the conflict do not experience negative emotions, or experience them but do not resist, this is a pre-conflict situation.

The impact of the conflict covers several areas: the sphere of mental and, as a consequence, physical health of the participants; relationships between opponents; quality of individual activity; socio-psychological climate of the group; quality of joint activities.

The consequences of conflicts can be both constructive and destructive. TO destructive consequences of conflicts relate:

— difficulties or impossibility of joint activities of the parties to the conflict;

— strengthening of personal hostility of the conflict participants, up to the formation of the image of an “enemy”;

— opposition of the parties to the conflict towards each other, which causes damage to professional activities;

— manifestation of unproductive competition in relation to other persons;

— reduction of interpersonal communications up to their complete disappearance;

- a decrease in the general background of mood and the effectiveness of individual activities among the participants in the conflict.

Constructive consequences of conflict can be expressed in:

— searching and developing mutually acceptable solutions;

— removing the hostility of the conflict participants towards each other;

- emotional release;

— psychological renewal of relationships;

- the emergence of a deeper and more adequate mutual understanding between people.

In order for the consequences of a conflict to be constructive, it is necessary that the parties to the conflict find the opportunity and resources to communicate effectively with each other.

This means that participants in a conflict need the ability and desire to see a conflict situation from the opponent’s side, analyze conflict situations, look for mutually acceptable solutions, use constructive communication techniques, and regulate their own mental state.

In order to understand the causes, possible consequences, and conflict-generating factors of the conflict, it is necessary to consider the objective and subjective levels.

Objective causes of conflicts include:

1. natural collision of significant material and spiritual interests of people in the process of their life;

2. poor development of legal and other regulatory procedures for resolving social contradictions that arise in the process of interaction between people;

3. lack of material and spiritual benefits that are significant for the normal life of people;

4. stable stereotypes of interethnic relations that contribute to the emergence of conflicts.

The socio-psychological causes of conflicts include:

1. loss and distortion of information in the process of interpersonal and intergroup communication;

2. unbalanced role interaction between people;

3. different criteria for assessing the results of activities and events;

4. intragroup favoritism;

5. atmosphere of competition and competition;

Personal causes of conflicts include:

1. high level of conflict;

2. inability to see the situation from the other opponent’s side or to see the situation without getting involved in it;

3. level of aspirations inadequate to abilities and capabilities, excessive ambition;

4. subjective assessment of the partner’s behavior as unacceptable, etc.

Of course, the form of conflict resolution depends on the behavior strategies of both conflicting parties.

Focus of team activities

From my own experience, I can say that target teams have much fewer sponsors than project teams. And specialists consider working in a target team as freelance work for additional pay. When starting to work with a target team, it is important to immediately determine the right focus of attention.

To ensure your team has strong support within the organization, find a sponsor or contact the manager who proposed the assignment for this target team and review the following important questions with them.

What problem should the target team study and why is it important to the organization?

What results are expected from your team, for example: recommendations to solve a problem, development of a solution program, its implementation, or otherwise?

What resources, from personnel to finance, do you need to get the job done well?

Team formation

Often the most difficult task at the initial stage of team formation is attracting the necessary specialists to the work.

Employees who do not enthusiastically accept an invitation to join a team are likely to work carelessly. If you form a team of such specialists, then you will do all the work yourself.

Personnel selection is carried out by management. If the selection of team members is being carried out for you and instead of you, say a firm “no”, no matter who the initiative comes from. If the manager is not involved in the target team, he should not decide who will join it; only you can determine who will work effectively in a team. Of course, you can listen to the recommendations of other people, but the decisive vote should remain with you.

Inclusion of any interested person in the team

Volunteers are good simply because they are interested in the task the target team is working on. On the other hand, not everyone has the qualifications or teamwork skills to successfully work in the target team. If an unqualified enthusiast offers you help, thank him politely, but refuse the help and look for a suitable specialist.

You may not know everyone in your organization who is suitable to work on your target project. Therefore, define selection criteria and ask other group leaders to recommend relevant specialists.

When inviting an employee to join the team, discuss the following questions with him:

The purpose of creating a team.

Why are you inviting him? tie this reason to the overall team goal.

The period for which the team is expected to work and the planned workload.

Then answer all the potential team member's questions and don't forget to ask him a simple and very important question: Will you join the team?

Most people consider conflict to be a purely negative phenomenon that only leads to quarrels, contradictions and destruction. However, this is a misconception. In addition to destructive ones, there are also constructive conflicts that lead to the resolution of many hidden problems.

Definition of concepts

A conflict is a certain contradiction or opposition that arises due to the incompatibility of the interests of the parties. It can arise between individuals or their groups in the process of life.

In accordance with the nature of the consequences, psychologists distinguish between destructive and constructive conflicts. In the first case, there will be nothing but quarrels, negativity and strained relationships. Sometimes destructive conflicts can progress to the stage of physical violence. They often arise out of bias and the desire for profit.

Constructive conflicts have absolutely the opposite meaning. They help resolve obvious and hidden problems, relieve tension in the team, and strengthen friendly relations. When it comes to enterprises, managers sometimes deliberately provoke conflicts in order to defuse tense situations.

Constructive and destructive conflict - difficulties of assessment

It is worth noting that the confrontation between individuals or their groups is quite difficult to assess. It is not always possible to determine the variety due to the following objective factors:

There are no clear criteria according to which constructive and destructive conflict are distinguished. Most often, this can only be done after the confrontation is over, when the consequences can be assessed (and even then the answer may not be clear-cut).
Most conflicts, regardless of the environment in which they arise, are characterized by both constructive and destructive functions simultaneously.
The characteristics of the confrontation can vary significantly depending on what stage it is at. A constructive conflict can become such only after an acute phase or, conversely, move into the realm of destruction.
When assessing a conflict, it is always worth considering the subjective side. So, one side may consider it constructive, while for the other it will be destructive. In addition, it is important to take into account the interests of third parties who may initiate the confrontation.

Constructive functions of social conflict

Despite the general negative connotation of such a phenomenon as conflict, it performs a number of functions of positive significance. So, the constructive side of conflicts is as follows:

conflict allows us to identify contradictions and problems at the very moment when they have reached the stage of maturity and need immediate elimination;
can act as a mechanism for relieving tension in society and resolving situations that are a source of stress;
in the process of finding ways out of the conflict, individuals can integrate, showing mutual assistance and understanding;
as a result of resolving a controversial situation and eliminating its source, the social system becomes more stable;
A conflict that arises in time can warn against more serious clashes and contradictions.

Thus, it is impossible to speak unequivocally about the negative nature of the conflict. Constructive social conflict is aimed not at aggravating, but at resolving problems.

Constructive functions of interpersonal conflict

Constructive interpersonal conflict performs the following positive functions:

allows you to discover the opponent’s true character traits, as well as reveal the true motives of his behavior;
conflict situations contribute to strengthening character and personality development;
contributes to the adaptation of the individual in society, his self-realization and self-affirmation.

Destructive functions of conflict

Conflicts are characterized by the following destructive functions:

due to the fact that the confrontation can move from verbal to physical, there is a high risk of material losses, as well as human casualties;
disorganization of society due to tension in relations;
slowdown in the pace of socio-economic development due to disruption of interpersonal and intergroup connections;
in the process of confrontation, new conflicts may open up, which will be even more destructive;
decreased level of discipline and disorientation;
deterioration of the psychological climate in a team or society;
from the point of view of an individual, self-doubt may develop, disappointment in beliefs and values may occur;
negative assessment of others;
During the conflict, protective mechanisms of the psyche can be triggered, which can lead to painful conditions.

Types of conflicting personalities

A constructive solution to a conflict is not always possible due to the individual characteristics of its participants. Psychologists identify six personality types that most often come into conflict with others:

demonstrative- they like to be in the center of events, they are quite emotional, and therefore are often the initiators of disputes and confrontations;
rigid- due to high self-esteem and touchiness, they often neglect the opinions and interests of others, which leads to serious conflict situations;
uncontrollable- characterized by excessive impulsiveness and lack of self-control skills;
ultra-precise- too demanding of themselves and others, picky about little things, distrustful;
conflict- purposefully enter into confrontation with others, considering such behavior as a way of manipulating and achieving their goals;
conflict-free- they are afraid of any disputes and confrontations, as a result of which they can provoke aggression and irritation of others, which leads to the opposite effect.

Models of conflict behavior

Three main models of conflict behavior can be distinguished, namely:

Destructive characterized by a desire to escalate confrontation and increase tension. A person may try to involve even more participants in the conflict, expanding its scope. This model is characterized by the following:
- neglect of the partner in order to reduce his role in resolving the dispute;
- personal insult and negative performance assessments;
- open expression of mistrust and doubt;
- deviation from moral and ethical standards of communication.
Constructive behavior in a conflict is aimed at “extinguishing” the confrontation as quickly as possible and solving the problem diplomatically. If one of the participants is aimed at reconciliation, then he will show restraint and self-control, regardless of the opponent’s behavior. It is important to behave openly and kindly, while maintaining few words.
Compromise model of behavior aimed at finding an alternative solution, it is characteristic of insecure individuals. They act rather passively and avoid direct answers to questions. Participants do not insist on respecting their interests and willingly make concessions.

Constructive development of the conflict

In order for the conflict to develop according to a constructive scenario, the following conditions must be met:

participants acknowledge the existence of disagreements, try to understand their nature and recognize the opponent’s right to respect their rights and defend their personal position;
Before we begin to eliminate the causes of the contradiction, negative manifestations of the conflict, such as increased tone, mutual insults, and so on, must be completely eliminated;
if it is impossible to reach a consensus on your own, then it is possible to involve a third disinterested party in resolving the controversial situation, who can give an objective assessment of the problem;
agreement of all parties to the conflict with the established rules of behavior, which contributes to effective communications.

Smoothing out destructive conflict

It is worth noting that a conflict that is destructive in nature can have a completely favorable outcome. In this regard, the following constructive ways to resolve conflicts are distinguished:

Eliminating the cause of the confrontation by limiting contact between the parties. If we talk about managing an organization, then we can talk about the division of powers or
Strengthening interaction between conflicting parties. If the confrontation does not directly concern the duties performed, then it is advisable to set a common goal for them, which will force the participants to search for a common language.
Stimulation for independent search Moreover, we are not necessarily talking about encouragement in the event of a speedy end to the confrontation. It is quite possible to develop a system of sanctions that will apply if the dispute is not resolved.

Conflict management

Managing constructive conflicts includes the following basic techniques:

A clear distinction between its participants. It is unacceptable to criticize personal qualities or interests. Thus, all attention is focused directly on the problem.
Development of options that satisfy both parties. To come to a common decision, the parties to the conflict must direct all their efforts not to personal confrontation, but concentrate them on finding alternatives. It is worth uniting against the problem, and not opposing each other. The brainstorming method works well here, and you can also involve third parties.
The use of objective criteria implies an objective view of the problem, regardless of the interests of the parties to the conflict. In this case, a decision can be made that will be stable and neutral.
Elimination of the influence of principled positions. First of all, each side must decide what its rational interest is in this or that development of events. It is quite possible that the conflicting parties will have them in common, or at least will not be mutually exclusive.

Ending the conflict

The end of the conflict can occur in the following forms:

permission- the parties to the confrontation, through joint efforts, came to a final decision that, to one degree or another, satisfies their interests;
settlement- elimination of contradictions through the efforts of a third party;
attenuation- this is a temporary or complete cessation of active confrontation, which can be associated both with the depletion of the resources of the participants and with the loss of relevance of the cause of the conflict;
eliminating the conflict consists of "liquidation" of its structural elements(withdrawal from the dispute by one of the parties or a long absence of contacts between opponents, neutralization of the problem);
in some cases, an ongoing conflict may lead to the emergence of new confrontations around objects, which were identified during attempts to resolve it.

conclusions

Despite the fact that most people consider conflict to be a purely negative phenomenon, this is not entirely fair. It may well be constructive in nature. Moreover, in some cases it is simply necessary. For example, the leaders of some organizations deliberately provoke constructive conflicts in work collectives. This helps to identify existing problems, relieve emotional stress and create a healthy work environment. It is also worth remembering that with a competent approach to conflict management, even destructive confrontation can have a constructive conclusion.

Productive and destructive conflict

Definition destructive conflict to a greater extent coincides with the everyday idea. It is this type of conflict that leads to a mismatch in interaction, to its weakening. A destructive conflict often becomes independent of the reason that gave rise to it, and more easily leads to a transition to “personality”, which gives rise to stress. It is characterized by a specific development, namely an expansion in the number of participants involved, their conflicting actions, an increase in the number of negative attitudes towards each other and the severity of statements (“expansion” of the conflict).

(Slide2)

Another feature - “escalation” of the conflict means an increase in tension, the inclusion of an increasing number of false perceptions of both the traits and qualities of the opponent, and the interaction situations themselves, and an increase in prejudice against the partner. It is clear that resolving this type of conflict is especially difficult; the main method of resolution - compromise - is implemented here with great difficulty.

(Slide 3)

Productive conflict more often arises when the clash does not concern the incompatibility of personalities, but is generated by a difference in points of view on a problem and on ways to solve it. In this case, the conflict itself contributes to the formation of a more comprehensive understanding of the problem, as well as the motivation of the partner who defends a different point of view - it becomes more “legitimate”. The very fact of a different argumentation and recognition of its legitimacy contributes to the development of elements of cooperative interaction within the conflict and thereby opens up the possibility of its regulation and resolution, and therefore of finding an optimal solution to the problem under discussion.

(Slide 4)

The idea of two possible types of conflict interaction provides the basis for discussing the most important general theoretical problem of conflict: understanding its nature as a psychological phenomenon. In fact: is conflict just a form of psychological antagonism (i.e. the representation of a contradiction in consciousness) or is it necessarily the presence of conflicting actions. A detailed description of various conflicts in their complexity and diversity allows us to conclude that both of these components are mandatory signs of a conflict.

The functions of conflict are dual. The same conflict can play a positive and negative role in the lives of opposite, conflicting parties, and it can be constructive and destructive at different moments of its development. It is necessary to consider for which of the participants this conflict is constructive and for whom it is destructive. If the goal of one of the parties may be to eliminate the contradiction, then the goal of the other party may be to maintain the status quo, avoid conflict, or resolve the contradiction without confrontation.

It is not the opponents themselves who may be interested in conflicts, but other forces provoking the conflict. This must be taken into account when making your own assessment of the situation.

So, in relation to the participants in the conflict, it can perform constructive and destructive functions.

Design features:

* Conflict acts as a means of activating the social life of a group or society (for example, innovative conflict).

* Conflict highlights unresolved problems. Interpersonal conflicts in organizations are almost three times more likely to have a positive effect on the effectiveness of joint activities than a negative one.

* Conflict manifests public opinion.

* Conflict sometimes contributes to the creation of new, more favorable conditions for human activity.

* Conflict can serve the function of uniting a group (and even an entire nation).

* In scientific teams, conflicts create intellectual and emotional tension, which accompanies the clash of different research strategies, which contributes to a productive search for the right solution (Truth is born in a dispute).

* The end of a conflict is often accompanied by an increase in employee discipline, a faster response of employees to each other’s comments and wishes, and the establishment of a more friendly environment.

Destructive functions:

Conflict is always accompanied by a temporary disruption of the communication system and relationships in the team

If the conflict ended with the adoption of a destructive decision, relationships in the team worsen in 19-30% of cases.

Frequent conflicts lead to decreased group cohesion.

Sometimes the quality of joint activities deteriorates during conflict. If the conflict is not resolved, but slowly fades away or the advantage is on the side of the one who, from the point of view of the group, is wrong, the quality of joint activity decreases even after the end of the conflict.

We can conclude: a little bit of good. Conflict should not be too frequent and skillfully managed. Only in this case does it bring maximum benefit.

A destructive conflict is characterized by:

1) The efforts of the parties are aimed at destruction.

2) The participants have mutually exclusive goals.

3) The interaction procedure is not defined and agreed upon.

A typical example of a destructive conflict at the body level is a fight. At the mental level, it’s a scandal. At the intellectual level there is a debate. In a fight, everyone strives to destroy the opponent’s body. The scandal is a mental state. In the dispute - a picture of the world.

A constructive conflict is characterized by:

1) The efforts of the parties are aimed at both destruction and creation.

2) The participants have a common goal.

3) The interaction procedure is defined and agreed upon.

A typical example of constructive conflict at the body level is a duel. At the mental level – clarifying relationships. At the intellectual level, there is a discussion. In a duel, the parties find out who is stronger or which technique and tactics are more effective. During a showdown, it is determined who is right and who is wrong. During the discussion - who is smarter or whose picture of the world is closer to the truth. Type of conflict Effort

focused on: General purpose Procedure Typical examples

Destructive To destroy No Not agreed upon Fight. Scandal. Dispute

Constructive Both to destruction and

and for the creation there is an Agreed Duel. Showdown. Discussion

And, despite the fact that during a constructive conflict the parties certainly strive to destroy something in the partner (for example, in a discussion - the partner’s misconceptions), they do this with a common agreed creative goal and according to agreed rules. (By the way, rules are a clear difference between constructive conflict and destructive conflict).

Basic methods of conflict resolution

The main thing to remember is that the conflict cannot be eliminated; we will learn to manage it!
Stay calm in all situations. Don't say offensive words to your opponent. When a situation gets out of control, remember “silence is golden.”
Don't try to win the argument. Remember: conflicts are not won, they are resolved. Try to honestly understand the other's point of view. Show him respect and look for a compromise solution. In a dispute, truth is born; if it suddenly turns out that you are wrong, admit it with dignity.
If you cannot reach an agreement, contact a third party. From the outside, mistakes are often visible or the solution to a problem appears on the surface for an outsider.
Remember a few aphorisms: “If you have to communicate with unbearable people, be glad that you are not like that!”, “Come to terms with what cannot be prevented yet,” “Remember, no one owes you anything!”

Methods or tactics for resolving conflicts are as diverse as the conflict situations themselves.

However, they can all be reduced to the following basic ones:

1 – rivalry;can be used by a person who has a strong will, sufficient authority, power, who is not very interested in cooperation with the other side, and who seeks, first of all, to satisfy his own interests

2 – avoidance;usually occurs when the problem at hand is not that important to you, you do not defend your rights, do not cooperate with anyone to develop a solution, and do not want to waste time and effort on solving it. This style is also recommended in cases where one of the parties has more power or feels that he is in the wrong, or believes that there are no serious reasons for continuing contact.

3 – cooperation;can be used if, by defending your own interests, you are forced to take into account the needs and desires of the other party. This style is the most difficult as it requires longer work. This style requires the ability to explain your desires, listen to each other, and restrain your emotions. The absence of one of these factors makes this style ineffective.

4 – device;; will mean that you act jointly with the other party, but do not try to defend your own interests in order to smooth the atmosphere and restore a normal working atmosphere. Thomas and Kilmann believe that this style is most effective when the outcome of the case is extremely important to the other party and not very significant to you, or when you are sacrificing your own interests for the benefit of the other party.

5 – compromise.Its essence lies in the fact that the parties seek to resolve differences through mutual concessions. In this regard, it is somewhat reminiscent of the style of cooperation, but it is carried out on a more superficial level, since the parties are inferior to each other in some way.

This style is the most effective, both parties want the same thing, but know that it is impossible to achieve at the same time.

Practical work:

1) Test “Strategy of behavior in conflict”

Using the methodology, it is possible to identify the most preferred forms of social behavior of a teacher in situations of conflict with students, parents, colleagues or administration.

Instructions: You are offered 15 statements. Evaluate each of them on your answer sheet as follows:I don’t agree at all – 1 point;Disagree – 2 points;Rather agree – 3 points;Agree – 4 points;Completely agree – 5 points.

Statements

I am a principled person and never change my position.
2. It is difficult for me to defend my position, even if I know for sure that I am right.
3. I spend a lot of time looking for common ground.
4. It is more important for me to maintain good relationships, even if I have to sacrifice my interests.
5. I respond to the suggestions of others, but I myself am not inclined to take the initiative.
6. I emerge victorious from any conflict.
7. I avoid tense situations, even though things may suffer from it.
8. I reconsider my point of view, having felt during the discussion that I was wrong.
9. I spend a lot of time on the problems of others and often forget about myself.
10. I easily agree to give in if someone else does the same.
11. I continue the argument until the interlocutor is forced to accept my point of view.
12. I achieve effective results when working under the guidance of a more experienced partner.
13. I am happy to take the initiative in reconciling the parties.
14. If it makes someone else happy, I give him the opportunity to insist on his own.
15. I often agree to the first condition that leads to the resolution of a problem in a relationship.

Processing the results . In the answer form, next to the numbers indicating the statement number, put the corresponding point and calculate their sum in each column.

Correspondence of column numbers to strategies of behavior in conflict:
1 – rivalry ;

2 – avoidance ;

3 – cooperation ;

4 – device

5 – compromise .

A strategy of behavior in a conflict situation is considered expressed if the sum of its points exceeds 10.

The following pedagogical situation is proposed for groups:

For example:A conflict has arisen between a student and a teacher: the teacher is outraged by the student’s poor performance and gives him the opportunity to correct his grades with the help of an essay; the student agrees and brings the essay to the next lesson. Firstly, not on the topic, but as he pleased, although, according to him, he spent his entire evening preparing it. Secondly, all wrinkled. Consider the situation and propose a way out of it in accordance with 5 tactics for resolving a conflict situation, which way out of this situation is constructive and which is destructive? Try to prove it.