This week you’ve explored how personality, conflict styles, and emotions shape workplace conflict. Now it’s time to apply these concepts to your own patterns.
For Your Initial Post (300-400 words): Revisit your Week 1 Conflict Styles Self-Assessment results. (If you can’t find them, retake the assessmentDownload assessment)
Address the following:
Identify your dominant style (2-3 sentences): What was your dominant conflict style (lowest score)? What was your backup style (second lowest score)? Do these results surprise you, or do they feel accurate? Why? Analyze the strengths (using Mitchell & Gamlem Chapter 8): What are the strengths of your dominant style? Give ONE specific example from your workplace where this style served you well Identify the “shadow side” (using Mitchell & Gamlem Chapter 8): What are the limitations or potential problems with your dominant style? Give ONE specific example where your style created problems or didn’t work well What style would have been more effective in that situation? Recognize your emotional hot buttons (using Runde & Flanagan Chapter 3): What is ONE emotional trigger that causes you to lose your conflict competence? How does this trigger interact with your conflict style? (Example: “As an Avoider, when I feel criticized, I shut down completely and stop communicating.”) Commit to a strategy (using both readings): What is ONE specific technique you will use to increase your conflict style flexibility OR manage your emotions better? Be specific: What will you do? When will you use it? How will you know if it’s working? For Your Peer Responses (100-150 words each to 2 classmates): Find someone with a DIFFERENT dominant style than yours. In your response:
Explain how your styles might interact in a high-pressure situation (Would you complement each other? Trigger each other’s hot buttons?) Suggest one strategy from the readings that could help you work together more effectively Share an insight about their style that they might not have considered Avoid generic responses like “Great post!” or “I agree.”
Tips for Success: ✅ Be honest about your limitations: The “shadow side” is where the learning happens
✅ Use real examples: Don’t just describe your style—show it in action with specific workplace stories
✅ Connect style and emotions: How does your conflict style interact with your hot buttons?
✅ Be specific about strategies: Instead of “I’ll be more flexible,” say “When I notice myself avoiding a difficult conversation, I’ll use the centering technique from Runde & Flanagan (p. XX) and schedule a meeting within 24 hours.”
✅ Engage meaningfully with different styles: The peer response requirement is intentional—learn from people who approach conflict differently than you do
Example of Strong Integration: Instead of: “I’m a Collaborator. It’s good because I try to find win-win solutions. Sometimes it takes too long.”
Try: “My dominant style is Collaborating (Owl), with Compromising as my backup. This wasn’t surprising—I’ve always valued relationships and creative problem-solving. My strength showed when our team had a budget dispute last month. Instead of fighting over limited resources, I facilitated a brainstorming session that generated three new options no one had considered (Mitchell & Gamlem, p. 148). However, my shadow side emerged when a vendor missed a critical deadline. I spent two days trying to find a collaborative solution when I should have been Competing—asserting our contract terms and demanding immediate action. My hot button is feeling disrespected or dismissed. When someone interrupts me or dismisses my ideas, I become overly accommodating to avoid confrontation, which undermines my credibility (Runde & Flanagan, Section 3.2). My strategy: When I notice that ‘dismissed’ feeling, I’ll use the centering technique (three deep breaths, focus on my feet on the ground) and then use an assertive ‘I’ statement: ‘I need to finish my thought before we move on.'”
