The Use and Misuse of a Competing Style in Conflict Management

Posted by admin | MBTI, Productivity Tools | Monday 4 May 2009 7:05 pm

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The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, available from Consulting Psychologist Press (http://www.cpp.com/products/tki/index.asp), identifies five conflict styles - competing, compromising, collaborating, avoiding, and accommodating - and provides guidelines regarding when each is appropriate in conflict situations.

The conflict style profiles developed by Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann portray competing as a power driven mode being high in assertiveness and low in cooperativeness.  It puts parties in a win/lose relationship where one attempts to achieve his/her goals at the expense of another.

It may involve “hard bargaining” or the use of a person’s authority, position, wealth, or other forms of influence.  There is not much consideration for the feelings, views or goals of the other party nor is there interest in collaboration or compromise.

The goal is to win or succeed in achieving one’s desired outcome when pitted against that of another who desires something different.

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Understanding Personality Traits - Easing Workplace Communication

Posted by admin | Communication, Leadership, MBTI | Friday 12 September 2008 11:45 am

When it comes to communication in the workplace, a lot rides on how your personality meshes with those of your co-workers. You may think it isn’t important. Perhaps you don’t have a leadership role in your workplace, but that doesn’t mean you never will.

If the chance at advancement isn’t enough motivation to work on your communication skills, think about all the other areas of your life. Good communication skills will help you not only in your professional life, but in your personal life as well.

Communication is an essential part of our everyday lives, and the easier you make it for others to understand your desires, the easier it is for them to fulfill them. But to be an effective communicator, first you need to understand that not all people are created the same.

In fact, every single person will probably react differently to you or your requests. This has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with their individual personality traits.

There are all kinds of people in this world. Some people are wired tighter than others, and prone to snap easily if they feel pressured. Understanding this makes communicating with these people easier.

Offer them choices in a relaxing manner, but never let them feel as if you are breathing down their neck, pressuring them to move faster than they are able. This is a sure way to make them snap and become angry, resentful, or just listless.

The opposite is true of those at the other end of the personality spectrum: those who are so relaxed it is hard to rile them into action. These types of people may need an extra push just to get them working at their peak capabilities.

Above all, whatever the personality traits you are dealing with, it is important to always make yourself absolutely clear in what you are saying. Don’t use euphemisms or allusions; this will just cause confusion. Speak directly, frankly, honestly, and sincerely. Others may only want to please, but if you aren’t clear with what you want it is difficult for them to achieve.

Are you looking for more resources to help you deal with workplace communication?

Visit http://www.manageup.net/ today and signup for the newsletter featuring leadership tips that may help you slove your problems with workplace communication. Everyone can learn more effective communication skills.

This article was written by Michael Roberts Jr. the founder of Manage Up.net

His website is dedicated to developing better organizational leadership. The website has eBooks, articles, and online training for managers. Don’t miss the opportunity to sharpen your abilities and take your career to new levels using insightful knowledge from an expert in management. Signup for the newsletter http://www.manageup.net/Newsletter.html

How To Identify The Four Personality Types Resident In Every Boardroom

Posted by admin | MBTI, Workplace Conflict | Wednesday 9 April 2008 6:14 pm

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you will know that recently, we have been developing a new leadership suite of programmes and this has led me to further investigate what I term “Personality Types” and Merrill & Reid call “Social Styles” in their excellent book “Knowing About Social Styles”.

There are four personality types or social styles - Analyticals, Drivers, Expressives and Amiables - and all four have their own unique approach to business, their own language and thought processes etc. As a consequence, the very best sales professionals have become adept at recognising which personality they are dealing with and adapt their approach and communication style accordingly.

In every boardroom, you will always find three of the four personality types, occasionally, all four: I have discovered over the years which personality is likely to fill which position on the board but more on that later.

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What’s Your - Myers Briggs - Type

Posted by admin | MBTI | Monday 7 April 2008 9:32 am

We’ve all heard of the Viennese doctor who saw certain parts of the human anatomy every time he came across an oblong or hollow object. He is now largely discredited, of course. Many also know about his student, Carl Jung.

He came up with the notion that mankind shares an attic full of beliefs and experiences which he dubbed the “collective unconscious”. Think of it as the psychological bric-a-brac acquired by us during our common journey from apehood to modernity.

Did you know, though, that Jung wrote a book dividing people into eight types, based on how they prefer to take in and process information?

Jung’s Theory of Eight Mental Processes

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