CONFLICT MODE

Thomas-Kilmann Instrument

P R O F I L E A N D I N T E R P R E T I V E R E P OR T

Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann

Prepared for

MICHAELS PAT
March 19, 2001

PUBLISHED BY CONSULTING PSYCHOLOGISTS PRESS, INC.
Copyright 1974, 2001 by Xicom, Incorporated. Xicom, Incorporated is a subsidiary of Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thomas-Kilmann
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CONFLICT MODE

The Five Conflict-Handling Modes
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is designed to assess an individual’s behavior in conflict situations - that is, situations in which the concerns of two people appear to be incompatible. In such situations, we can describe a person’s behavior along two basic dimensions: (1) assertiveness, the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns, and (2) cooperativeness, the extent to which the individual attempts to satisfy the other person’s concerns. These two basic dimensions of behavior can be used to define five specific methods of dealing with conflicts. These five "conflict-handling modes" are shown below.

A p S S E R T I V E N E S q S U
N A S S E R T I V E

A S S E R T I V E

COMPETING

COLLABORATING

COMPROMISING

AVOIDING
UNCOOPERATIVE

ACCOMMODATING

t

u

COOPERATIVE

COOPERATIVENESS

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CONFLICT MODE

C O M P E T I N G
Competing is assertive and uncooperative, a power-oriented mode. When competing, an individual pursues his or her own concerns at the other person’s expense, using whatever power seems appropriate to win his or her position. Competing might mean standing up for your rights, defending a position you believe is correct, or simply trying to win. On a continuum from 0 to 12, your score on Competing is 5.

A C C O M M O D A T I N G
Accommodating is unassertive and cooperative - the opposite of competing. When accommodating, an individual neglects his or her own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person; there is an element of self-sacrifice in this mode. Accommodating might take the form of selfless generosity or charity, obeying another person’s order when you would prefer not to, or yielding to another’s point of view. On a continuum from 0 to 12, your score on Accommodating is 9.

A V O I D I N G
Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative. When avoiding, an individual does not immediately pursue either his or her own concerns or those of the other person. He or she does not address the conflict. Avoiding might take the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better time, or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation. On a continuum from 0 to 12, your score on Avoiding is 5.

C O L L A B O R A T I N G
Collaborating is both assertive and cooperative - the opposite of avoiding. When collaborating, an individual attempts to work with the other person to find a solution that fully satisfies the concerns of both. It involves digging into an issue to identify the underlying concerns of the two individuals and to find an alternative that meets both sets of concerns. Collaborating between two persons might take the form of exploring a disagreement to learn from each other’s insights, with the goal of resolving some condition that would otherwise have them competing for resources, or confronting and trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem. On a continuum from 0 to 12, your score on Collaborating is 5.

C O M P R O M I S I N G
Compromising is intermediate in both assertiveness and cooperativeness. When compromising, the objective is to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that partially satisfies both parties. Compromising falls on a middle ground between competing and accommodating, giving up more than competing but less than accommodating. Likewise, it addresses an issue more directly than avoiding, but doesn’t explore it in as much depth as collaborating. Compromising might mean splitting the difference, exchanging concessions, or seeking a quick middle-ground position. On a continuum from 0 to 12, your score on Compromising is 6.

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CONFLICT MODE

Interpreting Your Scores
When you look at your results on the TKI, you will probably want to know: "What are the correct answers?" In this case of conflict-handling behavior, there are no right or wrong answers. All five modes are useful in some situations: each represents a set of useful social skills. Our conventional wisdom recognizes, for example, that often "Two heads are better than one" (Collaborating). But it also says, "Kill your enemies with kindness" (Accommodating), "Split the difference" (Compromising), "Leave well enough alone" (Avoiding), and "Might makes right" (Competing). The effectiveness of a given conflict-handling mode depends upon the requirements of the specific conflict situation and the skill with which you use that mode. You are capable of using all five conflict-handling modes: you cannot be characterized as having a single, rigid style of dealing with conflict. However, it may be possible that you use some modes more readily than others and therefore tend to rely upon those modes more heavily. The conflict behaviors you use are the result of both your personal predispositions and the requirements of the situations in which you find yourself. Also, your social skills may lead you to rely upon some conflict behaviors more or less than others.

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CONFLICT MODE

Your TKI Profile
Your profile of TKI scores shown below indicates the repertoire of conflict-handling skills you use in conflict situations. Scores are graphed in relation to the scores of the original norm group, composed of 400 middle and upper-level managers in business and government organizations.

P E R C E N T I L E
0%

S C O R E
75%

LOW

25%

MEDIUM

HIGH

100%

COMPETING ACCOMMODATING AVOIDING COLLABORATING COMPROMISING

M O D E

COMPETING When considered as a percentile, your Competing score of 5 translates to 40%. This means that you scored the same as or higher than 40% of the 400 managers in the original comparison group in your use of the Competing mode. Compared to this group, your use of Competing is considered to be about average. ACCOMMODATING When considered as a percentile, your Accommodating score of 9 translates to 85%. This means that you scored the same as or higher than 85% of the 400 managers in the original comparison group in your use of the Accommodating mode. Compared to this group, your use of Accommodating is considered to be high. AVOIDING When considered as a percentile, your Avoiding score of 5 translates to 30%. This means that you scored the same as or higher than 30% of the 400 managers in the original comparison group in your use of the Avoiding mode. Compared to this group, your use of Avoiding is considered to be about average. COLLABORATING When considered as a percentile, your Collaborating score of 5 translates to 18%. This means that you scored the same as or higher than 18% of the 400 managers in the original comparison group in your use of the Collaborating mode. Compared to this group, your use of Collaborating is considered to be low. COMPROMISING When considered as a percentile, your Compromising score of 6 translates to 32%. This means that you scored the same as or higher than 32% of the 400 managers in the original comparison group in your use of the Compromising mode. Compared to this group, your use of Compromising is considered to be about average.

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CONFLICT MODE

Competing

Uses
• • When quick, decisive action is vital - for example, in an emergency On important issues where unpopular courses of action need implementing - for example, cost cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline On issues vital to company welfare when you know you're right To protect yourself against people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior

• •

Questions to Ask
Your score of 5 is in the average range. Even though your Competing behaviors may serve you well in some situations, you may wish to ask yourself: • Do you sometimes feel powerless in situations? You may be unaware of the power you do have, unskilled in its use, or uncomfortable with the idea of using it. This may hinder your effectiveness by restricting your influence. • Do you sometimes have trouble taking a firm stand, even when you see the need? Sometimes concerns for others' feelings or anxieties about the use of power causes us to vacillate, which may mean postponing the decision and adding to the suffering and/or resentment of others.

Thomas-Kilmann
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CONFLICT MODE

Accommodating

Uses
• When you realize that you are wrong - to allow a better solution to be considered, to learn from others, and to show that you are reasonable When the issue is much more important to the other person than to yourself - to satisfy the needs of others, and as a goodwill gesture to help maintain a cooperative relationship To build up social credits for later issues that are important to you When continued competition would only damage your cause - when you are outmatched and losing When preserving harmony and avoiding disruption are especially important To aid in the development of your employees by allowing them to experiment and learn from their own mistakes

•

• • • •

Questions to Ask
Your score of 9 is in the high range. You may wish to ask yourself: • Do you feel that your ideas and concerns sometimes do not get the attention they deserve? Deferring too much to the concerns of others can deprive you of influence, respect, and recognition. It can also deprive the organization of your potential contributions. • Is discipline lax? Although discipline for its own sake may be of little value, there are often rules, procedures, and assignments whose implementation is crucial for you or the organization.

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CONFLICT MODE

Avoiding

Uses
• • When an issue is trivial or of only passing importance, or when other, more important issues are pressing When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns - for example, when you have low power or you are frustrated by something that would be very difficult to change (national policies, someone's personality structure, and so on) When the potential costs of confronting a conflict outweigh the benefits of its resolution To let people cool down - to reduce tensions to a productive level and to regain perspective and composure When gathering more information outweighs the advantages of an immediate decision When others can resolve the conflict more effectively When the issue seems tangential or symptomatic of another, more basic issue

• • • • •

Questions to Ask
Your score of 5 is in the average range. Even though your Avoiding behaviors may serve you well in some situations, you may wish to ask yourself: • Do you sometimes find yourself hurting others' feelings or stirring up hostilities? You may need to exercise more discretion and tact in framing issues in non-threatening ways. • Do you sometimes feel harried or overwhelmed by a number of issues? You may need to devote more time to setting priorities-that is, deciding which issues are relatively unimportant, and perhaps delegating them to others.

Thomas-Kilmann
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CONFLICT MODE

Collaborating

Uses
• • To find an integrative solution when the concerns of both parties are too important to be compromised When your objective is to learn - for example, testing your own assumptions, understanding the views of others To merge insights from people with different perspectives on a problem To gain commitment by incorporating others' concerns into a consensual decision To work through hard feelings that have been interfering with an interpersonal relationship

• • •

Questions to Ask
Your score of 5 is in the low range. You may wish to ask yourself: • Is it difficult for you to see differences as opportunities for joint gain - that is, as opportunities to learn or solve problems? Although conflict situations often involve threatening or unproductive aspects, approaching all such situations with pessimism can prevent you from seeing collaborative possibilities and thus deprive you of the mutual gains and satisfactions that accompany successful collaboration. • Are your employees uncommitted to your decisions or policies? Perhaps their concerns are not being incorporated into those decisions or policies.

Thomas-Kilmann
MICHAELS PAT PAGE 10 OF 10 ........................................................................................Instrument ....................................................................................March 19, 2001
CONFLICT MODE

Compromising

Uses
• When goals are moderately important but not worth the effort or the potential disruption involved in using more assertive modes When two opponents with equal power are strongly committed to mutually exclusive goals - as in labor-management bargaining To achieve temporary settlement of complex issues To arrive at an expedient solution under time pressure As a backup mode when collaboration or competition fails

•

• • •

Questions to Ask
Your score of 6 is in the average range. Even though your Compromising behaviors may serve you well in some situations, you may wish to ask yourself: • • Do you find yourself too sensitive or embarrassed to be effective in some bargaining situations? Do you sometimes find it difficult to make concessions? Without this safety valve, you may have trouble gracefully getting out of mutually destructive arguments, power struggles, and so on.