How Can We Manage Confrontations In The Workplace? Applying Kim's Model of Intercultural Conflict.

University of Florida, CJC Online, Foundations of Intercultural Communication MMC5708.

Conflict is an inevitable part of being a member of society. All types of human relationships experience friction and disagreements, but intercultural conflict is specifically defined as:

“the implicit or explicit emotional struggle between persons of different cultures over perceived or actual incompatibility of cultural ideologies and values, situational norms, goals, face orientations, scarce resources, styles/processes, and/or outcomes in a face-to-face context" (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.265).

Unhealthy conflicts are often the result of people viewing their own in-group as the center of everything or seeing the world from an ethnocentric perspective.

An ethnocentric perspective can create communication barriers through perceived “power inequality, lack of trust, history of bias, unresolved conflicts, and emotional struggles between groups” (Guyton, 2020).

“Communication plays a paradoxical role: it both instigates and is needed to resolve conflict” (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.264).

In the workplace, conflict between coworkers is normal and can be beneficial. “Some of the most productive teams are those in which the members feel safe enough to express differences and address disagreements, resulting in improved decision-making, greater thought diversity, and more innovative approaches” (HR Cloud, 2021).

However, unhealthy conflict is characterized by personal attacks and emotionally charged situations that negatively affect co-worker interactions and reduce the efficiency and success of regular business activities.

The question of how to resolve unhealthy intercultural conflict in the workplace requires managers to utilize careful analysis and flexible resolution styles. For example, recent studies show that being adaptive in conflict situations can be more successful than using cooperative approaches (Sinusoid, 2021).

Cooperative approaches to resolution “are only possible when both parties recognize they are biased and are willing to work through their biases” (Sinusoid, 2021). Cooperative forms of mediation and conflict management are perhaps not the best solution in the workplace. Instead, “managers and executives who have the capacity to use various conflict strategies (benevolence, dominance, support, appeasement, autonomy) in ways that fit the demands of the situations are more successful” (Kim, 2014).

Unfortunately, managers often focus too much on a specific need, issue, or problem instead of looking for the deeper root of a misunderstanding.

To address intercultural misunderstandings and disputes, Dr. Young Yum Kim developed a model that proposes “intercultural conflict occurs at three interdependent and interrelated levels: micro (individual), intermediary, and macro (societal)” (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.265).

Figure 1 (Guyton, 2020).

Micro (Individual)

Kim’s micro-level of intercultural conflict incorporates attitudes, dispositions, and beliefs on an individual level. According to Kim’s model, cognitive rigidity refers to cultural inflexibility, like stereotyping (e.g., all Republicans are stupid; all Democrats are bleeding-heart liberals) and in-group bias refers to “the degree to which each individual is ethnocentric" (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.265).

Intermediary

The intermediary level of Kim’s model refers to the actual location and context of the conflict. For example, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces are more likely to facilitate conflict since “the most basic condition for intercultural conflict is daily contact between diverse cultures or ethnicities” (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.267).

For example, on the job, managers, and supervisors have more power than workers. “If all the managers in a business are of one race or ethnicity and all the workers are of another, then the status discrepancy is heightened" (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.267). The same holds true for members of polarized political parties.

Macro (Societal)

The macro or societal, level of intercultural conflict is often outside of the individual’s control. Conditions include a history of subjugation, structural inequality, and minority group strength. According to Neuliep and Jandt (2021), the history of subjugation of one group by another can be a key environmental factor in many intercultural conflicts (p.268).

Application of Kim’s Model: Polarized Political Scenario

"An otherwise model employee mentions a current news event that involves a politically polarizing incident. Another otherwise model employee is offended. Soon, there are several people in the office arguing on each side of the issue. Feelings are hurt and some employees are threatening to resign, and others are threatening to sue the company. What can you do?" (Holiday, 2022).

Applying the three levels of Kim’s model to this polarized political scenario reveals that all three levels of conflict are present and merged. While some co-worker conflicts may be left to resolve themselves, “when the argument gets personal, employees lose respect for each other, employee morale becomes poor, productivity is affected, and employees threaten to resign, management needs to get involved” (HR Cloud, 2021).

In terms of Kim’s micro-level, the political polarization creates cognitive rigidity. This is demonstrated by the “otherwise model employees’” quick emotional escalation to “sue or resign”. Co-worker inflexibility to opposing viewpoints exemplifies how “the United States is exceptionally polarized due to unique aspects of its history, culture, politics, legal institutions, religious attitudes, race relations and foreign policy” (Stanford University, 2017).

At the intermediate level, the co-workers’ intergroup salience or “observable physical and social differences between the conflicting individuals, like race, language, and speech patterns" (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.267) is heightened when representing opposing political viewpoints. Political party conflict (Republican vs Democrat) frequently occurs over basic issues: whether people have a right to medical insurance, whether global warming is a hoax, whether immigrants should have the right to vote, and whether women should be allowed control over their own reproductive choices. Daily interaction between polarized viewpoints is difficult to avoid in many workplace scenarios and can lead to coworker conflicts.

Finally, at a macro (societal) level, sociological and "structural inequalities between the political parties and a demonstrable minority group strength within the Democratic party add fuel to this conflict" (Neuliep & Jandt, 2021, p.270).

Tensions expressed in United States politics are rooted in the history of one group’s subjugation of another group. Societal differences regarding power, prestige and economic reward have historically divided Republicans and Democrats by their strongly held belief systems. Bridging the gap between the two parties requires that both sides “listen with curiosity, place themself in the perspective of the other person and engage in active conversation about the issue at hand” (Shanks, 2020).

"No longer is it just Republican versus Democrat or liberal versus conservative. It’s the 1 percent versus the 99 percent, rural versus urban, and white men against the world. Climate doubters clash with believers and bathrooms have become battlegrounds. The melting pot is boiling over" (AP, 2022).

Steps to Conflict Resolution

1. Identify a safe place and time to talk. Find a private and neutral room. Ensure the amount of time for a meeting is appropriate for all parties. Complex disagreements cannot be resolved in ten minutes.

2. Clarify individual perceptions of the conflict. Ensure that each party has an equal opportunity to express their perception of the conflict. Discuss facts and remove the emotion from the situation by identifying problems clearly and concisely.

3. Practice taking an active and empathetic listening stance. Advocate empathy by helping team members identify the thoughts or feelings of the other person and attempt to understand the other person’s point of view. After the facts are established, “schedule follow-up meetings to give disputants space to:

a) Explain how they are feeling through active listening.

b) Paraphrase what the other person has said as accurately as possible.

c) Ask open-ended questions to reveal the other person’s motivations and interests.

d) Acknowledge the other person’s emotions and concerns" (Shonk, 2017).

4. Generate options with the vision of a win-win outcome. “A win-win strategy is a conflict resolution process that aims to accommodate all parties:

a) Start with an issue that the parties agree is worthy of discussion.

b) Collectively “brainstorm” ideas.

c) Defer judgments or evaluations until all ideas are presented to the group.

d) Clarify evaluation criteria” (Wigglesworth, 2021).

5. Agree on a plan of action. After the team reaches an agreement regarding solutions to each problem, restate them to confirm everyone is satisfied with the outcome. “If one party is not happy with the outcome but is not saying so, then there is a strong likelihood that the problem will arise again” (Wigglesworth, 2021).

6. Express confidence. “Thank the other party for being open with you and express confidence that your work relationship will be better for having talked the problem out” (Peterson, 2019). Leave the session with a commitment to implement the planned agreement.

“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress” - Mahatma Gandhi

Benefits of Conflict Resolution

It is important to note that there is a positive side to resolving conflicts. As a result, issues are brought to the surface, providing individuals and teams with an increased understanding of how to achieve one’s goals without undermining those of other people.

Team members benefit from developing greater mutual respect and renewed belief in their ability to work together. Co-workers also benefit from improved self-knowledge. Disputes force individuals to take a closer look at their own goals, realize what is important, and help focus on enhancing their effectiveness.

“Often, deep concerns about identity can be found at the root of conflicts, including questions about competence, respect, and ethical behavior” (Shonk, 2017). But when managers can help employees see conflict as nothing more than different points of view, it sets the stage for positive outcomes for the issue at hand.

“The next time an issue or concern arises at the workplace, don’t avoid it by acting like an ostrich with his head in the sand…face the issue head-on before it has a chance to escalate into a conflict requiring intervention” (Wigglesworth, 2021).

Rather than viewing counterparts as stereotypical representatives of their cultural group, consider looking beyond culture, to learn about others as individuals. Applying Kim’s Model of Intercultural Conflict to workplace issues can help managers uncover the three interdependent and interrelated levels of conflict at play to help guide them to a successful resolution.

QUESTIONS

Do you agree that conflict can be healthy?

What is your conflict management "spirit animal?"

How would YOU handle this polarized political office conflict?

Share your thoughts.

References

The Associated Press (AP). (n.d.). Divided America. Ap.Org. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from Divided America | Associated Press (ap.org)

Guyton, G. (2020, March 25). Intercultural communication in the workplace during crisis management. Glen Guyton. https://www.glenguyton.com/2020/03/25/intercultural-communication-in-the-workplace-during-crisis-management/

HR Cloud. (2021, March 17). Tips for resolving conflict between coworkers. https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/how-to-resolve-conflict-between-coworkers

Lehr, M. (2016, April 17). Conflict resolution in the workplace without making office politics worse. Omega Z Advisors. https://omegazadvisors.com/2016/04/18/conflict-resolution-in-the-workplace/

Kim, R. (2014, August). Is being adaptive in conflict better than being purely cooperative? Mediate. https://www.mediate.com/articles/KimRbl20140815.cfm

Neuliep, J. W., & Jandt, F. E. (2021). University of Florida MMC 5708 Foundations of Intercultural Communication Electronic Edition. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/9781071861431

Peterson, D. (2019, November 21). A step-by-step guide to resolving conflicts peacefully.” ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/steps-to-conflict-resolution-31710

Shanks, M. (2020, December). Bridging the gap between us. Mediate. https://www.mediate.com/articles/shanks-gap.cfm

Shonk, K. (2017, October 31). Conflict management at the office: How to resolve disputes. Harvard Law School. https://www.pon.harvard.edu/uncategorized/conflict-management-at-the-office/

Shonk, K. (2020, November 9). How to solve intercultural conflict [Blog]. PON - Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/international-negotiation-daily/how-to-solve-intercultural-conflict/

Sinusoid, D. (2021, August 15). Cooperative conflict resolution: Avoid these 4 biases. Shortform Books. Cooperative Conflict Resolution: Avoid These 4 Biases | Shortform Books

Stanford University. (2017, March 31). Stanford expert examines roots of America’s divide. Stanford News. https://news.stanford.edu/2017/04/03/expert-examines-roots-americas-divide/

Wigglesworth, P. (2021, June 3). Five steps to manage & resolve conflict in the workplace. Experiential. https://experiential.sg/five-steps-to-manage-resolve-conflict-in-the-workplace/