A conflict style inventory is a written tool for gaining insight into how people respond to conflict. Typically, a user answers a set of questions about their responses to conflict and is scored accordingly. Most people develop a patterned response to conflict based on their life history and history with others. This response may fit some situations well, but may be ineffective or destructive in other circumstances. The goal is to increase people's awareness of their own patterns and bring more options and flexibility within reach. The most widely used conflict style inventories are based on the Mouton Blake Axis which posits five styles of conflict response (see

Managerial Grid Model The managerial grid model or managerial grid theory (1964) is a model, developed by Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton, of leadership styles. This model originally identified five different leadership styles based on the ''concern for people'' a ...

). These include the Jay Hall Conflict Management Survey, the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, a standard since the 1960s, the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation's (CIIAN
Conflict Style Root Assessment
and the Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory, a more recent publication that is

culturally sensitive Cultural sensitivity, also referred to as cross-cultural sensitivity or cultural awareness, is the knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of other cultures and others' cultural identities. It is related to cultural competence (the skills needed fo ...

. More extensive personality type instruments are also useful to help understand conflict style differences. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which is based on the work of

Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist who founded the school of analytical psychology. A prolific author of Carl Jung publications, over 20 books, illustrator, and corr ...

,{{cn, date=November 2020 and the Gilmore Fraleigh instruments fall in this category. Conflict resolution teachers and trainers, mediators, organizational consultants, and human resource managers use conflict style inventories in their work to help people reflect on and improve their responses to conflict. Awareness of styles helps people recognize that they have choices in how to respond to conflict. Since each style has a preferred way of interacting with others in conflict, style awareness also can greatly assist people in meeting the needs of those they live and work with.

References

Dispute resolution Personality tests

See also

References