What Conflict Animal Are You?

Find out what animal matches your conflict management style.

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Pick a word that best describes how you approach a conflict.

Collaborative

Avoid

Compete

Accommodate

Compromise

1 / 7

Choose a values statement.

I highly value personal goals and relationships with others.

I value the ability to change my personal goals and relationships with others when necessary.

I value personal goals over relationships with others.

I value relationships with others over personal goals.

I somewhat value personal goals and relationships with others.

2 / 7

You view conflict as...

A problem to be solved

Something to avoid

A battle

Something that happens

A negotiation

3 / 7

Select a personal strength.

Calm

Friendliness

Courageous

Communication

Integrity

4 / 7

Select something you need to work on.

Being more involved

Being more vocal

Being more empathetic

Being more collaborative

Being more concise

5 / 7

When someone approaches you with a conflict you...

Withdraw

Compete

Hide

Confront

Debate

6 / 7

Select a phrase that best matches how you handle conflict.

The strongest person always wins.

Two heads are better than one.

Let's split the difference.

I don't care that much; have it your way.

I'd rather not deal with it now.

7 / 7

Collaborating Owl

“I’m sure we can work together for a better solution”

Confronts problems
View conflicts as problems to be solved
Use conflict to improve relationships
Identifies the conflict to approach solutions
Finds solutions agreeable to all sides
Values goals and relationships

Advantages: Both sides get what they want and negative feelings are eliminated
Disadvantages: Takes a great deal of time and effort

Avoiding Turtle

“It’s not worth the trouble”

Withdraw from conflict
Prefer to hide and ignore conflict than resolve
Uncooperative and unassertive
Tend to give up personal goals
Display passive behavior

Advantages: Helps maintain relationships that would be hurt by conflict resolution
Disadvantages: Conflicts remain unresolved; Overuse leads to others walking over them

Competing Shark

“I know I’m right”

Forceful and competitive
Highly goal-oriented
Relationships take a lower priority
Won’t hesitate to use aggressive behavior
Autocratic, authoritative, and uncooperative
Threatening and intimidating
Need to win; therefore others must lose

Advantages: Quick decisions if the Shark is correct
Disadvantages: May breed hostility and resentment toward the Shark

Accommodating Teddy Bear

“I’ll do what you want so we don’t argue”

Smoothing style
Emphasis on human relationships
Ignores their own goals
Resolve conflict by giving into others
Unassertive and cooperative

Advantages: Maintains relationships of individuals in conflict
Disadvantages: Giving in to each conflict may not be productive; Negotiator may get taken advantage of

Compromising Fox

“If I give you this, you give me that”

Concern for goals and relationships
Assertive for compromise
Seeking a middle ground between extremes
Attempts to let both sides gain something
Willing to sacrifice some of their goals while persuading others to give up part of theirs

Advantages: Relationships are maintained and conflicts are removed
Disadvantages: Compromise may create less than ideal outcome; Can result in game-playing