A recent paper in the Academy of Management Review says it's not just the nature of a disagreement, but the way it is expressd that leads to a positive or negative result in the workplace. The authors identified four types of conflict expression. Can you guess which conflict style which is healthiest?
A. High directness/high intensity
B. High directness/low intensity
C. Low directness/high intensity
D. Low directness/low intensity
The answer is B. When we use this style, our communication is unambiguous. However, it also invites deliberation instead of eye rolling or shouting (A), ambiguousness or mean-spirited teasing, (C) or avoidance and passive-agressiveness (D).
How Civil is Your Work Environment?
Take this quiz and see.
| 
