THEORY 92

THOMAS AND KILMANN’S CONFLICT RESOLUTION MODEL

Use to understand and deal with conflict in your team.

Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann identified five approaches for resolving conflict. Each approach is described according to the level of assertiveness and cooperativeness displayed by the parties involved in the conflict.

Illustration

Source: Adapted from ‘Conflict and Conflict Management’ by Kenneth Thomas in Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, edited by Marvin D. Dunnette, p. 900, 1976. Adapted with permission.

Collaborating requires high assertiveness and high co-operation from all parties. This approach tries to fully ...

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