UNIT 7

Conflict Resolution

General Objective

After studying this Unit, you should be able to help participants in your
training session to identify and describe the reasons for conflict and
how they can be resolved.

Specific Objectives

This Training Unit will help you to enable trainees to:

• define conflict;
• identify stages of conflict;
• describe responses to conflict;
• discuss steps in conflict management;
• analyze simple case studies on conflict/conflict resolution.

Planning

Time : 3 hours
Training Methodology : Brainstorming, group discussion
Training Materials : Copies of case studies
Trainer’s Preparation : Reading background material, preparing
copies of case study materials for
distribution to participants

Background Material

Introduction
Conflict refers to the discomfort one experiences with an individual or
group due to different needs, desires, attitudes, expectations and
experiences of others. Conflict has been described as the “struggle
between incompatible and opposing needs, wishes, ideas, interests of
people.” The traditional view of conflict has been that it is bad and
should be avoided at all costs. As a result, there is a tendency sometimes
to suppress conflict and ignore it. The current view is that conflict is a
naturally occurring phenomenon, which is inevitable and inherent in 57
Group Processes and any system. It is not always bad. It energizes the system, clears the
Participatory Decision Making
vision, helps to solve problems and acts as a stimulant. Thus, the current
view of conflict is that it could be functional to individuals, groups and
organizations.
Stages of Conflict
We can identify four stages in conflict. Let us describe each of them.
Stage 1: Differences
Differences arise due to differences of opinion and views. At this stage
discussion will be healthy and productive if met with tolerance.
Stage 2: Tensions
At this stage, promises may be broken, people’s action may not be the
same as their words and people begin to criticize their opponents and
view them as enemies.
Stage 3: Disputes
Neither side will admit that they have made mistakes. If either side
seems to loose face in the eyes of their opponents, they become
determined to do anything against their opponent. More extreme
positions are taken.
Stage 4: Hostilities
People become convinced that their views are right. Opponents are
mocked.
Functionality of Conflict
Conflicts can be useful in the following ways:
• Conflict helps people to express their emotions and overcome bad
feelings. Individuals can enter into healthy working relationships.
• Conflict could result in collaborative and creative problem solving.
• Conflict between two groups increases the mutuality, cooperation,
and understanding among the group members when the conflict is
faced and dealt with.
• New rules, regulations, procedures, norms and changes are often
brought about because of conflicting situations.
• Conflict could also equalize power between two contending parties.
If conflict is allowed to grow beyond control, it tends to become
destructive, resulting in a defunct group. Thus there seems to be an
optimum level of conflict that is very useful for the development of
creativity, healthy problem solving and productivity in the group.
For example, if some of the members in a group are not attending the
group meetings regularly, they may be questioned by other members.
In order to solve this issue, the group may develop new norms or insist
on adherence to the existing norms. Thus, all the members will start
58 attending the meetings and the group performance will improve.
How People Respond to Conflict Conflict Resolution

People respond in a variety of ways. Some of the most common

responses are analyzed in the following discussion.
Withdrawing
Some people may respond to conflict by withdrawing. They stay away
and avoid the problem. They may withdraw because they feel the conflict
is none of their business. They may also think that their involvement
will make no difference at all. The other reasons for withdrawal are that
they may feel powerless and helpless; they may lack confidence and
find it easier to avoid the conflict.
Giving in
Some people give in as a means of handling conflict if they place great
importance on their relationships with others. They want the problem
to be solved at all costs. They want to be accepted and liked by all the
members. Conflicts may even disappear just because some members
decide to be friendly but giving in may mean that there is no effort at
addressing the real issues and instead bottling up hurt and ill feelings
takes place.
Forcing
Some persons force their decisions through because they are in the
habit of being on top or because they want to protect themselves from
the discomfort or humiliation of being wrong. People who overpower
their opponents have low regard for others. They do not place much
value on relationships. They are really as powerful as they like others
to believe. Winning and being seen to win is part of their goal. But if
someone wins by force, others are being forced to lose. The loser may
withdraw, refuse to cooperate or even undermine the decision.
Compromising
People compromise if they recognize that they cannot expect to achieve
all their goals. They negotiate and bargain, build relationships and
neither side loses too much. They recognize the need for the outcome
to be seen as ‘fair’. However, sometimes the result may be such that
everyone feels that the outcome is unsatisfactory and neither side feels
committed to the solution.
Cooperating
Personal goals and relationships are important for those who choose
to co-operate. They believe that people can find new and imaginative
solutions to a conflict that leads to both sides winning. Just because
there is a winner, does it mean that there must be a loser?
When conflicting groups sit down together to discuss their needs, often
they themselves realize that their needs have changed. Perhaps they
did not look at the long-term perspectives or they realized that everyone
gains by working as partners, rather than as opponents.
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Group Processes and Of course, no single response can be called the right one. The most
Participatory Decision Making
appropriate response in each case depends on the circumstances and
the particular relationships. However, cooperating usually holds the
greatest promise.
Steps for conflict management
Conflict can destroy the group if left unmanaged. On the other hand, it
can lead to sound decision making if managed well. Steps have been
identified which can help in managing conflict situations.

Describing a conflict

Acknowledging the “real”

conflict

Identifying the conflict

Hearing views of all

Exploring together

Gaining agreement

Acknowledging that conflict exists

Address the conflict immediately. Otherwise, it becomes an obstacle to
the group’s success. If the conflict is acknowledged and steps are taken
to resolve it, conflict could be moulded into an opportunity.
Identifying the “Real” Conflict

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This step often requires systematic and sustained work in identifying
the real conflict. Conflicts arise both from core issues and emotional
issues. In every conflict, there is interplay between these two issues. Conflict Resolution
The core conflict relates to the functioning of the group. The emotional
issues, on the other hand, relate to the threat to self-esteem or jealousy.
They can intensify the conflict. The core issues must be resolved first
to resolve the conflict.
Core Issues Emotional Issues
• Role ambiguity • Incompatible personal styles
• Disagreements over methods, • Struggles for control of power
goals, procedures, • Threats to self esteem
responsibilities, values and facts • Jealousy
• Resentment
Hearing all points of view
To successfully resolve a conflict, one must understand both the sides
of the issue. Timid members should be encouraged to express their
opinion. The facilitator should aim for mutual understanding and avoid
debates over who is right or wrong. She should discuss how the conflict
is affecting the group’s performance. She should focus on facts and
behaviours, not feelings or personalities. Blaming each other causes
emotions to be become the centre of attention and the problem may
not be resolved.
Some points to remember are highlighted in the following list.
• Members may differ on the nature of the problem.
• They may agree on the problem but have different perspectives on
it.
• They may share the same perspective, but differ on the solution to
the problem.
Together explore ways to resolve the conflict
Explore each member’s position, open up the channels of
communication and involve everyone. An open discussion can result
in collection of all the information needed, available alternatives and
can lead to more trusting and healthy relationships between the involved
members.
Gaining agreement on and assigning responsibility for a solution
One way to help the members to accept one another’s perspective and
to create joint responsibility for reaching a solution is to have the
member’s dual role reversal with each person presenting another’s view.
The facilitator should help the members to solve the problem. All the
members need to be as comfortable as possible with the solution. None
should order or force the other to adopt her point of view.
Scheduling a follow-up session to review the resolution
When the group members are aware that they will be held responsible
for carrying out a decision, they are likely to honour that commitment. 61
Group Processes and Conflict Management during Pre-Group Formation Stage
Participatory Decision Making
Conflicts occur at each and every stage of development of the group.
They aid sustainable growth if addressed properly. Some conflicts can
be left untouched and in course of time the intensity of the problem will
subside. Based on the intensity and seriousness of the conflict, the
facilitator should take the decision for addressing the conflict. Delay in
addressing serious conflicts results in a defunct group. Initially it is the
role of the facilitator to identify and address the problems. However,
the conflicts need to be resolved by involving the members. In case the
conflict goes beyond the control of the facilitator and the group,
experienced resource persons from other groups and clusters of SHG
should be involved in resolving the conflict.
The required skills have to be developed within the groups for conflict
resolution through demonstration, brainstorming, active involvement
of the members in resolving the conflicts and sharing the experience of
other groups who have resolved conflicts on their own. Capable leaders
and members could be identified by the facilitator and trained to upgrade
their skills in conflict management. The different type of conflicts that
arise at different stages of group development and possible ways to
resolve them are discussed in the following sections.
Conflicts related to the facilitator
Normally the facilitators belonging to NGOs form the groups. Since
they are outsiders to the community, the poor may not trust the facilitator
and believe her ideas. They may feel that the facilitator has some hidden
motive in forming them into a group.
What could be the solutions to this conflict?
• The facilitator should make two or three casual visits to the village.
She should try to understand the status of the poor through
discussions and observations.
• The facilitator should identify key persons who can influence others
(key persons may be village elders, leaders or influential persons).
Share with them the ideas and the purpose of the visit. Develop
personal relationships with them. The key persons can introduce
the facilitator to the villagers. This may help in getting the
acceptance and trust of the community.
The facilitator should have the following qualities to develop a
relationship with the poor:
• Clarity on the purpose of the SHG and its activities;
• Communication skill;
• Ability to recognize and respect the strengths of others;
• Flexibility; and
• Ability to involve the poor in problem identification and idea
generation instead of thrusting her ideas on them.
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Resolving Conflict between Facilitator and Local Leaders Conflict Resolution

This problem arises due to identification of the wrong key persons,

who have hidden motives in helping the facilitator. Two types of problems
occur due to such wrong identification:
• In order to corner the benefits, the local leaders may force the
facilitator to form a group of non-poor women; and
• If the facilitator does not agree, they will spread false messages
about the concept of the group and facilitator.
The desirable characteristics of a facilitator include:
• understanding and adjusting to local conditions, which require
patience, perseverance and commitment;
• deep respect and faith in people;
• willingness to learn from community members;
• open mind and positive attitude;
• ability to listen;
• ability to facilitate more than control.
How can conflicts between the facilitator and local leaders be resolved?
The character and nature of the key persons should be understood
before using them for spreading the concept and organizing the group.
Resolving Conflicts related to Approach of the Facilitator
Approach of the facilitator can create a lot of conflicts in the village. If
the facilitator attempts to favour people of a particular caste, it may
result in tension in the village. People of other castes may not accept
and relate with the facilitator. Similarly, repeatedly visiting a member’s
house will make the others suspect the facilitator’s intention, especially
if they do not have good relations with the member. They will not believe
what the facilitator says. Whatever she says will be thought of as the
negative influence of the member.
What are the ways in which a facilitator can improve her approach and
thus avoid conflict?
• The facilitator should interact with all villagers irrespective of their
caste and economic status and inform them about the purpose of
her visit. During each visit the facilitator should meet the
representatives of all the categories of poor women.
• She needs to be neutral and not biased towards a few.
• Her approach and communication should make the rich appreciate
the concept of the SHG and help the facilitator to form the group
with the poor women.
Here are a few helpful tips on improving the approach of the facilitator.
The facilitator should:
• be simple and kind;
• not create expectations among the people;
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Group Processes and • stay in the village because this promotes rapport building;
Participatory Decision Making
• engage in individual interactions/personal discussions for better
rapport building;
• not restrict contact to her group members only;
• extend contact with others with backgrounds dissimilar to hers;
• try to participate in all the common and private functions held in
her project area, particularly the death ceremonies;
• not initiate open attack or action against persons with vested
interests; and
• keep in touch even with the problem creators in the village.
Resolving Conflict due to Lack of Clarity on Programme
Components
The facilitator should clearly explain the programme components —
savings and credit.
The member should know:
• why to save, how to save, why to lend, how to lend and whom to
lend;
• why to address community issues;
• importance of other activities of the programme;
• exact type of benefits expected from the programme; and
• importance of health, literacy and other components which may be
included in the programme.
If these aspects are not clarified at the time of group formation, conflicts
will occur in future.

Work Plan for Your Training Session

Activity 1
Ask the participants to go through the following case study and assess
how the conflict is described and the case study analyzed. The
participants should then identify the steps in conflict management from
the descriptions given after the case study.
Case Study
Kaliamman SHG in Pachalur village was formed and Muniammal
and Mottaiammal were elected as President and Secretary,
respectively. According to the norms of the group, the member
should inform the group if she is not able to attend the group
meeting and she has to compulsorily send her savings. The
Secretary could not attend one meeting of the group and she did
not deposit her savings. The group members asked her to pay
64 the penalty. The Secretary did not accept this. She argued that
 Conflict Resolution
she had informed the President and she had also sent the money
through her. The President denied this. This became a big issue
and the leaders did not allow the group to function for the next 2-
3 months. The facilitator tried to solve the conflict. He discussed
the issue with all the members and also the concerned leaders.
He found that both the leaders were dominating by nature. Both
of them did not want the other person to be in the group. Since
they were not willing to compromise, the group decided to remove
both the leaders from the group. The group was revived with the
remaining members.
Describing a conflict
Build up a description of the conflict. The description should contain
the following:
• The issue;
• Who are involved;
• Needs, hopes and concerns of each member;
• Power of each member or group involved;
• The solutions to the conflict each member of the group has; and
• The solution that may be acceptable to everyone.
Case analysis
An analysis of the case study reveals the following points.
• Conflict is between the leaders;
• The underlying reason for the conflict is their personal problem
and dominating nature. Due to their own personal problems they
have not allowed the group to function.
• Both the leaders are equally powerful.
• All the other members want to solve the problem.
The following points may be kept in mind:
1) In the above case study, the conflict was not resolved at the initial
stage. If the facilitator had identified and addressed the conflict
immediately, the group would not have suffered for 2-3 months
and other members might not have been affected.
2) In the case study, the conflict was not about flouting of the norms.
The underlying reason was that both the leaders did not want the
other to be in the group and their personal problems made them
take strong positions.
3) The facilitator collected the facts from both the leaders and also
from all the members.
4) Even after the sincere efforts of the members and facilitator to
resolve the conflicts, the leaders mentioned in the case study were
not convinced. The group members themselves decided to revive
their group without the leaders. 65
Group Processes and
Participatory Decision Making
5) All the members in the case study jointly solve the problem finally
and implemented their decision of removing the leaders of the
group. There was no internal conflict among the members.
Activity 2
Ask the participants to go through the following three case studies.
Conduct a brainstorming session to identify the steps in conflict
management and suggestions on avoiding conflict in each case.
Case Study 1
In Thiruvathavoor village near Madurai, an experienced cluster
leader was involved in the formation of SHG. In her interaction
with the women, she told them about the benefits of being a
member of a group. She gave more emphasis to the loans received
by her and how she had used the loans for increasing her income.
But in her enthusiasm she did not give the details of group
processes, mobilization of small savings, how she had received
the loans and condition in taking and using loans. The villagers
on listening to her thought that all of them would get loans
immediately after group formation. A group was formed
immediately. Later the facilitator visited the group and explained
the various activities to be initiated before obtaining loans. She
informed that only good groups would get loans from banks. As
their expectations were not fulfilled, the group dissolved. Later
with the help of some interested members the group was revived.
Case Study 2
DHAN team visited a village in Ramnad district for forming a group.
During the discussions with the villagers they found that without
the permission of the village leader they will not take any action.
Then the team approached the leader who was a rich man and
explained to him about the purpose of their visit and group
formation procedure. Immediately he gave a list of people who
should be included in the group. He was of the view that benefits
should go equally to all, irrespective of their economic status. He
wanted to be seen as a neutral person. The team did not accept
this and approached the poor separately. But, due to the local
dynamics, the poor did not agree to be part of a group and hence
a group could not be formed.
Case Study 3
Indira was elected by the groups as federation leader. Her
leadership skill was appreciated by the women and even the
District Collector appreciated her. Indira’s husband always came
in her way. He forced her to obtain a loan from the group for the
petty shop run by him. As he did not manage the shop well, she
had to spend a lot of her time in the shop to make it profitable.
Hence she could not concentrate on her leadership role. Her
husband did not allow her to go to the meetings. The intervention
of the facilitator made the problem worst. Finally, she resigned
66 from the leadership role and continued as member of the group.
 Conflict Resolution
Activity 3
On the basis of background material provided in Unit 2, identify five
possible conflict situations. Present these to the participants. Ask them
to suggest:
(a) ways to avoid such conflicts
(b) ways to resolve conflicts which do arise.
Activity 4
Organize a debate on the topic “Conflicts are bad and must be avoided.”

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Group Processes and Acknowledgements
Participatory Decision Making

Department of Women and Child Development

Ministry of Human Resource Development
Publications

1) Network of Self Help Groups: A Guide Book written by Tara Sinha,

Friends of Women’s World Banking, India.
2) Resource Book for Group Building
3) Swa Shakti: Guide Book for Field Workers
4) Training of Self Help Groups: A Guide Book written by Girija
Srinivasan
5) Organizing Self Help Groups – A Resource Book

Disclaimer: The use of materials as part of the background material of

the training units does not infringe in any way on the copyright of the
original authors of this material. Use of the materials has been permitted
with due acknowledgement.

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