Application of Conflict Management
Stacie had just returned from a seminar on conflict management. Although it seemed as if she spent a lot of time dealing with conflict, it certainly was not her favorite aspect of being a manager. She thought about some of the conflicts that she had encountered lately. There had been the conflict last week between two office staff members over the location of the department coffee pot. They could not agree on where it should be placed. Stacie had smiled, shaken her head, and walked away from that one. Then there had been the dispute among the middle managers over where to hold the company picnic.
The argument had gotten rather heated, but it made no difference to Stacie, and she was not about to use some of her credits for something that unimportant to her. She let the others choose the site since it was important to them. Then there was the ongoing debate over the restructuring of the company. Top management had said there was a time period of two years in which to complete a restructuring, and they had wanted employee input from the bottom up so that it could be a win- win situation for everyone. Everyone involved in this debate realized the importance of a positive resolution.
-As a manager, what percentage of time does Stacie probably spend in conflict management?
A)10%
B)40%
C)5%
D)20%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Managers typically spend about 20% of their time managing conflicts, as it is a common aspect of their role.