Bess advised her subordinate, "Harry, all organizations and teams experience conflict. Your aim should be to make the conflict ________, that is, to make those involved believe they have benefited rather than lost from the conflict. Benefits can be in the form of new solutions or strengthened work relationships."
A)competitive
B)repetitive
C)productive
D)mediating
E)accommodating

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The word "productive" denotes the positive outcome of the conflict which is the goal mentioned by Bess - to make those involved believe they have benefited rather than lost from the conflict. The other options do not fit with Bess's advice. "Competitive" suggests an adversarial attitude, "repetitive" does not make sense in this context, "mediating" implies the conflict has not been resolved yet, and "accommodating" suggests a one-sided resolution.

Bess Advised Her Subordinate, "Harry, All Organizations and Teams Experience