The Conflict Awareness Model

Not all conflict looks the same. A useful model distinguishes four types based on two dimensions: are the interests really different, and is the behaviour antagonistic? The four combinations produce four different conflicts, each requiring a different response.

Why this model is useful

When people hear “management”, different words come to mind, some positive and some negative. When people hear “conflict”, most words are negative. No wonder managers perceive conflict as a major problem at work. When properly managed, conflict can be a positive opportunity. Exploring the positive side of conflict begins with being aware of the different types of conflict that arise at work.

The Conflict Awareness Model gives a school head a vocabulary for distinguishing different conflict situations. The vocabulary matters because the response that fits one type does not fit another.

The four types

The two dimensions of the model:

1. Interests. Are the parties’ interests actually different, or actually aligned?
2. Behaviours. Are the parties acting antagonistically, or behaving compatibly?

The four combinations produce four conflict types.

Open conflict

Open conflict occurs when people with different interests demonstrate them through antagonistic behaviours. It is very visible and often has deep roots, sometimes across generations. Both causes and effects need to be addressed.

Open conflict is what most people think of when they hear “conflict”. The parties have real differences in interest, and they are behaving antagonistically. The conflict is visible.

In a school: two senior teachers openly at odds with each other in staff meetings. A parent publicly complaining about a teacher’s methods. Two departments fighting over budget allocation.

What to do with open conflict

Both the causes (the real differences in interest) and the effects (the antagonistic behaviour) need attention.

1. Address the behaviour first. Establish norms for respectful interaction even amid disagreement.
2. Surface the real interests. Help each party articulate what she actually needs.
3. Look for integrative solutions. Sometimes apparent interest conflicts are not actually zero-sum.
4. Accept that some interests really are opposed. When they are, negotiate trade-offs rather than pretending they are aligned.

Open conflict cannot be ignored. The visible behaviour damages the staff culture if left unaddressed. The principal who pretends not to see open conflict signals tolerance for the behaviour.

Latent conflict

Latent conflict happens when people have different interests but do not yet respond with antagonistic behaviour. It lives below the surface and often needs to be brought into the open before it can be addressed effectively.

Latent conflict is unstated. The interests really differ, but the parties are not yet showing it. Maybe they have not realised the conflict. Maybe they are suppressing it. Maybe they are waiting for an opportunity to address it.

In a school: two senior teachers who have very different views on assessment but have not yet brought the disagreement into the open. A parent who is unhappy about the school’s discipline approach but has not yet complained. Staff who disagree with a new policy but have not voiced it.

What to do with latent conflict

The instinct may be to leave it alone. If they are not arguing, why stir things up? Latent conflict often needs to be surfaced.

The reason: unsurfaced conflicts do not stay latent forever. They erupt eventually, often at the worst moments. Bringing them into the open in a controlled way is usually better than letting them surface in a crisis.

In practice:

1. Notice the signs. Quiet disagreement in meetings, small grumblings, parents murmuring without complaining formally.
2. Invite the conversation. “I sense there is a different view on this. Help me understand.”
3. Make it safe to disagree. If the parties fear retribution for stating their view, they will keep it latent.
4. Address the substantive issue once it is on the table.

False conflict

False conflict occurs when people have common interests but antagonistic behaviour. It has shallow roots, often a misunderstanding of goals, and can be addressed by better communication and appreciation of each other’s opinions.

False conflict is a misunderstanding. The parties actually want the same thing, but they think they want different things, so they are behaving as if they are in conflict.

In a school: two coordinators competing for resources for what is actually a shared goal. A parent and a teacher both wanting the child to succeed but disagreeing about how, when really they could combine approaches. Two departments arguing about boundaries when they actually need each other.

What to do with false conflict

False conflict is the easiest to resolve, once recognised.

1. Surface the apparent disagreement. Get the parties to articulate what they want.
2. Look for shared interest. Often it is hiding under the surface positions.
3. Reframe. “Both of you actually want the same outcome. The disagreement is on the method, not the goal.”
4. Build communication channels. Most false conflict comes from poor communication; better channels prevent recurrence.

False conflict consumes a surprising amount of energy in many schools. Recognising it and resolving it produces significant relief.

No conflict

No conflict occurs when people have common interests and compatible behaviour. Any peaceful community is likely to face conflict sometime, though communities in this category are good at resolving it before it develops.

No conflict is the desirable state. Common interests, compatible behaviour. The school is working together.

An important caveat: any peaceful community is likely to face conflict sometime. No conflict is not a lasting state; it is a current state. The skill is being good at resolving conflict before it develops into open conflict.

What to do to sustain no conflict

A school in no-conflict mode should not coast. It should actively maintain the conditions that produce the state.

1. Strong communication channels. Information flows; misunderstandings are caught early.
2. Mutual appreciation. Staff and parents recognise each other’s contributions.
3. Shared purpose. Common goals are real, not just stated.
4. Quick attention to small issues. Address small frictions before they grow.

A school in no-conflict mode that stops doing these things drifts towards latent or open conflict.

Using the model in daily practice

A school head facing any conflict can run the diagnostic.

1. Are the interests actually different? Get past the stated positions to the underlying needs.
2. What is the behaviour? Open or quiet? Antagonistic or compatible?
3. Which type is this? Open, latent, false, or no conflict.
4. What response fits? Different types need different responses.

A school head who runs this diagnostic regularly avoids two common mistakes.

1. Treating false conflict as real. Investing energy in negotiating a “compromise” between parties who actually want the same thing.
2. Treating latent conflict as no conflict. Assuming peace where there is actually suppressed disagreement.

Both mistakes are common; both produce worse outcomes than the model would suggest.

Flashcard

What are the four types of conflict in the Conflict Awareness Model, and how do they differ?

Tap to reveal

Answer

Open, Latent, False, No conflict. Distinguished by interests (different/common) and behaviours (antagonistic/compatible).

Type	Interests	Behaviours	Response
Open conflict	Different	Antagonistic	Address both behaviour and substance
Latent conflict	Different	Not yet antagonistic	Surface and address
False conflict	Common	Antagonistic	Reframe; communicate; recognise the shared goal
No conflict	Common	Compatible	Sustain the conditions

A school head should diagnose conflicts using this model. Treating false conflict as real wastes energy. Treating latent conflict as no conflict allows it to erupt. The model gives a vocabulary for distinguishing the situations.