Dr. David Rock from Neuro Leadership Institute has defined 5 triggers of conflict. When one or more of these is threatened, the amygdala responds. This creates the risk of a conflict reaction.
A conflict tends to arise when at least one party feels that one of the following is under attack:
- Status
- Predictability
- Autonomy
- Affiliation
- Fairness
You can read more about these triggers below:
Status
When you give someone unsolicited advice, their amygdala tells them, “Watch out! They do not think I am good enough.”
I once knew an employee who thought that he was due for a demotion because he was taken off certain tasks when the manager’s intention was to make life easier for the employee, who was under significant pressure both at home and at work. Remember to tell people where your decisions are coming from.
Predictability
When you present plans for change, the amygdala responds with, “What about me? What am I going to do? What will my new day-to-day life be like? Where am I going to sit?”
Autonomy
When you incorporate control or new processes, the amygdala says, “I can make my own decisions. You cannot tell me what to do. I have the right to choose for myself.” This is especially true for employees who want to feel free or who have a creative approach to their work.
Affiliation
When you are the new person, the people around you need time to decide if they think you belong. Most of the time, they decide that you do not, so the arrival of unfamiliar faces, not to mention the departure of the familiar ones, creates a sense of unrest. This makes the amygdala say, “Watch out! Enemy incoming. Will there still be space for you?” This happens on a large scale when employees know that a change in management or organizational structure is in the cards.
Fairness
This one requires more attention because fairness is a touchy subject for many people. We need different things, and not all of us are motivated in the same way, so it is difficult to not trigger this feeling. When triggered, the amygdala starts saying, “Why am I always the one working long hours? Why do I never get the interesting tasks? Why is it always me who has to put in all the effort? Why did I not get a window seat?”
Changes to the organizational structure will trigger people differently. Some will feel like predictability is under attack, whereas others will be more focused on affiliation and others on fairness. Some people will feel the effect of multiple triggers at once.
Many conflicts arise because of unclear agreements. This means that a lot of conflicts can be prevented altogether by being crystal clear about what is going to happen and what your employees should expect. Managers who shy away from conflict tend to avoid this step because they can feel the dissatisfaction already. But if something uncomfortable is about to happen or you know that the expectations of your employees will not be met, you can minimize and prevent a lot of conflicts by letting them know early on.
This is one of the reasons why shying away from conflict does nothing but fuel future conflict. More about the dangers of shying away from conflict later on.
