Conflict is not really a thing. It is a state of imbalance that exists within a person. Conflict is also a way of life, organizational life in particular. We generally tend to treat conflict as a bad thing, something we should avoid. We, therefore, doom ourselves and our interactions to a non-productive, negative cycle of avoidance and denial. This negative cycle can quickly become dysfunctional because each week 20% of a manager’s time is routinely consumed de-conflicting workplace situations. This negative perspective of conflict prompts us to make many bad choices as we attempt to manage the conflict. Surprisingly, conflict can be a good thing! Objectives Focus of this module is . . . • To understand the nature of conflict. • To understand the characteristics of conflict. • To understand the types of conflict. • To understand barriers to conflict management. • To improve the writing skills and abilities of students through the exploration of content related to Conflict Management