Conflict Management in Cinderella

In the Disney classic Cinderella, there are many instances where the sources of conflict and conflict management styles can be observed and analyzed. Cinderella is the story of a young girl who is forced to live with her stepmother and her two daughters. Instead of making her a part of the family, they treat her as a servant. In the following paragraph we will explore the sources of conflict, which style she chose to use in her situation and why.

If we analyze Cinderella's situation, we can understand the conflict management style she chooses when dealing with her very hostile family members. "Conflict can come from a variety of sources: Goals, Personality Conflicts, Scarce Resources, Styles, and Value" (sourcesofinsigt.com). In Cinderella's case, her conflict stems mainly from the goals, personality conflicts, and values categories. Her family is concerned with status, finding rich suitors, and maintaining their status in society, while cinderella values love, harmony, and kindness. She has an impossible time trying to relate to her family and this on top of their downright evilness and what causes Cinderella's predicament. Since she feels there is no way to reason with her family, Cinderella elects to use the accommodating conflict management style. In this situation, she took the "I loose, you win" approach. It's "Fundamental premise is to working toward a common purpose is more important then any of the peripheral concerns; the trauma of confronting differences may damage fragile relationships" (Culbertson). For Cinderella, confronting her stepmother and refusing to perform her duties would cause her to be kicked out on the street with nowhere to go. It is not in her best interest to escalate the situation. Raj Soin of Wright State University, states that "There are a few key variables that define conflict management situations and determine which conflict management strategies are likely to be effective." These being issue importance, relationship importance, and relative power. If we look at Cinderella's though process, it is easy to understand her choice of accomodation. She knows she doesn't hold the power, she must maintain the relationship for her own livelihood, and the issue of her doing manual labor is far less concerning than having nowhere to live.

While avoidance is not a great strategy to choose, it is sometimes a necessary evil. As we saw in Cinderella's case, sometimes the situation and individuals being dealt with require others to accommodate the needs of others until a better opportunity presents itself.

Works Cited:

 JD. "5 Conflict Management Styles at a Glance." 5 Conflict Management Styles at a Glance. Sources of Insight. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

Soin, Raj. "Conflict Management: Style and Strategy." Conflict Management: Style and Strategy. Wright University. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. 

Culbertson, Howard. "Conflict Management Strategies and Styles." Conflict Management Strategies. 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. 

Conflict Management Styles in Finding Nemo

Shelby McNeel

Blog Entry #4: Conflict Management styles

Throughout the Disney movie Finding Nemo, the conflict management styles are revealed during the five different methods at various moments. In order to obtain effective communication during conflict, it is essential to solve the problem instead of avoiding it, so one can strengthen the relationship. Marlin has ignored the fact that Nemo does not have any family beside himself, so it is his job to be over protective to Nemo so he does not lose another loved one. This protecting phase is used to avoid future conflict for Marlin. During the competing stage, it can result positively and therefore enhance a relationship or it can be very negative due to the fact that the main goal is gaining power. In the movie Nemo competes against his classmates in several activities, failing at them all. Defying his dad and proving himself to his friends, Nemo finally gives in and swims toward a giant boat as his friends and dad scream at him not to. However Nemo’s determination keeps him going as he has a lot of pressure that could lead to a quick resolution. Compromising is both assertiveness and cooperation and is revealed when a scuba diver captures Nemo and Marlin is desperate to get his son back. He finds Dory who desperately wants a companion and has the ability to read, while Marlin can not read needs the address marked on the goggles to find his son. This results in a win-win situation outcome. They both desire a positive satisfaction in interpersonal relationships. This high value of relationship and high goal aspiration makes this style more prominent

Conflict Management Styles in The Incredibles

Travis Howell

What makes a good movie? Is it the characters? The setting? The plot? Although all of those elements are essential to a successful film, the most important element is arguably conflict and how characters deal with that conflict. In the Disney movie The Incredibles, a family of superheroes encounters numerous conflicts and deal with those conflicts by using various conflict management styles.

In the beginning of the film, we encounter Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) and his wife Helen Parr (Elastigirl) living as normal people under fear of social persecution for being superheroes or “supers”. There is tension between Helen and Bob because Bob is hesitant to give up his life as a super while Helen is content with a normal life. Meanwhile, Bob and his fellow super Frozone secretly carry out vigilante work at night. The struggle between Helen and Bob can best be explained by a “avoiding” style of conflict management. In Working Through Conflict: Relationships, Groups, and Organizations, this style of conflict management is characterized by “[withdrawing] and [refusing] to deal with the conflict (Folger, Poole, and Stutman 110). By failing to address the conflict directly with Helen and instead choosing to go behind her back, Bob engages in this avoidance style of management.

Another important conflict arises in the middle of the film, when The Incredibles are forced to fight a villain named “Syndrome” on a remote island. While on the island, Helen refuses to allow her children to help in the fight against the enemy. However, the children have also been given superpowers and are eager to help. The conflict management style present in this conflict is known as a “competing” style of management. Folger, Poole and Stutman explain that this style “represents a desire to defeat the other and compel him or her to do what the party wants” (109).  By arguing with each other on who can and cannot help fight Syndrome, Helen and the kids are “competing” against one another instead of working together.

Near the end of the film; however, the family does come together to fight and defeat Syndrome and foil his plan of world domination. They do so by bringing their various skills and talents together in order to find the best way of defeating him. This conflict management style is known as the “collaborating” style of management. In this style “the party works to attain a solution that will meet the needs of both parties of the conflict” (Folger, Poole, and Stutman 110).

The Incredibles, like many other Disney films, is a great example of the different styles of management used when conflict arises. Furthermore, although these three examples aren’t the only ones present in this movie, they are some of the most important because they showcase how different styles of conflict management are able to accomplish different things. Initially, avoidance doesn’t work for Mr. Parr. Neither does competition for Mrs. Parr. However, after resolving their own family issues, collaboration ultimately helps them resolve the conflict.

Works Cited:

Folger, Joseph P., Marshall Scott Poole, and Randall K. Stutman. Working through Conflict: Strategies for Relationships, Groups, and Organizations. New York: Longman, 1997. Print.

Conflict Management Styles in Toy Story

Luke Maher

Conflict Management Styles

            In this blog I will be examining the various conflict management styles as they are seen in the Disney Pixar classic film, Toy Story. At the film’s beginning we see conflict emerge as Buzz Lightyear clashes with Woody, the existing leader of the group. From the onset, Woody exhibits the competing style of conflict management. He attempts to consolidate his power by instructing the rest of the group to not associate with Buzz. He utilizes the act of forcing, not contending. He calls on his own superior power to command the group to stay away from Buzz, even though most of the group does not agree with this. Author Astrid Baumgardner argues that using the competing style too often can “escalate the conflict, breed resentment among others and damage relationships”. Woody’s attempt to force the others to dislike Buzz backfired, as they grew to resent him for it. It took a lot of work for Woody to mend the damaged relationships with his followers.

            When Buzz and Woody are marooned at Sid’s, we see different conflict management styles emerge. After Buzz realizes he cannot really fly, he becomes depressed and resorts to the avoiding style of conflict management. He shows low interest both in his relationship with Woody and in his concern for escape. Dale Eilerman of Meditate.com says, “In some cases efforts to avoid conflict are fitting and effective. In other cases avoiding conflict only contributes to the problem and prevents it from being resolved”. Clearly for Buzz, avoiding conflict was not effective, as Woody could not escape without his assistance.

            The most effective form of conflict management in the film is the collaborating style. Woody and Buzz utilize this to escape from Sid. They team up with the other toys to plan their escape. Since they are collaborating, they view their conflict as a problem that simply needs to be resolved.  Ashley Borniger of Kansas State University describes the role of the collaborator, (in this case Woody) perfectly. “The focus for a collaborator is the search for a perfection solution that will keep everyone happy”. Woody and Buzz ultimately achieve this goal, as every toy safely escapes.

Sources:

Eilerman, Dale. "The Use and Misuse of an Avoiding Style in Conflict Management." The Use and Misuse of an Avoiding Style in Conflict Management. N.p., Sept. 2006. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.

Baumgardner, Astrid. "Articles and Events." Conflict Management Styles: The Start of Effective Conflict Management. N.p., 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.

Borniger, Ashley, Ashley Ransom, and Claudia L. Treviño. "Conflict Resolution." Conflict Resolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.