By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Collaborative Conflict
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > Collaborative Conflict
Hospital Administration

Collaborative Conflict

Ken Cohn
Ken Cohn
Share
3 Min Read
collaborative conflict in healthcare
SHARE

collaborative conflict in healthcareI decided to title this post Collaborative Conflict because I want to explore the apparent contradiction between collaboration and conflict.  Conflict makes many healthcare professionals uneasy because it:

collaborative conflict in healthcareI decided to title this post Collaborative Conflict because I want to explore the apparent contradiction between collaboration and conflict.  Conflict makes many healthcare professionals uneasy because it:

  • robs us of time and energy
  • brings to mind difficult personalities with whom we have to cope
  • makes us feel bullied
  • threatens to unmask us as pretenders
  • diminishes our self-worth

In Why Great Leaders Don’t Take Yes for An Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus, Michael Roberto wrote that in affective conflict:

  • People repeat worn-out arguments
  • Parties dig in their heels
  • Loud voices dominate

However, collaborative conflict:

More Read

8 Of The Most Bizarre Medical Malpractice Cases Out There
Staying Healthy in Philadelphia’s Hospitals
Medical Billing: A Paper Blizzard Not Addressed by EHR
Can Spiral CT Scans Detect Curable Lung Cancer? But Wait, There’s More!
The Importance of Time in Orthopedic Patient Payment Collections
  • Raises interesting questions
  • Provokes new lines of discovery
  • Aids in understanding others’ positions
  • Displays openness to new ideas

I submit that the reason most healthcare professionals with whom I work shy away from conflict is that they experience mainly affective conflict and do not obtain the benefits of new perspectives, which can be transformative, especially in times of disruptive innovation, which we undergo daily.

One way to increase the ratio of collaborative to affective conflict is to use frameworks that trigger empathy and curiosity rather than hot-button words that polarize situations.  I recommend Sally Hogshead’s seven triggers to manage conflict:

  • Power: Think through arguments before taking a stand
  • Passion: Show consideration and caring for the other party’s feelings
  • Mystique: Ask questions to clarify the issues rather than attribute motives
  • Prestige: Acknowledge contributions that others make
  • Alarm: Organize in advance to prevent unproductive (affective) conflict
  • Rebellion: Think outside the box to offer a new context and unique solution
  • Trust: Nurture relationships so that the focus becomes the team rather than individuals in conflict

Sally’s research shows that using a range of triggers can balance communication and lower conflict by contributing solutions rather than contaminating the environment.

As always, I welcome your input to improve healthcare collaboration where you work. Please send me your comments and suggestions for improvement.

Kenneth H. Cohn

© 2013, all rights reserved

Disclosure:

I have not received any compensation for writing this content. I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

© Healthcare Collaboration. All Rights Reserved.

(collaborative conflict / shutterstock)

TAGGED:healthcare collaboration
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

medical billing
BusinessFinanceHospital Administration

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Medical Billing

September 11, 2014
BusinessFinanceHospital Administration

Improving Patient Satisfaction: What’s Holding Doctors Back?

June 3, 2012

Statistics on Medicare Re-Hospitalizations and Readmissions Penalties

July 9, 2013
Hospital Marketing, Business Objectives
BusinessHospital Administration

How to Align Your Hospital Marketing Plan with Your Business Objectives

September 6, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?