Glasl's Nine-Stage Model Of Conflict Escalation

in #life5 years ago (edited)

ronburgundythatescalatedquickly.png

I just came back from an extremely unique seminar. The workshop provoked new thoughts and feelings. The subject was primarily on conflicts. What kind of conflicts exist? How you can handle a conflict between two parties? How one can behave during a conflict scenario? Et cetera.

Glasl's Nine-Stage Model Of Conflict Escalation

The topic that stood out, in my opinion, is Glasl's Model. It opened my mind and I'm viewing confrontations in a different way. He essentially describes 9 individual Phases of conflicts.

There are many models of conflict escalation and de‐escalation. Glasl’s nine-stage model is a neat tool for monitoring the development of challenging conflicts and determining appropriate strategies for conflict resolution or handling.

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Level 1 (Win-Win)

Stage 1: Hardening
  • Earlier attempts at resolving the issue are unsuccessful, the problem remains and leads
    to irritation.
  • Interests and opinions crystallize into fixed positions that tend to become mutually
    incompatible.
  • Groups start to form around certain positions
  • Habitual behavior patterns emerge in strained situations
Stage 2: Debates And Polemics
  • One or both parties lose(‐s) faith in the possibility of solving the problems
  • Verbal interactions shift from rational arguments towards emotions and relative power
    issues ‐ tactical manipulation emerges
  • Debates focus on who is most successful in promoting the standpoints, and how the
    outcomes of the debate affect one's reputation.
  • Stereotyping of behavior patterns
Stage 3: Actions, Not Words
  • Parties believe further talk will not resolve anything and shift attention to actions.
  • Parties see each other as competitors.
  • Fantasies about possible motives and hidden strategies develop unchecked.
  • Responsibility for the course of events is denied ‐ actions regarded as necessary
    responses to other’s behavior.

Level 2 (Win-Loose)

Stage 4: Images And Coalitions
  • Conflict no longer about concrete issues, but victory or defeat.
  • Defending one's reputation is a major concern.
  • Stereotyping very resistant to change through new information.
  • Negative other‐image comprises prejudices and attributions of motives and intentions
  • Veiled attacks or "deniable punishment behavior” – subtle & deniable provocation,
    insult, criticism, ambiguous comments, irony and body language
  • Parties actively enlist support from bystanders.

Beyond Stage 4 internal management of conflict is regarded is largely impossible, using a third party to facilitate resolution may be advised.

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Stage 5: Loss Of Face
  • Images and positions parties hold are regarded not in terms of superiority and inferiority,
    but in terms of angels and devils.
  • Loss of face and ensuing retaliatory acts often isolate the conflict parties from
    bystanders.
Stage 6: Strategies And Threats
  • Conflict parties resort to threats of damaging actions
  • Parties increasingly lose control over the course of events. By their own actions, they
    create pressure to act rapidly and radically.
  • Serious risk that stress, increasing turbulence and complexity lead to a disintegration of
    parties into smaller units acting autonomously.

Level 3 (Lose-Lose)

Stage 7: Limited Destructive Blows
  • Threats translated into action
  • Attacks lead to retaliation, often even more destructive.
  • Lose‐lose struggle. Survival and less damage than counterpart suffer are the main goals.
Stage 8: Fragmentation Of The Enemy
  • Attacks on the counterpart target all signs of vitality.
  • Only the restraining factor is the concern for one's own survival.
Stage 9: Together Into The Abyss Stage
  • Self‐preservation instinct is neglected
  • Only remaining concern in the race towards the abyss is to make sure the enemy falls too.

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(Source: Consulting Australia)

Etymology / origin.

Escalation (n.)

1938, derived noun from escalate; the figurative sense is earliest, originally in reference to the battleship arms race among global military powers.

Peroration.

Between an uncontrolled escalation and passivity, there is a demanding road of responsibility that we must follow.

-Dominique de Villepin

The fact is that when you make the other suffer, he will try to find relief by making you suffer more. The result is an escalation of suffering on both sides.

-Nhat Hanh

How do you solve a conflict? How do you solve conflicts in different situations? How do you solve conflicts within your family? Do you know some similar models? Can you resonate with this model?

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