Korean leaders' (and subordinates') conflict management

The first of two exploratory studies investigated the conflict management a pproaches of 310 South Korean leaders. Each recalled the most recent disput e they had encountered either between two subordinates or between a subordi nate and a person outside the workgroup (i.e., an outsider). Subsequently, they reported the techniques used to manage the dispute. As predicted the l eaders were more assertive in managing subordinate-subordinate conflicts. U nexpectedly, they also pressed their own subordinates quite forcefully in t he subordinate-outsider disputes. The second study investigated subordinate s' interventions in their leaders' disputes. In these conflicts, subordinat es adopted a low-key shuttle diplomacy; meeting separately with the parties , listening to their opinions, transmitting these to the other side, and ca lling for each side's empathy and understanding.