The Conflict of Interest: the struggle for resources

The essence of competition for resources

Conflict of Interest arises when two or more people desire the same thing and compete for resources, benefits or power that appear to be incompatible.

It is a conflict centered on possession, where the parties believe that for one to win, the other must lose.

The resources in dispute are not only material, such as money, a position, a car or a promotion, but can also be immaterial, such as control, attention, time or recognition.

For example, in a family setting, siblings often compete for their parents' attention and affection, which becomes a conflict of interest.

In a professional environment, two departments might compete over the budget for a new project, while in a couple, the dispute might be over the use of the car.

This type of conflict is based on a perceived scarcity of resources, although in reality, most of the time there is more than one solution.

The "win-lose" mentality generates an environment of competition and rivalry, which often leads to both parties becoming entrenched in their positions, losing sight of the deeper interests behind what they want.

Resolution strategies: negotiation and the "win-win" model

Unlike value conflicts, conflict of interest does not focus on morals or beliefs, so its resolution is often simpler.

The best strategy is negotiation, a process in which the parties engage in dialogue to find a mutually beneficial solution.

The goal is not to win, but to find a win-win solution that satisfies both parties' interests.

To achieve this, it is critical to follow the second principle of the Harvard Negotiation Model: focus on interests, not positions.

A position is what people say they want (e.g., "I want the car on weekends").

An interest is the underlying reason why they want it (e.g., "I want the car to visit my parents, since they live far away").

By putting position aside and focusing on interests, the parties can work together to generate creative options.

In the car example, the solution might not be for one person to keep the car, but for both to reach a carpooling agreement or to find an alternative transportation option for one party.

The goal is for the parties to stop seeing the conflict as a battle and see it as a problem they can solve together.

Summary

Conflict of Interest arises when two or more people compete for seemingly incompatible resources, creating a "win-lose" mentality. Resources can be material (money, a position) or immaterial (control, attention).

In a family setting, siblings may compete for their parents' attention; at work, departments for budget. This type of conflict is based on a perception of resource scarcity.

The best strategy is negotiation to find a "win-win" solution. To do this, it is crucial to focus on interests (the why) rather than positions (the what), in order to generate creative options.