ABSTRACT
Public administrators play three primary roles with regard to conflict in the public sector: they are observers of conflict, they act as arbitrators or mediators in conflict resolution, or they are parties to the conflict. Conflict management scholars explain that disputes at the individual level manifest from three different perspectives: power, rights, or interests. People also may have distinct conflict management styles. Because of social consequences, most managers and many citizens learn to adapt, using the appropriate style for the occasion and people involved. More structural options are needed in public agencies and supervisors require skills to deal with employee conflicts in their infancy. Civil service rules and agency policies are not enough. Skilled supervisors can manage conflicts while they are small and before work relationships are irrevocably tainted. Verbal intonations, sarcasm, thoughtless or hurtful comments are common causes of emotional conflict. An offhand critical comment from a manager can be interpreted by an employee as an insult.
