presentation role conflict

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presentation-role-conflict

The use of role="none" or role="presentation" on HTML elements must not conflict with the implicit functionality of the element, and must not be in conflict with other specified global ARIA attributes.

Why it matters

An ARIA role attribute can be added to an element to instruct assistive technologies to treat the element as something other than its native HTML element type. For example, an  <a>  element with  role="button"  is to be treated as a button, not a link.

Assistive technologies will often report an element’s role when the role has semantics important to accessibility. For example, they inform users when they encounter links, buttons, headings, or images. However, they generally ignore exposing properties of semantically neutral (generic) elements, such as  <span>  or  <div>  elements.

The role=“presentation” or role=“none” attributes instruct assistive technologies to disregard the element’s implicit role without hiding its content from users. However, in some cases HTML elements will not respect a role="none" or role="presentation". Generally this occurs when an element has implicit behaviors or explicit properties which are important to accessibility, and they conflict with the specified presentational roles. As a result, the roles are ignored and users will continue to be able to interact with the element as if the specified role was not present.

For each element with role="none" or role="presentation" :

• Make sure it doesn’t have a global ARIA attribute.
• Make sure it's not focusable.

Note: an element with tabindex="-1" is removed from the web page's tabbing order. It is, however, still focusable.

About this rule

This rule passes if ALL of the following are true:

• all elements with role=“none” or role=“presentation” do not have a global ARIA attribute.
• all elements with role=“none” or role=“presentation” are not focusable.

More examples

Using ARIA: Use of Role=presentation or Role=none

Understanding Success Criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships

Understanding Success Criterion 4.1.2: Name, Role, Value

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ARIA: presentation role

The presentation role and its synonym none remove an element's implicit ARIA semantics from being exposed to the accessibility tree.

The content of the element will still be available to assistive technologies; it is only the semantics of the container — and in some instance, required associated descendants — which will no longer expose their mappings to the accessibility API.

Description

While ARIA is primarily used to express semantics, there are some situations where hiding an element's semantics from assistive technologies is helpful. This is done with the presentation role or its synonym role none , which declare that an element is being used only for presentation and therefore does not have any accessibility semantics.

Writing <h2 role="presentation">Democracy Dies in Darkness</h2> removes the heading semantics of the h2 element, making it the equivalent of <div>Democracy Dies in Darkness</div> . The heading role semantics are removed, but the content itself is still available.

When an element has required descendants, such as the various <table> , elements and <li> s children of a <ul> or <ol> , the presentation or none role on the table or list removes the default semantics of the element on which it was applied and their required descendant elements.

If presentation or none is applied to a <table> element, the descendant <caption> , <thead> , <tbody> , <tfoot> , <tr> , <th> , and <td> elements inherit the role and are thus not exposed to assistive technologies. But, elements inside of the <th> and <td> elements, including nested tables, are exposed to assistive technologies.

Because the presentation role was applied to the <ul> element, every child <li> element inherits the presentation role. This is because ARIA requires the listitem elements to have a parent list element. While the <li> elements, in this case, are not exposed to assistive technologies, descendants of those required elements are exposed. If we had nested a list within one of those <li> 's, they would be visible to assistive technologies. For elements with no required children, any elements nested inside the element with role="presentation" or role="none" preserve their semantics. In this case, the <a> elements contained inside of those <li> elements are exposed.

The <a> is a special case. Its role would have been exposed even if it had the presentation or none role directly applied to it. Browsers ignore role="presentation" and role="none" on focusable elements, including link and inputs, or anything with a tabindex attribute set. Browsers also ignore the inclusion of the role if any of the element contains any global ARIA states and properties, such as aria-describedby .

Note: The element with role="presentation" is not part of the accessibility tree and should not have an accessible name. Do not use aria-labelledby or aria-label .

Associated WAI-ARIA roles, states, and properties

None. If a global ARIA state and property is set, presentation or none will be ignored, and the implicit role of the element will be used.

Specifications

• aria-hidden versus role="presentation/none" - by Scott O'Hara

How to build accessibility semantics into web patterns and widgets

Hiding Semantics with the presentation Role

Introduction.

While ARIA is primarily used to express semantics, there are some situations where hiding an element’s semantics from assistive technologies is helpful. This is done with the presentation role, which declares that an element is being used only for presentation and therefore does not have any accessibility semantics. The ARIA 1.1 specification also includes role none , which serves as a synonym for presentation .

For example, consider a tabs widget built using an HTML ul element.

Because the list is declared to be a tablist, the list items are not in a list context. It could confuse users if an assistive technology were to render those list items. Applying role presentation to the li elements tells browsers to leave those elements out of their accessibility tree. Assistive technologies will thus be unaware of the list item elements and see the tab elements as immediate children of the tablist.

Common Uses of Role presentation

Three common uses of role presentation are:

• Hiding a decorative image; it is equivalent to giving the image null alt text.
• Suppressing table semantics of tables used for layout in circumstances where the table semantics do not convey meaningful relationships.
• Eliminating semantics of intervening orphan elements in the structure of a composite widget, such as a tablist, menu, or tree as demonstrated in the example above.

Effects of Role presentation

When role="presentation" is specified on an element, if a condition that requires a browser to ignore the presentation role does not exist, it has the following three effects.

• The element’s implied ARIA role and any ARIA states and properties associated with that role are hidden from assistive technologies.
• Text contained by the element, i.e., inner text, as well as inner text of all its descendant elements remains visible to assistive technologies. Of course, text that is explicitly hidden, e.g., styled with display: none or has aria-hidden="true" , is not visible to assistive technologies.
• If presentation is applied to a ul or ol element, each child li element inherits the presentation role because ARIA requires the listitem elements to have the parent list element. So, the li elements are not exposed to assistive technologies, but elements contained inside of those li elements, including nested lists, are visible to assistive technologies.
• Similarly, if presentation is applied to a table element, the descendant caption , thead , tbody , tfoot , tr , th , and td elements inherit role presentation and are thus not exposed to assistive technologies. But, elements inside of the th and td elements, including nested tables, are exposed to assistive technologies.

Conditions That Cause Role presentation to be Ignored

Browsers ignore role="presentation" , and it therefore has no effect, if either of the following are true about the element to which it is applied:

• The element is focusable, e.g. it is natively focusable like an HTML link or input, or it has a tabindex attribute.
• The element has any global ARIA states and properties , e.g., aria-label .

Example Demonstrating Effects of the presentation Role

In the following code, role presentation suppresses the list and list item semantics.

When the above code is parsed by a browser, it is semantically equivalent to the following code:

Roles That Automatically Hide Semantics by Making Their Descendants Presentational

There are some types of user interface components that, when represented in a platform accessibility API, can only contain text. For example, accessibility APIs do not have a way of representing semantic elements contained in a button. To deal with this limitation, WAI-ARIA requires browsers to automatically apply role presentation to all descendant elements of any element with a role that cannot support semantic children.

The roles that require all children to be presentational are:

• menuitemcheckbox
• menuitemradio
• progressbar

For instance, consider the following tab element, which contains a heading.

Because WAI-ARIA requires descendants of tab to be presentational, the heading semantic is not exposed to assistive technology users. Thus, the following code is equivalent.

So, from the perspective of anyone using a technology that relies on an accessibility API, such as a screen reader, the heading does not exist. As described above in the section on Effects of Role presentation , the previous code is equivalent to the following.

Axe Core Guide

Free site validation.

Find out what web pages on your sites are affected by HTML issues.

Ensure elements marked as presentational are consistently ignored

• Deque Best Practice

Checks to make sure elements selected for removal from the accessibility tree are really deleted.

In some circumstances, an element having a semantic role of none or presentation does not resolve to none or presentation (respectively).

This prevents the element from being eliminated from the accessibility tree, as would be expected, and allows screen readers to interact with it.

You shouldn’t focus the element or give it any global ARIA attributes in order to keep the element out of the accessibility tree.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Checks every element with role=“none” or role=“presentation” to ensure they do not have a global ARIA attribute and are not focusable.

Learn more:

• Deque University - How To Fix

Related Accessibility Rules

A document’s accesskey attribute values must all be distinct. Or, to put it another way, accesskeys must not be used more than once to protect keyboard users from unpleasant surprises.

When a document’s accesskey attribute value is supplied, users can quickly activate or switch the focus to a particular element by hitting the designated key (often in tandem with the alt key). The page becomes less accessible as a result of duplicating the values for the accesskey attribute.

Make sure the value of each defined accesskey is distinct and does not interfere with any screen reader or default browser shortcut keys.

Users who must use alternative keyboards or input devices serving as keyboard emulators, users who have problems tracking a pointer, or users who are blind or have low eyesight and cannot employ eye-hand coordination-required devices like mice, cannot operate the content.

Makes certain that every element on the page with an accesskey attribute has a different value.

WAI-ARIA role attribute values must be correct. This means that values must be written correctly, correlate to existing ARIA role values, and not be abstract roles in order to properly display the element’s purpose.

When an assigned WAI-ARIA role value for the parent element is invalid, a developer’s intended accessible technology activity is disabled.

When screen readers and other assistive devices do not understand the job of each element on a web page, they cannot interact with it intelligently or explain the role to the user. When the value for a role is invalid, assistive technologies are unable to communicate the element’s features, properties, and methods. Applying role="table" to a <ul> , for example, effectively hijacks the default semantics associated with the <ul> element in a way that screenreaders do not expect, resulting in unexpected behavior.

Check all elements with WAI-ARIA role attribute values to confirm the role value is correct. The role value must be appropriate for the element in the context of the document.

For screen reader users, Aria dialog items must include intelligible language that specifies the destination, purpose, function, or action in detail.

Elements with role="dialog" or role="alertdialog" that lack an accessible name cannot be understood by screen reader users.

Verifies that all objects with the role="dialog" or role="alertdialog" attribute have a clear, understandable name.

The destination, purpose, function, or action of an Aria treeitem element must be made clear in the element’s understandable text for screen reader users.

Users of screen readers are unable to determine the function of items with the role treeitem that lack an accessible name.

Ensures that all objects with the role treeitem have a clear, understandable name.

It is a best practice to make sure each heading element, denoted by the tags <h1> through <h6> , contains text.

Users of screen readers are informed when a heading tag is present. Users may become confused or even unable to access information on the page’s structure if the headline is blank or the text cannot be accessible.

Users of this technology won’t be able to hear the content of a header if the text inside it is inaccessible to a screen reader. Users using screen readers must be able to access the contents since headings reveal the structure of a webpage.

Applying header markup ( <h1> through <h6> ) is a quick approach to make content stand out, but doing so will make it more difficult for those using assistive technology to navigate a website.

Due to the fact that search engines use headings when filtering, arranging, and showing results, headers offer advantages beyond just making a page more accessible. Making your website more searchable is another benefit of making it more accessible.

Users of screen readers can navigate between headings in the same manner that sighted users might skim a page to gain a sense of its contents. Users, especially those who use screen readers, can save a ton of time and stress by using well-written, logically-arranged headings.

Ensures that headings have content and that a screen reader can access that content.

The text in table header components should be visible. Make sure screen reader users can access the table header. It is preferable to mark up an element with a td if it is not a header.

Both sighted users and screen reader users should be able to comprehend the visible text that explains the purpose of the row or column in table header components.

Verifies that each table header element has a visible text.

Whether native HTML or a custom widget, user input elements need to play the right roles in order to make their meaning clear to screen reader users when they are focused on and landed on. If a custom widget, the element’s function must be correctly exposed by using appropriate ARIA role values rather than abstract roles.

In order for screen reader technology to convey information to users, elements in the focus order must play a function appropriate for interactive content.

If interactive content elements do not have the proper roles, the developer’s planned accessibility function cannot be carried out by the role.

When screen readers and other assistive technologies cannot communicate to the user the proper role of each element on the web page, they are unable to interact with it sensibly. Assistive technology cannot communicate with an HTML element’s set of features, properties, and ways of communicating information to and/or from the user when the value for a role is invalid.

Verifies that the role attribute value is accurate and suitable for all interactive components in the focus order, regardless of whether they are native HTML or customized ARIA widgets.

• WCAG 2.1 (A)
• WCAG 2.0 (A)

The destination, purpose, function, or action of an ARIA command element must be made clear in understandable text for screen reader users.

The function of items with the roles link , button , or menuitem that lack an accessible name cannot be understood by screen reader users.

Verifies that all elements with the roles link , button , or menuitem have a clear, understandable name.

Values assigned to ARIA role values must not be deprecated.

Using deprecated WAI-ARIA roles is bad for accessibility. They will not be recognized or correctly processed by screen readers and other assistive technologies. Using these means not everyone will be able to access essential information.

Ensure all values assigned to role="" correspond to WAI-ARIA roles that are not deprecated, or abstract. The following list indicates for each deprecated role a potential alternative that is better supported by assistive technologies:

• directory : Consider using section , list , or tree instead. Which is most appropriate depends on how directory was used.

Check all elements containing WAI-ARIA role attribute to ensure that the role is not deprecated in the latest version of the WAI-ARIA specification.

This rule determines whether or not aria-hidden elements contain focusable elements.

Using the property aria-hidden="true" on an element removes the element and all of its child nodes from the accessibility API, rendering the element fully unavailable to screen readers and other assistive technology.

aria-hidden may be used with extreme discretion to hide visibly displayed content from assistive technologies if the act of hiding this content is meant to enhance the experience of assistive technology users by reducing redundant or superfluous content.

If aria-hidden is employed to hide material from screen readers, the same or equal meaning and functionality must be made available to assistive technologies.

Using aria-hidden="false" on content that is a descendant of an element that is hidden using aria-hidden="true" will not reveal that content to the accessibility API, nor will it be accessible to screen readers or other assistive technology.

The rule applies to any element whose aria-hidden attribute value is true .

By adding aria-hidden="true" to an element, authors assure that assistive technologies will disregard the element. This can be used to hide aesthetic elements, such as icon typefaces, that are not intended to be read by assistive technologies.

A focusable element with aria-hidden="true" is disregarded as part of the reading order, but is still part of the focus order, making it unclear if it is visible or hidden.

For all user interface components, including form elements, links, and script-generated components, the name and role can be identified programmatically; user-specified states, properties, and values can be set programmatically; and user agents, including assistive technologies, are notified of changes.

Module 4: Socialization

Roles and the presentation of self, learning outcomes.

• Describe how individuals present themselves and perceive themselves in a social context

Status and Roles

Sociologists use the term status to describe the responsibilities and benefits that a person experiences according to their rank and role in society. Some statuses are ascribed —those you do not select, such as son, elderly person, or female. Others, called achieved statuses , are obtained by choice, such as high school dropout, self-made millionaire, or nurse. As a daughter or son, you occupy a different status than as a neighbor or employee.

As you can imagine, people employ many types of behaviors in day-to-day life. Roles are patterns of behavior that we recognize in each other, and that are representative of a person’s social status. Currently, while reading this text, you are playing the role of a student. However, you also play other roles in your life, such as “daughter,” “neighbor,” or “employee.” These various roles are each associated with a different status.

If too much is required of a single role, individuals can experience role strain . Consider the duties of a parent: cooking, cleaning, driving, problem-solving, acting as a source of moral guidance—the list goes on. Similarly, a person can experience role conflict when one or more roles are contradictory. A parent who also has a full-time career can experience role conflict on a daily basis. When there is a deadline at the office but a sick child needs to be picked up from school, which comes first? When you are working toward a promotion but your children want you to come to their school play, which do you choose? Being a college student can conflict with being an employee, being an athlete, or even being a friend. Our roles in life powerfully affect our decisions and help to shape our identities.

One person can be associated with a multitude of roles and statuses. Even a single status such as “student” has a complex role-set , or array of roles, attached to it (Merton 1957).

Figure 1. Parents often experience role strain or role conflict as they try to balance different and often urgent competing responsibilities. (Credit: Ran Zwigenberg/flickr)

Presentation of Self

Of course, it is impossible to look inside a person’s head and study what role they are playing. All we can observe is outward behavior, or role performance. Role performance is how a person expresses his or her role. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy , Goffman believed that we use impression management  to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman 1959). Think about the way you behave around your coworkers versus the way you behave around your grandparents or with a blind date. Even if you’re not consciously trying to alter your personality, your grandparents, coworkers, and date probably see different sides of you.

As in a play, the setting matters as well. If you have a group of friends over to your house for dinner, you are playing the role of a host. It is agreed upon that you will provide food and seating and probably be stuck with a lot of the cleanup at the end of the night. Similarly, your friends are playing the roles of guests, and they are expected to respect your property and any rules you may set forth (“Don’t leave the door open or the cat will get out.”). In any scene, there needs to be a shared reality between players. In this case, if you view yourself as a guest and others view you as a host, there are likely to be problems.

Impression management is a critical component of symbolic interactionism. For example, a judge in a courtroom has many “props” to create an impression of fairness, gravity, and control—like her robe and gavel. Those entering the courtroom are expected to adhere to the scene being set. Just imagine the “impression” that can be made by how a person dresses. This is the reason that attorneys frequently select the hairstyle and apparel for witnesses and defendants in courtroom proceedings.

Figure 2. Janus, another possible “prop”, depicted with two heads, exemplifies war and peace. (Photo courtesy of Fubar Obfusco/Wikimedia Commons)

Again, Goffman’s dramaturgical approach expands on the ideas of Charles Cooley and the looking-glass self . We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We put on certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use colog ne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley believed that our sense of self is based upon this idea: we imagine how we look to others, draw conclusions based upon their reactions to us, and then we develop our personal sense of self. In other words, people’s reactions to us are like a mirror in which we are reflected.

Think It Over

• Describe a situation in which you have tried to influence others’ perception of you? How does Goffman’s impression management apply to this situation? 
• Draw a large circle, and then “slice” the c ircle into pieces like a pie, labeling each piece with a role or status that you occupy. Add as many statuses, ascribed and achieved, that you have. Don’t forget things like dog owner, gardener, traveler, student, runner, employee. How many statuses do you have? In which ones are there role conflicts?
• Modification, adaptation, and original content. Authored by : Sarah Hoiland for Lumen Learning. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Social Constructions of Reality. Authored by : OpenStax CNX. Located at : . License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].
• Social Constructions of Reality. Provided by : OpenStax. Located at : https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/4-3-social-constructions-of-reality . Project : Sociology 3e. License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/4-3-social-constructions-of-reality
• Charles Cooley Looking Glass Self. Authored by : Brooke Miller. Provided by : Khan Academy. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/embed/XCxe9HbfJcM?enablejsapi=1 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Dramaturgy (Dramaturgical Analysis). Provided by : Sociology Live!. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=5Qe5TI__ZDU . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

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How to Navigate Conflict with a Coworker

Seven strategies to help you make progress with even the most difficult people

Interpersonal conflicts are common in the workplace, and it’s easy to get caught up in them. But that can lead to reduced creativity, slower and worse decision-making, and even fatal mistakes. So how can we return to our best selves? Having studied conflict management and resolution over the past several years, the author outlines seven principles to help you work more effectively with difficult colleagues: (1) Understand that your perspective is not the only one possible. (2) Be aware of and question any unconscious biases you may be harboring. (3) View the conflict not as me-versus-them but as a problem to be jointly solved. (4) Understand what outcome you’re aiming for. (5) Be very judicious in discussing the issue with others. (6) Experiment with behavior change to find out what will improve the situation. (7) Make sure to stay curious about the other person and how you can more effectively work together.

Early in my career I took a job reporting to someone who had a reputation for being difficult. I’ll call her Elise. Plenty of people warned me that she would be hard to work with, but I thought I could handle it. I prided myself on being able to get along with anyone. I didn’t let people get under my skin. I could see the best in everyone.

• Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, cohost of the Women at Work podcast , and the author of two books: Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict . She writes and speaks about workplace dynamics. Watch her TEDx talk on conflict and follow her on LinkedIn . amyegallo

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Article • 9 min read

Conflict Resolution

8 ways to resolve conflict in the workplace.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Where there are people, there is conflict. We each have our values, needs and habits, so it's easy to misunderstand or irritate one another – or worse, to fall into conflict.

Left unchecked, conflict can lead to bad decisions and outright disputes, bullying or harassment. Teamwork breaks down, morale drops, and projects grind to a halt. Organizations feel the hit with wasted talent, high absenteeism, and increased staff turnover.

But conflict can be resolved. What's more, it can bring issues to light, strengthen relationships, and spark innovation – so long as you don't try to ignore it!

In this article, we'll explore different types of conflict, what causes conflict, and how to reach a positive outcome when you find yourself in conflict with a co-worker. (To identify the signs of conflict occurring between other people and to help them overcome their conflict with one another, we recommend our follow-on article, Resolving Team Conflict .)

Conflict Resolution Definition

Generally, workplace conflicts fall into two categories:

• Personality conflict or disagreements between individuals. These clashes are driven and perpetuated by emotions such as anger, stress and frustration.
• Substantive conflict is tangible and task-related, like the decisions leaders make, the performance of a team member, or your company's direction.

If unaddressed, both can spiral into wider conflict between teams, departments or businesses. Conflict resolution can be defined as the process of identifying, addressing, and resolving disagreements or disputes among employees in a professional setting, thereby fostering a positive and productive work environment.

What Causes Conflict at Work?

Some of the most common causes of workplace conflict are:

• Unclear responsibilities . Some team members may feel they do more work than others, or resent those who seem to have fewer responsibilities. Blame and frustration can build due to duplicated work or unfinished tasks.
• Competition for resources . Time, money, materials, equipment, and skillsets are finite resources. Competition for them can lead to conflict.
• Different interests . People may focus on personal or departmental goals over organizational ones. Or be held up and frustrated by others who they rely on to do their jobs effectively.

Read our article on Bell and Hart's Eight Causes of Conflict for more sources of – and solutions to – disputes.

Five Conflict Resolution Strategies

When you find yourself in a conflict situation, these five strategies will help you to resolve disagreements quickly and effectively:

1. Raise the Issue Early

Keeping quiet only lets resentment fester. Equally, speaking with other people first can fuel rumor and misunderstanding.

So, whether you're battling over the thermostat or feel that you're being micromanaged, be direct and talk with the other party. However, if you're afraid of making that approach, or worry that it may make the problem worse, speak with your manager first, or your HR department if the other party is your manager.

Either way, be assertive (not aggressive) and speak openly. This will encourage others to do the same – and you can get to the root cause of a problem before it escalates.

2. Manage Your Emotions

Choose your timing when you talk to someone about the conflict. If you're angry, you may say something you'll regret and inflame the situation. Be careful to avoid playing the blame game .

So stay calm, collect yourself, and ask, "What is it I want to achieve here?", "What are the issues I'm having?" and "What is it that I would like to see?"

See our article Managing Your Emotions at Work for more insight and tips.

3. Show Empathy

When you talk to someone about a conflict, it's natural to want to state your own case, rather than hear out the other side. But when two people do this, the conversation goes in circles.

Instead, invite the other party to describe their position, ask how they think they might resolve the issue, and listen with empathy .

Putting yourself in the other person's shoes is an essential part of negotiation. This helps you to build mutual respect and understanding – and to achieve an outcome that satisfies both parties.

4. Practice Active Listening

To identify the source of the conflict you have to really listen. To listen actively:

• Paraphrase the other party's points to show you're listening and really understand them.
• Look out for non-verbal signals that contradict what they are saying, such as a hesitant tone behind positive words. Bring these out into the open sensitively to address them together.
• Use appropriate body language , such as nodding your head, to show interest and to make it clear that you're following them.

Go further with Empathic Listening or Mindful Listening .

5. Acknowledge Criticism

Some of the things the other person tells you may be difficult to hear. But remember that criticism or constructive feedback is about job behaviors and not you as a person.

So, keep an open mind and use criticism to help you to identify areas to improve, perform better next time, and grow.

Glasers' Three-Step Strategy for Conflict Resolution

Conflict management consultants Peter and Susan Glaser recommend a three-step strategy for resolving conflict, and it draws on many of the skills we've looked at above. You can hear the Glasers talking about their model in our exclusive interview with them. [1]

The steps for these conflict resolution skills are:

• Prove that you understand their side.
• Acknowledge that you are part of the problem.
• Try again if the conversation didn't go well.

Let's try a training exercise and apply each step to a fictional conflict resolution scenario.

Conflict Resolution Training Example

Imagine that the heads of two departments are in conflict. Product Manager Sayid changed the price of a product without letting Marketing Manager Gayanne know. As a result, the marketing team sent out an email to customers with incorrect prices. They had to send out a follow-up email apologizing for the error, and make good on the price some customers paid for the product.

1. Prove That You Understand Their Side

Instead of blaming Sayid, Gayanne asks him how he came to make the decision. She uses her questioning and listening skills to get the information she needs and to show that she's truly hearing Sayid's response.

She discovers that Sayid was pressured by a major client to drop the price or risk losing a contract. She empathizes , saying, "Yes, I've had difficulties with that client before, too."

As Susan Glaser says, "Only when you believe that I understand you, will you be willing to try to understand my perspective." [2]

2. Acknowledge That You Are Part of the Problem

If you're in conflict with someone, it's unlikely you're free of all blame. So admit your part in it. This leads to mutual trust, a better understanding of one another, and makes it easier to find a solution.

In our scenario, Gayanne could say to Sayid, "I should have shared our marketing strategy and email send dates with you. I'll do that right away."

3. Try Again if the Conversation Doesn't Go Well

Despite the progress they've made, relations between the two managers remain frosty, so Sayid calls Gayanne the following week. He says, "I was thinking about our conversation, and I'd like to try again because I'm not happy with how it went. I've had time to take your points on board, and I'd like to talk about how we can work together better going forward."

Remember that you get more than one shot at resolving a conflict. Susan Glaser says, "There's a myth that if we have a bad conversation with someone it's over. In fact, 'do overs' are powerful." [3]

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is conflict resolution important in the workplace?

Unresolved conflicts can hinder productivity and damage team dynamics. Effective conflict resolution helps maintain a positive work environment, promotes collaboration, and ensures issues are addressed before they escalate.

What are some common sources of workplace conflicts?

Workplace conflicts can arise from differences in communication styles, conflicting goals, personality clashes, misunderstandings, resource allocation, or competing priorities. Recognizing these sources is crucial for timely intervention.

How can a team manager effectively address conflicts among team members?

A team manager should act as a mediator and facilitator. Begin by listening to both sides, understanding perspectives, and acknowledging emotions. Encourage open dialogue, find common ground, and work together to find a solution that is fair and beneficial for all parties.

What strategies can managers employ to prevent conflicts from escalating?

Managers can implement proactive measures such as fostering a transparent communication culture, setting clear expectations, defining roles and responsibilities, and promoting team-building activities. By addressing potential sources of conflict early on, managers can prevent minor issues from turning into major disputes.

How does effective conflict resolution contribute to team productivity?

Resolving conflicts promptly maintains a harmonious working environment where team members feel valued and understood. This leads to improved morale, increased focus on tasks, and a more efficient workflow, ultimately enhancing overall team productivity.

When is it appropriate to involve higher management in conflict resolution?

Involving higher management should be considered when conflicts cannot be resolved at the team level or when the conflicts involve larger organizational issues. Higher management can provide a neutral perspective and additional resources to facilitate resolution.

Conflict is common in the workplace. The biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing. Unresolved tensions can affect the health and performance of people and organizations.

So, hone these five conflict resolution skills to pre-empt, manage and fix conflicts with your co-workers:

• Raise the issue early.
• Manage your emotions.
• Show empathy.
• Practice active listening.
• Acknowledge criticism.

Then try the Glasers' three-step conflict resolution strategy to resolve issues together:

• Try again if the conversation doesn't go well.

In the process, you may even discover positives such as improved processes, strengthened relationships, and innovation!

[1] [2] [3] Mind Tools interview with Peter A. Glaser, Ph.D. and Susan R. Glaser. Available here .

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What Is Role Conflict in Sociology?

Occurs When There Are Contradictions Between Our Day-To-Day Roles

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Role conflict happens when there are contradictions between different roles that a person takes on or plays in their everyday life. In some cases, the conflict is a result of opposing obligations which results in a conflict of interest, in others, when a person has roles that have different statuses, and it also occurs when people disagree about what the responsibilities for a particular role should be, whether in the personal or professional realms.

To truly understand role conflict, though, one must first have a solid grasp of how sociologists understand roles, generally speaking.

The Concept of Roles in Sociology

Sociologists use the term "role" (as do others outside of the field) to describe a set of expected behaviors and obligations a person has based on his or her position in life and relative to others. All of us have multiple roles and responsibilities in our lives, that run the gamut from son or daughter, sister or brother, mother or father, spouse or partner, to friend, and professional and community ones too.

Within sociology, role theory was developed by American sociologist Talcott Parsons through his work on social systems, along with German sociologist Ralf Dahrendorf, and by Erving Goffman , with his numerous studies and theories focused on how social life resembles theatrical performance . Role theory was a particularly prominent paradigm used to understand social behavior during the middle of the 20th century.

Roles not only lay out a blueprint to guide behavior, but they also delineate the goals to pursue, tasks to carry out , and how to perform for a particular scenario. Role theory posits that a large proportion of our outward day-to-day social behavior and interaction is defined by people carrying out their roles, just like actors do in the theater. Sociologists believe that role theory can predict behavior; if we understand the expectations for a particular role (such as father, baseball player, teacher), we can predict a large portion of the behavior of people in those roles. Roles not only guide behavior, but they also influence our beliefs as the theory holds that people will change their attitudes to be in line with their roles. Role theory also posits that changing behavior requires changing roles.

Types of Role Conflict and Examples

Because we all play multiple roles in our lives, all of us have or will experience one or more types of role conflict at least once. In some cases, we may take on different roles that are not compatible and conflict ensues because of this. When we have opposing obligations in different roles, it may be difficult to satisfy either responsibility in an effective way.

Role conflict can occur, for example, when a parent coaches a baseball team that includes that parent's son. The role of the parent can conflict with the role of the coach who needs to be objective when determining the positions and batting lineup, for example, along with the need to interact with all the children equally. Another role conflict can arise if the parent's career impacts the time he can commit to coaching as well as parenting.

Role conflict can happen in other ways too. When the roles have two different statuses, the result is called status strain. For example, people of color in the U.S. who have high-status professional roles often experience status strain because while they might enjoy prestige and respect in their profession, they are likely to experience the degradation and disrespect of racism in their everyday lives.

When conflicting roles both have the same status, role strain results. This happens when a person who needs to fulfill a certain role is strained because of obligations or extensive demands on energy, time or resources caused by the multiple roles. For example, consider a single parent who has to work full-time, provide child care, manage and organize the home, help kids with homework, take care of their health, and provide effective parenting. A parent's role can be tested by the need to fulfill all of these demands simultaneously and effectively.

Role conflict can also ensue when people disagree about what the expectations are for a particular role or when someone has trouble fulfilling the expectations of a role because their duties are difficult, unclear or unpleasant.

In the 21st century, many women who have professional careers experience role conflict when expectations for what it means to be a "good wife" or "good mother" — both external and internal — conflict with the goals and responsibilities she may have in her professional life. A sign that gender roles remain fairly stereotypical in today's world of heterosexual relationships, men who are professionals and fathers rarely experience this type of role conflict.

Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

• What Is Role Strain? Definition and Examples
• Sociology: Achieved Status Versus Ascribed Status
• Goffman's Front Stage and Back Stage Behavior
• Understanding Socialization in Sociology
• The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
• Assessing a Situation, in Terms of Sociology
• What Is Gender Socialization? Definition and Examples
• A Comprehensive Breakdown of the Roles of School Personnel
• What Is an Ombudsman?
• What Is Identity Diffusion? Definition and Examples
• Expressive Roles and Task Roles
• What Is Operant Conditioning? Definition and Examples
• The Role of the Principal in Schools
• What Is Racism: Definition and Examples
• Definition of Ritualism in Sociology
• What is a Norm? Why Does it Matter?

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Complete Guide To Conflict Resolution Powerpoint Presentation Slides

Introducing our customizable Complete Guide to Conflict Resolution PowerPoint template, expertly designed by our professionals at SlideTeam. In any organization, conflicts may arise due to diverse personalities, attitudes, and viewpoints among team members. However, these conflicts can be effectively resolved to strengthen team relationships, boost employee morale, reduce absenteeism, and enhance overall productivity. Our Workplace conflict scenarios deck begins by highlighting the latest trends and statistics in organizational conflict, covering various phases of conflict. It also includes a section where managers can emphasize the impact of unresolved team conflicts on the companys financial performance. Additionally, our Interpersonal conflicts PPT presents common workplace conflict scenarios and provides strategies for overcoming them. Furthermore, it offers a Key Performance Indicator KPI dashboard, enabling firms to analyze the impact of conflict resolution strategies on both employees and overall company performance. This powerful template is designed to empower businesses in effectively resolving workplace conflicts, fostering a positive work environment, and achieving long-term success. Gain access to this valuable resource today.

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Enthrall your audience with this Complete Guide To Conflict Resolution Powerpoint Presentation Slides. Increase your presentation threshold by deploying this well-crafted template. It acts as a great communication tool due to its well-researched content. It also contains stylized icons, graphics, visuals etc, which make it an immediate attention-grabber. Comprising fifty nine slides, this complete deck is all you need to get noticed. All the slides and their content can be altered to suit your unique business setting. Not only that, other components and graphics can also be modified to add personal touches to this prefabricated set.

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Content of this Powerpoint Presentation

Slide 1 : This slide introduces Complete Guide to Conflict Resolution. Commence by stating Your Company Name. Slide 2 : This slide depicts the Agenda of the presentation. Slide 3 : This slide includes the Table of contents. Slide 4 : This slide highlights the Title for the Topics to be covered further. Slide 5 : This slide exhibits the Current trends related to workplace and interpersonal conflicts. Slide 6 : This slide states the Key informational statistics on workplace conflict. Slide 7 : This slide indicates the Heading for the Contents to be discussed next. Slide 8 : This slide deals with Defining the phases of workplace conflict. Slide 9 : This slide continues Defining the phases of workplace conflict. Slide 10 : This slide depicts the Title for the Ideas to be covered in the following template. Slide 11 : This slide focuses on Addressing the various conflicts at workplace. Slide 12 : This slide continues Addressing the various conflicts at workplace. Slide 13 : This slide states the Major sources of workplace conflict. Slide 14 : This slide emphasizes on Identifying conflicts amongst various organizational departments. Slide 15 : This slide includes the Heading for the Ideas to be discussed further. Slide 16 : The purpose of this slide is to outline the negative outcomes of organizational conflict. Slide 17 : This slide highlights the Negative outcome of unresolved workplace conflicts on employees health. Slide 18 : The purpose of this slide is to outlines the conflict impact on organizational financial performance. Slide 19 : This slide portrays Calculating the total cost of workplace conflict. Slide 20 : This slide includes the Title for the Contents to be covered next. Slide 21 : The purpose of this slide is to outline workplace conflict scenario highlighting the overview of starting on a bad terms with new co-worker. Slide 22 : This slide showcases a conflict scenario where co-worker send some piece of urgent work after office hours. Slide 23 : The purpose of this slide is to outline a workplace conflict scenario where things get awkward between team members. Slide 24 : This slide displays the Heading for the Topics to be discussed further. Slide 25 : This slide deals with Selecting the goals for workplace conflict management. Slide 26 : This slide reveals the Title for the Topics to be covered in the upcoming template. Slide 27 : This slide focuses on Developing an effective communication plan to address workplace conflict. Slide 28 : This slide indicates the Heading for the Contents to be further discussed. Slide 29 : This slide reveals the Conflict management skills to create positive work environment. Slide 30 : This slide states the Ways of improving conflict management skills. Slide 31 : This slide emphasizes on Selecting the best conflict management strategy. Slide 32 : This slide highlights the Approaches we will implement to resolve workplace conflicts. Slide 33 : This slide shows the Conflict resolution activities to strengthen team relationship. Slide 34 : The purpose of this slide is to outline management role to resolve organizational conflicts. Slide 35 : This slide contains the Title for the Ideas to be covered in the following template. Slide 36 : This slide highlights the Need for third-party conflict management training program. Slide 37 : The purpose of this slide is to outline the summary of conflict management training program offered by the third-party. Slide 38 : This slide outlines a comprehensive model which can be used to measure the success of conflict management training effectiveness. Slide 39 : This slide depicts the Approaches to measure training program effectiveness. Slide 40 : This slide exhibits the Heading for the Ideas to be discussed next. Slide 41 : The purpose of this slide is to outline the results of resolving workplace conflicts after developing in-house strategy. Slide 42 : The purpose of this slide is to show results of conflict management training program. Slide 43 : This slide mentions about the Title for the Contents to be covered in the upcoming template. Slide 44 : This slide states the Key benefits post resolving conflicts at workplace. Slide 45 : This slide illustrates the KPI metrics dashboard post resolving workplace conflict. Slide 46 : This is the Icons slide containing all the Icons used in the plan. Slide 47 : This slide is used for depicting some Additional information. Slide 48 : This slide showcases the Major types of workplace conflict. Slide 49 : This slide exhibits the 5 Cs approach to workplace conflict resolution. Slide 50 : This slide displays the Healthy vs unhealthy workplace conflict. Slide 51 : This slide showcases the Do’s and don’ts of resolving workplace dispute. Slide 52 : This slide represents the SWOT analysis. Slide 53 : This is the About us slide. State your comapny-related information here. Slide 54 : This slide reveals the company's Vision, Mission, and Goal. Slide 55 : This is Meet our team slide. State your team-related information here. Slide 56 : This slide displays the Column chart. Slide 57 : This slide represents the Roadmap of the company-related information here. Slide 58 : This is the 30 60 90 days plan slide for effective planning. Slide 59 : This is the Thank you slide for acknowledgement.

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by Darell Vargas

May 27, 2023

by Donny Elliott

May 25, 2023

Ensure elements marked as presentational are consistently ignored

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How to Fix the Problem

Correct markup solutions.

The presentation-role-conflict rule has two markup patterns that pass test criteria:

Ensure that each element with role="none" or role="presentation" does not have one of the following characteristics:

• A global ARIA attribute
• Is focusable (either natively or using tabindex )

Incorrect markup solutions

The presentation-role-conflict rule has three markup patterns that fail testing criteria:

Why it Matters

There are certain cases where the semantic role of an element with role="none" or role="presentation" does not resolve to none or presentation (respectively). When this happens, the element is not removed from the accessibility tree (as expected) and screen readers are able to interact with it.

To ensure the element remains removed from the accessibility tree, you should not add any global ARIA attributes to the element or make if focusable.

Rule Description

Ensures elements which are marked to be removed from the accessibility tree are in fact removed.

The Algorithm (in simple terms)

Checks all elements with role=“none” or role=“presentation” to ensure they do not have a global ARIA attribute and are not focusable.

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