Conflict Management Styles among Secondary School Heads of the First District of Surigao Del Sur

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Resolving conflict becomes so tricky. School heads tend to emphasize that their subordinates or school heads from other schools are better than or different from other school heads. This research was undertaken to further improve the school relations and management especially among the secondary schools in the first district of Surigao del Sur.

METHODS

33 school heads participated in the study. The correlational research design was used to find out what profiles of the school heads significantly influence their conflict management styles. The Pearson product moment correlation was the statistical method used to measure its degree of relationship.

RESULTS

The findings revealed the following: the majority of the school heads in the secondary schools of the first district of Surigao del Sur are female and 51-60 years of age; 76% were married and the majority finished their master's degree. The female respondents were more likely to use avoiding conflict management styles than males. School heads of age 51-60, the majority were married and master degree holders with 21-30 number of years in service practicing avoiding style in dealing with conflict. There was a negligible correlation and has no significant relationship between the conflict management styles; and sex, age, civil status, educational attainment and number of years in service of the school heads.

DISCUSSIONS

The conclusions were: respondents are all capable of handling conflict at their respective schools and in resolving conflict in the workplace. Most of the secondary school heads of the first district of Surigao del Sur were exercising avoiding conflict management style; sex, age, civil status, educational attainment and number of years in service do not greatly influence the conflict management style of the respondents. The recommendations were: the collaborating conflict management style must be used by school heads as a measure to have a good, effective and appropriate strategy in managing conflict to develop a sound school relations and management; school heads must act to the different conflict situations rather than ignoring and avoiding them; school heads must settle immediately conflict at the lower or school level than waiting for conflict unresolved that will lead to factions of subordinates; school heads should attend training related to content and strategies in dealing conflict; school must create a School Grievance Committee and maintain good working relationship and harmonious working environment in school.