Which term best describes the opposite of 'competing' in conflict resolution?

• A. Collaborating
• B. Avoiding
• C. Accommodating
• D. Compromising

Answer: (C)

The term that best describes the opposite of 'competing' in conflict resolution is accommodating. Competing typically implies a situation where one party seeks to achieve their own goals at the expense of the other, often resulting in a win-lose dynamic. In contrast, accommodating involves prioritizing the needs and desires of others over one's own personal interests. This approach encourages harmony and aims for greater relational cohesion, as it often involves yielding to the other party to maintain peace or support their needs.

While collaborating seeks a win-win solution and focuses on working together to meet the needs of all parties involved, accommodating specifically emphasizes sacrificing one’s own goals in favor of others. Avoiding entails withdrawing from the conflict entirely, and compromising involves both parties making concessions. However, accommodating is distinctly different in that it emphasizes putting the other party's needs first, making it the best opposite of competing in this context.