Manage Conflict

PMI tests five conflict-resolution modes, and almost every exam question is really asking "which of these five fits this specific situation" rather than "what is conflict." Memorize them by what they trade off, not just their names:

Withdraw/Avoid — postpone; use when the issue is trivial or emotions need to cool. Smooth/Accommodate — preserve harmony by yielding on minor points; use when the relationship matters more than the issue. Compromise — both sides give something up; a lose-lose in the sense that nobody gets everything, useful under time pressure. Force/Direct — one party imposes a solution; appropriate in emergencies or on non-negotiable compliance items. Collaborate/Problem-solve — incorporate multiple viewpoints into one solution everyone owns; the highest-effort, generally highest-quality outcome, and PMI's usual "best answer" when there's time to use it.

Exam trap: a question that gives you plenty of time and a genuine disagreement (not an emergency) is steering you toward Collaborate — picking Force or Compromise there is the classic wrong answer, even though both are legitimate techniques in the right context.