A conflict management style is a pattern of behavior that you adopt in response to conflict. There are five main styles of conflict management, according to the Thomas-Kilmann model: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Each style has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the situation and the relationship. Competing means pursuing your own goals at the expense of others, which can be useful when you need to act quickly or decisively, but can also damage trust and cooperation. Collaborating means working together to find a win-win solution, which can be beneficial when you need to integrate ideas or build consensus, but can also be time-consuming and complex. Compromising means finding a middle ground that satisfies both parties, which can be practical when you need to reach an agreement quickly or maintain harmony, but can also result in suboptimal outcomes or loss of commitment. Avoiding means withdrawing from or ignoring the conflict, which can be helpful when you need to cool off or avoid escalation, but can also lead to unresolved issues or missed opportunities. Accommodating means giving in to the other party's wishes, which can be appropriate when you need to show goodwill or preserve a relationship, but can also cause resentment or loss of respect.