Which among the following actions would constitute the most appropriate directive(s) in resolving interpersonal conflict in an office with culturally diverse personnel?
- 1.Direct personnel to practise activities that are the cultural markers of diverse groups
- 2.Allow conflicts to resolve naturally over time to set an appropriate precedent of leadership
- 3.Encourage personnel to seek each other’s perspectives
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 3 only
Encouraging colleagues to understand each other's perspectives addresses the root of cross-cultural friction. Forcing people to practise other groups' cultural markers is coercive and can deepen resentment, and leaving conflicts alone is a failure of leadership, not a precedent.
- ✗ 1. Ordering people to adopt others' cultural practices is intrusive and can itself cause conflict; respect does not require imitation.
- ✗ 2. Letting conflicts drift allows them to fester; it signals passive, not appropriate, leadership.
- ✓ 3. Seeking each other's perspectives builds empathy and understanding across cultures — a constructive, lasting way to resolve conflict.
Remember · In conflict items, prefer actions that build mutual understanding; reject coercion and inaction.
Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper II (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·