A project manager confronts a team member about the use of personal instant messaging during working hours. This is an example of which of the following conflict resolution techniques?

Forcing (also called directing) involves using positional power or authority to resolve a conflict by imposing a decision on the other party without negotiation. In this scenario, the project manager is using their authority to directly address and stop the team member's behavior, which is characteristic of the forcing technique. The resolution is one-sided - the manager dictates the outcome rather than collaborating or seeking a mutual compromise.

Smoothing involves downplaying differences and emphasizing areas of agreement to reduce emotional tension, not directly confronting a behavioral violation with authority.

Compromise involves both parties giving up something to reach a middle-ground solution, which is not occurring here - the manager is issuing a directive with no mutual concession.

Avoiding means withdrawing from or postponing the conflict situation, which is the opposite of directly confronting the team member about their behavior.