Conflict Management
Listen First, Talk Second
Team members should be encouraged to listen to other people's points of views and let each other finish speaking, before defending their own position. Managers should emphasize that the only way to resolve the situation is through discussion and negotiation. It is also important to focus on work issues, and leave personalities out of the discussion. In order to make sure that listeners understand the problem fully, managers should ask questions for further clarification and encourage everyone to:
-
Listen with empathy, and to see the conflict from each participant's point of view
-
Explain issues clearly and concisely
-
Use "I" rather than "you" statements, so that no one feels attacked
-
Be clear about feelings
-
Remain flexible and adaptable
Once everyone's needs and concerns have been voiced, a manager should outline the behaviors and actions that will or won't be tolerated.
Separate People From Problems
Conflict is rarely one-sided, and all team members involved should resolve it collaboratively by addressing the problem rather than the personalities involved. The problem is caused by neither person, but they do need to work together to resolve it.
Make Sure Good Relationships Are a Priority
During a conflict situation, the manager's priority should be to take control as soon as possible and maintain good relationships within the team. Conflict is a mutual problem and should be resolved through respectful discussion and negotiation, rather than aggression. In order for the team and organization to function effectively, people must be able to work together, without resentment.
Listen Carefully to Different Interests
In order to understand each party's underlying interests, needs and concerns, team members should be encouraged to take a positive stance, keep the conversation courteous, and avoid blaming.
While the manager needs to understand each person's viewpoint, it is also important that each team member makes an effort to understand one another's motivations and goals, and to think about how those may affect their actions.
However, in order to hear one another's positions and perceptions they must use active listening skills, such as:
-
Looking directly at the speaker
-
Listening carefully
-
Nodding and allowing each person to finish before talking
Focusing on listening will also help to prevent the conversation from becoming heated and getting out of hand. Once everyone knows that their views have been heard, they are more likely to be receptive to different perspectives.
Conflict is inevitable in the workplace, but more often than not, is positive and beneficial because it:
-
Increases understanding. The process of resolving conflict can increase awareness by exploring the views of others and provide insight on how to achieve goals without undermining someone else.
-
Creates group cohesion. When conflict is resolved effectively, team members develop mutual respect through their ability to work together.
-
Improves self-knowledge. Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals, understand the things that are most important to them, sharpen their focus, and enhance their effectiveness.
However, the result of not managing conflict effectively can be damaging. When conflict becomes aggressive, heated, or personal, it should be resolved quickly and professionally. This is where clear communication plays an important role. Creating an open communication environment where employees are encouraged to talk about work issues is an important mitigation strategy in conflict management.
The conflict management strategies below were derived from the interest-based relational (IBR) approach found on MindTools. The IBR approach (originally developed by Roger Fisher and William Ury in 1981) separates people and their emotions from the problem, and builds mutual respect and understanding by encouraging conflict resolution in a united, cooperative way.
According to IBR, a manager's role in the resolution process is to :
-
Ensure that team members feel respected and understood
-
Help each side develop an understanding of the other's position
-
Encourage consensus, even if that means agreeing to disagree
Below are six steps to manage conflict effectively.
Set out the "Facts"
While this may sound obvious, everyone should be aware of the problem that is trying to be solved, and the facts that are relevant to the situation, in order to find a mutually acceptable solution. Due to different underlying needs, interests and goals people often perceive problems differently. Sometimes, people will see different but interlocking problems. So, if an agreement can't be reached, the aim should be to understand the other person's perception of the problem.
Explore Options Together
By this point, each side should understand the other's position better, and the most appropriate solution.
However, other serious differences may have been uncovered. During this stage the parties involved can either apply a win-win negotiation, where they find a solution that satisfies everyone, or, further action may need to be taken to change the fundamental circumstances that have caused the conflict.
Team members should be encouraged to help generate solutions, in order to ensure that everyone feels included and satisfied with the outcome. Brainstorming ideas and being open to all suggestions is the key to successful conflict management.