Conflict Resolution 101

Acknowledging Differing Perspectives 

Every member of your team has a unique lens through which they view the world and one another, including you. On the way in and out, everything you encounter, hear, and say is passed via your filter. How you present and receive information is determined by these filters. So, it becomes important to consider all the perspectives in the process of conflict resolution. As a manager or as a coach, always consider the point of view of both parties so that they feel acknowledged.

Recognizing Emotions in Others 

Most organisations embrace positive emotions. Employees express their positive feelings in a variety of ways, such as their joy about securing a major client, their celebration of a new product, or their pats on the back when a project is officially over. 

Managers frequently make the mistake of failing to understand that all emotions, even happy and furious ones, can be used as indicators of a person’s personal values. Positive feelings indicate that values are being upheld, but negative feelings indicate that more effort has to be done. Tears or an employee raising his voice to the point where the entire company falls into awkward silence are clear signs that an issue has become emotional.

Handling Communication Mishaps 

Communication makes the world go-’round, and the same is true for you and your employees. You can tell whether you understand each other by the words you use, your voice tone, and your body language. Communication breakdowns result from employing ambiguous or perplexing language. 

When expressing your true intentions, avoid using words like “when you get a chance,” “many,” or “occasionally.” The phrases “always” and “never” might also land you in trouble. A less stressful workplace is created and effective communication is modeled when you choose your words carefully and in a way that stimulates discussion.

Deciphering Group Dynamics 

Two workers can communicate flawlessly and function like a well-oiled machine. When a third team member is added, group dynamics are now in effect. Wow, that totally alters everything! 

From a managerial standpoint, a team that is productive and successful can be thrilling. However, communication breaks down if cliques emerge and coworkers begin searching for allies to join them in power struggles behind closed doors. As mediators make sure you maintain the group dynamics in such a way that neither the newcomer feels unwelcomed nor the old employees feel invaded.

Craft Contracts 

Many times conflicts take a bad turn and even as a manager it becomes difficult to move to a resolving point. In such circumstances, the best you can do is to form agreements so that the two parties work in compliance. Bring the employees back together and let them discuss any learnings from the private meeting sessions if they so want. Start focusing on potential solutions and reach an agreement (with specifics! ) on who will do what and when.

Assessing your own role

You might not even be aware of what it is that you’re doing or not doing that’s producing conflict on your team. When there is a disagreement, most people prefer to focus more on what the other person is doing than on their own actions and emotions. So it’s best that you assess your role and reevaluate everything.

5 Must-Have Skills For Conflict Resolution

There are many various ways to approach conflict management. Even though these approaches differ, they all make use of the same management techniques. You must practice each of these abilities and learn when to use them in order to manage conflict effectively. The fundamental abilities and traits that you must develop if you wish to manage conflicts at work are listed below.

• Active Listening 
• Empathy
• Patience
• Open Communication
• Impartiality

Conflict Resolution Examples In The Workplace

Potential conflict occurs when perceptions, objectives, or ideals diverge in an area where stakes are high. Conflict may be fostered by misunderstanding or disagreement with the shared goal and methods for achieving it. Additionally, pursuing group objectives may prevent members of the organisation from achieving their own objectives. 

But conflicts mainly occur due to lack of communication, competition, inconsistency, diversity, values, or even structure sometimes.  This causes the importance of conflict resolution to be more important than usual.  Let’s explore some of the classic conflict resolution examples in the workplace scenario.

1. Task-Based Conflict: One of the most classic conflict resolution examples is that of task-based conflict arising when individuals in an interdependent project network must coordinate their tasks so that everyone can successfully get their part done. In such cases task delegation must be handled carefully so that everyone is on the same page as deadlines approach, making it clear what each person should be doing in their assigned function.
2. Creativity-Based Conflict: When conflicts occur due to creative differences the best you can do is to employee collaboration. If two people have conflicting project ideas, they may consult each other and mutually choose one or the other. They might also try to reach a compromise so that both perspectives can be heard and a stronger result of their cooperation emerges.
3. Leadership Style Based Conflict: The most important aspect of leadership is that every leader is unique in their own way and operates using a different leadership style. Some are transnational, some are charismatic and some are transformational. You should encourage respect for one another’s differences within the firm to resolve any problems. The leadership styles they employ and how they engage with the personalities and work styles of their team members should also be known to them. Regardless of their preferred styles of leadership, they should be able to adapt and connect with their staff.