Strategies for Conflict Management

Believe it or not, conflict can actually be one of the best things to happen in the workplace, especially if it’s managed well. It can improve the decision-making process through examination of multiple approaches, as well as push people to clearly express and clarify their ideas.  Conflict should be used to encourage innovation and creativity, and can improve the overall performance of both individuals and teams.

What conflict should not be allowed to do is promote distrust, suspicion, and pit employees against one another. When conflict becomes destructive job stress, burnout, and absenteeism increase, and and loyalty and commitment begin to deteriorate.

Make sure conflict is being used to further your goals  and not against them by using these simple strategies…

1.Know what you want before you go in, which makes negotiation and compromise easier.

2. Show your goodwill from the beginning, even if you’re not feeling particularly charitable.

3. Talk less, listen more, and keep your voice and gestures calm and collected.

4. Acknowledge that an argument has two sides and compromise is probably inevitable.

5. Step back when things get heated and remember things can’t really be that bad.

6. Try to see things from your opponent’s point of view; empathy goes a long way toward de-escalating tension.

7. Don’t accuse or attack your opponent if you hope to keep communication channels open.

8. Avoid implying that your opponent is lying or not revealing the whole story; just keep asking questions until the truth comes out.

9. Remember, just because you know what you mean doesn’t indicate that you’ve been able to express your views clearly to your opponent; check for understanding and keep providing information until you both see the same picture.

10. Don’t push for immediate resolution; your patience will pay off with a more amenable solution for all concerned.

11. Help your opponent see the long-term plan beyond the immediate source of the conflict.

Managing conflict isn’t about winning and losing. It’s about harnessing the power of emotion and ideas to find the best solution. Just keep that in mind when fighting for your point of view…