Steps in conflict management

Conflict is a struggle or clash between opposing forces. It is a battle or a state of opposition between ideas, interests, disagreement or controversy.

what you need to understand about conflict

handling conflict requires understanding of it’s causes
conflicts has escalating factors
conflicts can lead to better things
Conflict is normal part of life and cannot be avoided
conflict periodically occurs in all forms of relationships
conflicts causes change or fuel growth
It is only dysfunctional when it prevents team from achieving it’s goals
Conflicts can results to positive outcomes

Benefits of conflicts

It causes discovery of problems that has been existing
It exposes opportunities that has not been visible to the team
It encourages self-discovery and builds self-esteem
Helps people discover new ways of doing things
promotes understanding of other team members perspectives
can lead to new and better ideas
Fuels team growth
can increase team’s productivity

There are two types of conflicts:

rational/cognitive conflict
Emotional/ Affective conflict

Rational/Cognitive conflict

It is a conflict whose is goal is to find the best possible solution rather winning
It is about ideas and ways of doing things
Alternatives are viewed as valuable rather than threatening
It is a conflict that focuses on issues and not attacks on people or their personalities
Results to productive and united team
Comes from team members with growth mindsets

Emotional / Affective conflict

It is driven by people whose goal is to win at all cost without interest on finding the best solution.
It is a conflict where opposition is met with aggressiveness rather than finding it’s ideas
Focuses on personal issues rather than the problems that need to be solved
Creates less productive and fragmented teams
Disagreements are taken personally and disagreeing party antagonized
People disagreeing are seen as having problems

1. Acknowledge conflict and set goals

Seek to understand the problem and then invite team members into conversation. One should be clear about the intentions of the interaction and state the objectives of meeting before the conversation.

2. share perspective

Ask team members view about the conflicting situations and listen carefully as you record their inputs. Acknowledge inputs from team members and then clearly explain your perspectives

3. Build understanding

Identify issues from all parties so that you can establish a common ground in your conversation as you work together to dissects the differences.

work together to explore the differences separating intentions from the impacts of the conflict.

use clear, direct and neutral language avoiding being judgmental as you explore assumptions, interests and feelings among the conflicting parties.

4. Agree on the solution

You explore the best solutions that works the best for the team which has a potential of resolving the conflict. The ideal solution is the one that has positive results in the wrong run and satisfies the best interests of team members.

5. Take action

Determine the cause of action stating who need to be involved when they need to do it describing how interaction should take place.

6.Reassess and revise

Where necessary reassess the collaboration efforts and gives feedback highlighting what is working and what is not working.

Address minor concerns so that they don’t escalate to be conflicts and seek support from colleagues and peers.

Tag: Steps in conflict management

Conflict Management