Conflict Resolution in Organisations

What is Conflict Resolution?
The term "conflict resolution" is used in management to describe a wide range of methods used to eliminate conflict. Sometimes the term is used interchangeably with "dispute resolution." There are two theories that deal with effective conflict resolution, namely;



Conflict Styles
This theory basically examines the five ways of dealing with conflict. It also examines the efficacy and assertiveness of each theory. According to this theory, there are five ways that people use to deal with conflict based on their characters, cultural influences and training, these are:

• Competitive style- such people are quite assertive and know what they want. This style is common where one's goals outweigh relationship concerns.

• Collaborative style- such people attempt to address the needs of everyone involved. Though they are highly assertive, they avoid a competitive situation and try to accommodate different viewpoints.

• Compromising - such people identify solutions that will satisfy everyone to certain extent. For the "compromiser", everyone must give up something.

• Accommodating- people who apply this style demonstrate a willingness to satisfy the needs of others even if that means their own needs remain unmet. This person can be described as highly cooperative.

• Avoiding- such people totally avoid disputes or look for ways to defer the matter until an amicably solution can be found. They may employ tactics such as changing the subject during a discussion and completely avoiding situations that force them to address the dispute.

Interest Based Relational Approach
According to this theory of dispute resolution, individual differences should be respected but people should avoid taking fixed positions. The rules according to this theory are as follows:

• Ensure good relationships are your first priority- resolving the conflict must not come at the cost or eroding good relationships in the workplace

• Separate people and problems- do not focus on the person but on the problem at hand. It is quite common to see people dismiss one party as "being difficult". You must be careful because there may be a valid problem.

• Be keen on the interests being presented- people sometimes take certain positions because they have some undeclared interest. You must be aware to this possibility.

• Listen before you leap- the key to successful dispute resolution lies in listening and understanding before talking and taking action
• Keep an open mind- be ready to explore a third option which may not be immediately evident

Importance of Conflict Resolution
Whether we like it or not, conflict in the workplace is inevitable. In fact, it is present is just about every sphere our lives. Learning to amicably resolve it can improve working relationships, streamline teams and ultimately improve productivity in an organisation. It is not in itself a bad thing and only becomes destructive when it is not resolved in the right manner. Conflict resolution in organisations is the difference between positive and negative results.

Career Benefits of Conflict Resolution Skills
Learning to effectively resolve conflicts can boost your career in a number of ways:

• Better understanding- it expands your awareness of people in an organisation. You are better able to achieve your goals without undermining other people
• Increased cohesion with team members- these skills allow you to gel better with your team members. They develop respect for you and have faith in your abilities
• Enhances your effectiveness - these skills push you to examine your goals in closer detail and help you understand what is important to you. This sharpens your focus and improves your effectiveness.

Consequences of Failing to Develop Conflict Resolution Skills
Failure to develop these skills can spell doom to your career. When you find yourself in constant conflict, you can develop a personal dislike for team members. This can lead to a general deterioration in team work and send you into a downward spiral. At some point, your leaders may pick up on this and you may find yourself in an awkward position. People who are always conflicting with others find it very difficult to work as part of a team. This affects their overall career progress and they may experience career stagnation.

Ten ways to Develop Conflict Resolution Skills
Conflict resolution is a complex discipline. There are actually whole university degrees and specialised courses that focus solely on this subject. However, the following are ten ways you can develop these important skills:

• Accept that it may arise- this is the first step to resolving disputes. When you accept and know that conflict may and will arise, then you will always be ready and prepared to deal with it.   

• Establish Ground Rules- set some rules for yourself on how to deal with a dispute when it does occur. Think of it as an internal "speed governor" where to tell yourself that regardless of what happens, you will deal with the issue at hand in a specific manner. For example, set a rule for yourself not to get annoyed or lose your temper. If you are a team leader, let the team know the rules that must be followed when resolving conflicts e.g. no team member must address another disrespectfully and use insulting language.

• Learn what makes it destructive- destructive conflict comes about when the difference has been present over an extended period of time and an answer appears non-existent. You must be able to keep disagreements from degenerating to this status.

• Stop disagreement before it starts- you may have knowledge that taking some certain action or refraining from taking a particular action may lead to discord. Weigh the potential benefits and disadvantages then decide whether it is worth it.

• Listen to the whole "story"- as a team leader, listen keenly to the whole "story" from conflicting parties in order to resolve the difference effectively

• Resolution meetings- organize meetings with team members you are having conflict with to specifically address the disagreement. This will prevent other members of the team getting involved and taking sides in the conflict

• Examine both view points- if you find yourself in a situation where two member of your team are in conflict, do not pick a side even though you may feel that one point of view is more valid. Examine the pros and cons of both sides of the argument and help them arrive at a common position

• Embrace compromise- a compromise solution is usually the best as it allows both parties to make use of their ideas. In fact, in many cases, combining two conflicting points actually leads to a better solution.

• Avoid "Mob Psychology"- the managerial term for mob psychology is "Groupthink". This is where individual ideas are suppressed in order to come up with one idea. When a mob comes up with an idea, there is usually no room for opposing viewpoints even though the overall viewpoint of the mob is almost always wrong. If you happen to be a team leader, always demand that some people in the team play the devil's advocate or present cons to an idea.

• Avoid trying to change people- do not attempt to change someone's point of view on a particular topic. As a team leader, you should actually encourage different viewpoints. A large pool if ideas and diverse viewpoints can help you craft a lasting solution to a problem.

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