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Managing conflict
Conflict can arise from a variety of sources,
but many experts see it as a function of
such workplace issues as personality,
personal and professional relationships,
cultural differences, working environments,
demands of the marketplace, and of course,
competition. As organizations increasingly
use teamwork, differences among team
members can lead to conflict.
LIMITED RESOURCES
Everything from office space
to budgets may put people in
competition with one another.
Allocate scarce resources
fairly to avoid this.
VALUES, GOALS,
AND PRIORITIES
Confrontation can occur when
people in an organization don’t
agree on strategic direction
or basic priorities. Agreement
on goals, large and small, can
help to avoid this.
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MANAGING CONFLICT / 293
Identifying the sources of conflict
Not all conflict within an organization is unhealthy,
but conflict between and among people within
an organization can quickly become counter-
productive, divisive, and destructive if not
properly managed. Conflict may develop over
any number of issues or factors, but these
five appear regularly:
POORLY DEFINED
RESPONSIBILITIES
Conflict may result
from differences
between formal
position descriptions
and daily expectations
of the job. Review
and agree who is
responsible for
what (and to whom).
CHANGE
Many changes,
including those to
annual budgets,
organizational
priorities, lines of
authority, or limits
of responsibility, as
well as restructuring,
mergers, divestitures,
and layoffs, can
create anxiety,
uncertainty, and
conflict in an
organization.
HUMAN DRIVE
FOR SUCCESS
Conflicts can arise
as a result of the
natural sense of goal
orientation that every
human experiences.
Many organizations
actively foster a sense
of competition among
their members,
creating many
competitors and
few rewards.
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Conflict resolution techniques
Resolving conflicts between team members is an important function of
an effective manager. To begin the process, you should first ensure that
both parties acknowledge that the conflict exists and the effects that it is
having on team performance and morale. It may be that one party sees
the problem as trivial, or is ignoring the issue. Next, encourage the
parties to set aside time to address the problem—schedule the first
meeting, and offer to participate in the process.
LISTEN CAREFULLY
Find out what’s on people’s
minds, and ask them what
they’re thinking and how they feel.
Get people to agree on
the small stuff first:
when this happens, the
big issues become
easier to address
SEPARATE PEOPLE
FROM PROBLEMS
Rather than saying “I can’t support you,”
say “I’m not in favor of that solution.”
FOCUS ON INTERESTS
Don’t focus on a person’s
demands, but on their
interests—the reasons
behind their demands.
RECOGNIZE FEELINGS
Accept feelings in others, and work
to communicate empathy. Keep
your own emotions in check, to
ensure that you act professionally.
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MANAGING CONFLICT / 295
Reconciling
two sides
CUT YOUR LOSSES
Sometimes the conflict has
simply gone too far, and you
must decide to make
personnel changes.
DEVISE OPTIONS
Find alternatives for mutual gain. By
working together on the options, you
can shift the dynamic from competition
to cooperation.
KEEP COMMUNICATING
Keep the lines of communication
open and speak as frankly and
honestly as possible.
FIND THE SOURCE
Track the conflict to its source.
Don’t accept the first answers
you find; employees may have
underlying concerns.
SUMMARIZE THE
AGREEMENT
Review all the details with
everyone involved. Make
sure all are in agreement.
START SMALL
Get people to agree on the small
stuff first. Once they start to agree
on a few things, the big issues
won’t be as difficult.
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