Conflict Resolution
Definition, Process, Skills, and Examples
Conflict decision skills are required for various positions across many job sectors. It becomes a requirement because conflict tends to minimize productivity and create an unpleasant work environment, leading to unwanted turnover in the body of workers and reduced morale.
Individuals who are capable of getting to the bottom of conflicts are often extraordinary mediators, rational, and able to control challenging personalities from a region of empathy.
What Is Conflict Resolution?
Conflict resolution is the process by way of which two or more parties attain a peaceful solution to a dispute or disagreement.
In the workplace, there can be various type of conflict:
Conflict may also show up between co-workers, or between supervisors and subordinates, or between service carriers and their clients or customers.
Conflict can additionally manifest between groups, such as administration and the labour force, or between whole departments.
Some conflicts are arbitrary, which means it doesn’t matter who “wins,” it is better to resolve the issue so everybody can get back to work.
But some conflicts mirror actual disagreements about how an organization ought to function.
The Conflict Resolution Process
The decision of conflicts in the administrative centre usually entails some or all of the following processes:
- Recognizing the problem by addressing the issues with the parties involved.
- Mutual agreement to talk about the issue and find some resolution.
- An effort to understand the views and concerns of the opposing individual or group.
- Identifying and making a change in attitude, behavior, and strategies to work by both sides will reduce bitter feelings.
- Recognizing triggers to episodes of conflict.
- Interventions through third parties such as Human Resources representatives or greater level managers to mediate.
- Willingness to compromise.
- Agreement on plans to sort out the differences.
- Monitoring the result of the agreements for any necessary change.
- Disciplining or terminating employees who refuse to make efforts to defuse conflicts.
Types of Conflict Resolution Skill
Assertiveness
A supervisor might take the initiative to summon a meeting between two personnel who have engaged in a public dispute. A worker might seek out the person with whom they have a misunderstanding to advise working collectively to discover ways to co-exist more peacefully.
- Articulate
- Balanced Approach
- Decisive
- Delegation
- Fact-Based
- Fair
- Firm
- Leadership
- Manages Emotions
- Negotiating
- Sociable
- Voices Opinions
- Problem-Solving
- Self-Control
- Stress-Management
Interviewing and Active Listening
A Human Resources representative might have to ask questions and listen carefully to decide the nature of fighting between a supervisor and a subordinate.
- Articulate
- Attentiveness
- Conscientiousness
- Considerate
- Empathy
- Encouraging
- Intuitive
- Listening
- Negotiation
- Nonverbal Communication
- Persuasion
- Presentation
- Professional
- Relationship Building
- Respectful
- Sense of Humour
- Sincere
- Sociable
- Understanding
- Verbal communication
Empathy
A mediator would possibly inspire empathy by asking employees in conflict to describe how the other may be feeling and thinking, and how the state of affairs would perhaps seem to the other party.
Empathy is also an essential skill for mediators, who need to understand every party’s perspective, without agreeing with either.
- Asking for Feedback
- Building Trust
- Compassion
- Inclusion
- Giving Feedback
- Handling Difficult Personalities
- Managing Emotions
- High Emotional Intelligence
- Identifying Nonverbal Cues
- Recognizing Differences
- Understanding Different Viewpoints
- Interpersonal
- Patience
- Personable
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Control
- Trustworthy
- Welcoming Opinion
Facilitation
Managers of rival departments might facilitate a joint brainstorming session with their teams to generate a solution to the ongoing conflict. Group facilitation techniques should be used to avoid starting a conflict throughout group decision-making.
- Brainstorming
- Collaboration
- Conflict Management
- Diplomatic
- Ethical
- Humble
- Influential
- Insightful
- Intuitive
- Listening
- Organized
- Patience
- Perceptive
- Planning
- Practical
- Realistic
- Reflective
- Teamwork
Mediation
A supervisor would possibly inform subordinates in conflict via a method to identify mutually agreeable changes in behaviour.
- Assertive
- Compassionate
- Decision Making
- Emotional Intelligence
- Empathy
- Honesty
- Impartial
- Insightful
- Leadership
- Measured
- Patience
- Problem Solving
- Professional
- Psychology Background
- Rational Approach
- Respect
- Understanding
- Transparency
Creative Problem Solving
A supervisor might redefine the roles of two conflict-prone staff to eliminate points of friction. Creativity also means finding innovative win/win solutions.
- Brainstorming Solutions
- Conflict Analysis
- Collaborating
- Critical Thinking
- Convening Meetings
- Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Decision Making
- Designating Sanctions
- Fair Resolution
- Goal Integration
- Monitoring Process
- Nonverbal Communication
- Problem Solving
- Restoring Relationships
- Sense of Humour
- Verbal Communication
Accountability
A supervisor may file conflict-initiating behaviours displayed by a continual complainer as guidance for a performance evaluation. In this way, the supervisor helps set up accountability, given that the employee can no longer pretend the trouble isn’t happening.
- Adaptable
- Collaboration
- Delegation
- Driven
- Dynamic
- Flexible
- Focus
- Follow-through
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Motivation
- Organized
- Planning
- Results-Oriented
- Visionary
- Trustworthy
- Versatile
More Conflict Resolution Skills
- Accepting Criticism
- Being Present
- Being Calm
- Impartiality
- Intuitive
- Logical
- Patience
- Positivity
- Project Management
- Research
- Respect Differences
- Separating Yourself
- Stress Management
