Resolved! Your Guide To Managing Conflicts In The Workplace

Conflict is unavoidable. Regardless of where you are, conflict is everywhere no matter who you are. It's not rare to hear of disputes turning into long, drawn out lawsuits. Something as simple as a difference in personalities between team members can hinder productivity. Here are a few ways to help you turn a conflict into a peaceful conflict resolution.

Most people want to avoid conflict the best they can, but we should all know by now that it's not the best way to approach this problem. No matter how much management tries to regulate things to keep the problems out, it is to no avail; they'll always come up, at least once in a while. Rather than ignoring conflict, or pretending that our rules eliminate it before it happens, we should focus on controlling and fixing the conflicts.

Identify the Source of Conflict
While it is preferable to focus on productivity and avoid disagreement altogether, oftentimes employees run aground in their efforts to conceptualize and express their ideas. Rather than setting up a battle that reduces to the level of game-playing and status-taking, co-workers are better off to cooperate so they can pinpoint the real source of any lack in productivity.

For instance, if the basis for a conflict is one person having too much say in decisions, then it is the duty of the other members of a team to effectively investigate what internal issue is driving the disruptive team member to attempt to dominate the group's proceedings.

Handle the Conflict
For many of us, the prospect of confronting a difficult co-worker is intimidating indeed. Still, it serves no one if everyone in the workplace ignores an employee who is perceived as a troublemaker. Actually, ignoring such a problem only serves to tell the troublemaker that their unethical behavior is acceptable, and that it is fine to continue acting in such a manner.

Here too, the duty rests with the remainder of the team or the co-workers to handle the individual so the conflict can be resolved. One option is for employees to seek out a supervisor. However, ideally, the individual should be confronted prior to taking this step. The way you confront the troublesome party is of primary importance. By adopting an overtly confrontational stance, it is possible to merely aggravate the situation and cause tempers to flare.

It is a better idea to present your case in a kind and non-threatening manner. Politely lay out specific examples that back up why you think this person has had a negative influence on the office environment, and make sure that another person is available for a second opinion. In addition, it will help enormously to have written documentation available regarding this person's behavior.

Prevent Conflicts in the Future
Learning from the past can go a long way towards preventing future mishaps. This doesn't mean that we have to see impending doom in every situation, but enables us to pinpoint certain signs that an incident might go out of control. This gives us the ability to diffuse a potentially difficult situation.

The entire workplace stands to gain from effective resolution of conflict. When conflict resolution is managed properly, no one loses his or her job, and employees can then build a stronger team relationship based on mutual trust. These stronger alliances lead to more effective conflict resolution and team problem solving ability down the line.

By: Steve Wilheir

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Steve Wilheir is a project management consultant and the founder of Leadership Development training. Visit his site for more information on Traits of an effective leader and Qualities of an Effective Leader